Working out during pregnancy is a controversial and controversial issue for many. Some argue that you should not exercise in the early stages, others say that in the latter stages. And some believe that training has a beneficial effect on fetal development, pregnancy and childbirth. So how are things really going? In this article we will look at a strength training program for pregnant women in the gym.

Can pregnant women do strength training in the gym?

Pregnancy is not a dangerous illness or injury, so you shouldn’t sharply reduce physical activity during this period unless it contradicts your doctor’s instructions. However, here too it is important to be vigilant and, perhaps, go to more than one specialist. Another doctor may prohibit you from doing strength training for no apparent reason, so as not to take on unnecessary responsibility. At the same time, an insufficiently competent doctor may ignore some symptoms that may be a contraindication to training.

If there are no complications during pregnancy, moderate strength training is good for the baby and for you.

The elasticity and flexibility of muscles increases in a pregnant woman so that she can bear and give birth to a baby, so there is no need to think that unnecessary movement during pregnancy can be dangerous.

However, there are contraindications:

• exacerbation of any diseases
• uterine tone
• gestosis (swelling, cramps, intense excretion of protein in the urine)

If there are no contraindications, training brings significant benefits:

1. The body is saturated with oxygen, which is extremely important for the development of the fetus. At different stages of development, a lack of oxygen can lead to disruptions in the functioning of the brain, nervous system, and so on.
2. The muscles are in good shape.
3. If you are involved in fitness, you are practically not at risk of postpartum depression.
4. Physical exercises such as swimming make childbirth easier.
5. With regular exercise, you will experience less gastrointestinal problems.
6. And, of course, it will be much easier to monitor your weight and get in shape faster.

If you did not exercise before pregnancy, then you should not start with strength training: it is better to try yoga for pregnant women, swimming or breathing exercises. And after a month or two, start doing strength training, but carefully and with light weights.

It has been proven that moderate strength training does not lead to developmental disorders in the child or health problems for the mother. But excessive exercise can increase intra-abdominal pressure, which is not very good.

When it comes to exercises like planks, crunches, and other abdominal exercises, extreme caution must be used. The plank is not a prohibited exercise; it helps strengthen the back muscles, but if there are any doubts or discomfort, it is better not to perform it during this period.

Prohibited exercises for pregnant women

During pregnancy, you should avoid sports that may involve impacts, falls, or sudden jolts. This can cause miscarriage in the early stages (first trimester) or premature birth in the later stages.

You cannot do:

• any kind of struggle
• equestrianism
• active games such as football, volleyball
• ski sports

If we are talking about a set of strength training, then all exercises must be done carefully. Be sure to choose less weight than usual.

Exercises like Bulgarian lunges, deadlifts on one leg, that is, those where you can lose your balance, are excluded.

For cardio exercises, you can leave the stepper or exercise bike (as long as it is convenient to pedal). You should forget about the treadmill: there is always a risk of falling, and intense running may not be very useful.

Concentrate on isolation exercises and compound exercises with light weights. Let's see if it's possible to create a strength training program that would be suitable for exercising during pregnancy?

Exercises in the gym during pregnancy

If you have been training in the gym, you can continue training, but you will have to slightly adjust the program to your current state: reduce the weight of the equipment, remove some exercises, reduce the load in general.

Let's take a look at what your workout might consist of.

Chest and arm workout

We refuse such an exercise as the bench press, it can be dangerous for several reasons: you may not be able to hold the barbell, you may overstrain your muscles. Push-ups can be practiced up to a certain period, but as a result it will become extremely uncomfortable.

Incline Dumbbell Press

We replace the barbell press with a dumbbell press. We need a bench with an adjustable backrest.

1. Set the bench angle to 30 degrees.
2. We take dumbbells in our hands and lie down with our backs on the bench.
3. We place our legs on the sides of the bench on the entire foot; it is necessary that the heels do not come off the floor during the exercise.
4. We create a deflection in the lower back, leaning on the upper back.
5. We keep our arms bent at the elbows on the sides of the body.
6. Keep the angle at the elbow 90 degrees.
7. As you exhale, we begin to press the dumbbells up, but do not push them against each other.
8. As you inhale, lower your arms to an angle of 90 degrees or slightly lower.

