The list of exercise benefits during pregnancy is over a mile long, and most women are well aware they should include physical activity during the nine months of their child’s development. But let’s face it; pregnancy isn’t a cakewalk for most women. Nausea, sleepless nights, hip and back pain, round ligament pain, and weight gain are just a few of the many discomforts women may experience during their pregnancy, making a fitness plan less and less appealing.
TRX Low Back Stretch (wide stance)
Due to the forced anterior pelvic tilt caused by increased weight in the belly, the lower back and hamstrings often tighten up. This natural traction will help decrease discomfort and low back pain from carrying a baby.
With the Suspension Trainer at mid length, stand facing the anchor point and walk back so that your arms are straight out in front of you. With a shoulder-width or wider stance press your hips back and fold your body in half, leaning away from the anchor point.
TRX Chest Stretch
Many expectant mothers experience a shortening in the muscles of the chest
Adjust the straps to mid length and stand facing away from the anchor point. Walk forward so that your arms form a perfect “T”, and then step forward with one foot to create a stretch across your chest and shoulders. Ensure you do not walk to far forward to avoid low back pain or the shoulders rolling forward.
TRX Low Row
Along with the shortening of the chest muscles, the upper back muscles can weaken, leading to a “hunched” posture. TRX Low Rows are a great modifiable exercise to combat this.
Fully shorten your suspension trainer and stand facing the anchor point. Select an angle that is comfortable for you (the steeper the angle, the harder the exercise) and begin with your hands at your ribcage with your shoulder blades engaged behind your back. Slowly lower down, maintaining a perfect plank. Keeping your shoulders down and back, pull yourself back to the starting position.
TRX Assisted Squats and Lunges
Strengthening the glutes is important to help stabilize the hips and improve posture during pregnancy. Assisted lunges are also great for improving both balance and leg strength. As pregnancy progresses, a woman typically gains more weight and her joints become more lax, which can make lunges more difficult. Squats and Lunges can be unloaded using a suspension trainer.
TRX Resisted Heel Taps
Gently training the transverse abdominals can help prevent or alleviate diastasis recti, a thinning of the linea alba and a protrusion in the middle of the belly.
Begin lying on the ground facing the anchor point. Place both hands in the foot cradles and press down. Keep the core braced and knees bent at 90 degrees. Slowly lower one heel toward the ground until just before the low back rises up. Return to the starting position keeping pressure down in the hands. Aim for two 30-second sets of this exercise. (Note: Because this move is performed in the supine position, avoid doing this exercise any longer than 30 seconds and have the exerciser roll to her left side between sets.)
Prenatal Precautions
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AGOC) published their first recommendations on exercise in 1985. Since then, these have been updated in 1994, and again in 2002. You can read the complete current ACOG Guidelines to learn how to identify absolute and relative contraindications to exercise during pregnancy.
Reasons to discontinue exercise and seek medical advice include:
• Vaginal bleeding
• Sudden swelling of the ankles, hands or face
• Dizziness or faintness
• Persistent, severe headaches and/or visual disturbances
• Chest pain, excessive fatigue or palpitations
• Unexplained abdominal pain
• Calf pain or swelling
• Persistent contractions that may be indicative of preterm labor
• Insufficient weight gain [less than 2.2 pounds (1 kg) per month during the last two trimesters]
• Amniotic fluid leakage
Source: American College of Sports Medicine. (2000). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