In this case, you can perform the exercise by holding your hands parallel to each other, or turning them with your palms towards your legs, or turning your hands while performing a bench press.

Repeat 12–15 times, 3–4 approaches.

Butterfly trainer

To train your chest muscles, gyms have an excellent machine called the “butterfly.” It works on the principle of bringing your arms together (you can do this exercise with free weights using dumbbells). In some cases, the machine allows you to perform a seated bench press (as if you were bench pressing a barbell).

1. We set the weight on the machine.
2. We sit down so that our back is adjacent to the backrest.
3. We bend a little in the lower back.
4. We take hold of the special handles.
5. We place our feet on the sides of the bench, firmly, with our entire feet flat.
6. As you exhale, with a strong movement we bring our hands together, fix them and smoothly return to the starting position.

Repeat 12–15 times, 3 approaches.

A good isolated exercise for the chest muscles is the crossover. This is a fairly functional simulator, and it can be used to pump all muscle groups.

1. Align the crossover handles so that they are approximately at chest level.
2. Place the required weight on the blocks.
3. Take your hands and take one or two steps forward. Some people put one leg forward for convenience.
4. Lean forward a little, about 45 degrees. The back should remain straight.
5. As you exhale, bring your arms together in front of you. Take a short break and return to the starting position.

We perform this exercise 10–12 times, 3–4 working approaches.

Leg workout

It is worth abandoning exercises such as leg presses and squats with heavy weights. Include more isolated exercises to avoid overstraining your body, and perform basic exercises with light weights. In addition, safety is important, so, for example, it is better to replace squats with a barbell on your shoulders with squats in a Smith machine.

Leg extensions in the simulator

One of the safe and good exercises for the front of the thigh is leg extensions while sitting in a machine.

1. Initially, you need to adjust the simulator to your height. Adjust the backrest so that your back is pressed firmly against it and the top bolster (or seat) does not rest against your calf muscles. The lower roller should not be placed on the lower leg, as is often done, but on the upper area of ​​the foot.
2. Set the weight lightly and sit on the machine.
3. Place your feet under the bolster.
4. You can hold on to the handles with your hands, and if there are none, then to the seat.
5. Keep your back straight and press it against the back.
6. Inhale and as you exhale, straighten your legs. It is important that the movement is not sudden, as this can damage the knee joint.
7. At the top, tighten your quadriceps and hold for a few seconds.
8. As you inhale, lower your legs down gently, smoothly and not all the way.

There is no need to “throw” your legs, lower them completely. Firstly, this way the load on the muscles remains the same all the time. Secondly, you do not create compression in the knee (the angle should be about 90 degrees).

We perform the exercise 12–15 times, 3–4 approaches.

Leg curls in the simulator

The bend can be performed standing or lying down. While lying down, this exercise can be done with both legs at the same time. There is also a special simulator for this. However, you can perform lying leg curls only in the early stages; in the future you will have to do it standing, but the principle will remain the same.

The exercise pumps up the back of the thigh (not the buttocks!).

1. This machine should also first be adjusted so that the roller rests just above your Achilles tendon (not mid-calf).
2. If possible, your knees should hang down rather than rest on the bench.
3. We set the weight and lie on our stomach.
4. We put our feet behind the roller and grab the handles.
5. We inhale and, as we exhale, bend our knees, while the roller should not jump or come off your legs. The movement should be slow and smooth.
6. Another important point is that your body should be pressed firmly against the bench when you bend your legs so as not to overload your lower back.
7. We fix the top point (do not touch the buttocks) and slowly lower our legs down.

We also perform the exercise approximately 12–15 times, 3–4 approaches.

It will not be possible to perform leg curls while standing on a special machine, since there is also usually a pillow under the stomach, so you can do leg curls on a machine that performs leg extensions.

Both of these exercises are isolation exercises and are best done at the end, after you've done squats, deadlifts, or lunges.

Plie squats (with wide legs), which are recommended for pregnant women, work well on the internal thigh muscles and strengthen the pelvis.

The exercise can be done without weights, with a barbell, kettlebell or dumbbells.

Let's look at the option with dumbbells (or one). It is the most convenient and safe.

1. We take the projectile in our hands.
2. We place our legs wide apart (much wider than our shoulders), and turn our toes to the sides.
3. Keep your back straight and your stomach tucked.
4. Hands with dumbbells can be held near the chest or along the stomach (as long as this is possible in the early stages).
5. We inhale and begin to slowly lower ourselves down, bending our knees.
6. We try to keep the body level, you can bend over, but not too much.
7. The knees point towards the toes.
8. Inhaling, we squat until the thigh is parallel to the floor (or lower, if stretching allows).
9. As we exhale we rise up.

We perform 10–12 times. 5 approaches will be enough.

A set of workouts for the back and shoulders

Some exercises, such as chin pulls or rowing, will become uncomfortable as pregnancy progresses, but there are shoulder and back exercises (which are extremely important for pregnant girls) that can be performed throughout the period.

Barbell row to chest

This exercise is similar to the barbell row, but the latter works the middle and lower trapezius and lats, and will become uncomfortable to do after 4-5 months. The barbell row to the chest works the rear deltoids (shoulders).

1. We take the barbell with a straight grip wider than shoulder width.
2. Let's stand up straight. Feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
3. We tilt the body forward with a straight back until it is parallel with the floor or slightly higher if the back is rounded.
4. Bend your knees slightly.
5. We inhale and as we exhale we begin to pull the barbell towards the chest. The elbows go to the sides.
6. At the top point, we seem to bring our shoulder blades together, fix this position for 1–2 seconds and lower our arms down.

We do 10–12 times, 3–4 approaches.

Video: Bent-over barbell row

Vertical pull-down to the chest

One of the good exercises for the latissimus dorsi muscle is the lat pulldown. These muscles run from the middle of the back to the lower back. Pregnant women often experience back pain, so working on these muscles is highly advisable.

Without jerking, we smoothly begin to pull the handle down to chest level. We paused, felt the back muscles and slowly returned the bar to its original position, without straightening the elbows completely.

The main mistake that almost everyone makes is that you don’t need to pull the bar towards you, towards your chest, it moves vertically - up and down to chest level.

Repeat 8–12 times, 3–4 approaches.

Bent-over dumbbell row

This exercise is also basic, it involves several joints, arm muscles - biceps, triceps, rear deltoids. But the most involved muscles are the trapezius and lats.

For this exercise we need to find a horizontal bench and dumbbells.

1. Place one knee on the bench. We take a dumbbell in the opposite hand, that is, if we put our right foot on the bench, then the dumbbell in our left hand.
2. We place the other hand with the palm on the bench.
3. The back must be straight.
4. Now we begin to pull the dumbbell towards the stomach, that is, as if moving the hand back a little. This will allow you to include your back in the work. If you simply pull to the chest, the load will go to the rear deltoids.
5. At the top point, we strive to bring the shoulder blade to the center.
6. After this, we lower our hand down, aligning the elbow.

We perform 8–12 times on each hand, 3–4 approaches.

Training program for pregnant women

We offer you a workout plan in the gym for a pregnant girl.

Before training, warm up for 7-10 minutes. You can’t start training without warming up.

First, we perform complex basic exercises. We train 3 times a week and divide the days by muscle group.

Training should not be long - 30–40 minutes.

Day 1: chest, biceps and shoulders:

• Dumbbell bench press on an incline bench - 10x5
• barbell row to chest - 12x5
• bringing hands together in a crossover - 12x4

Day 2: legs

• plie squats with dumbbells or kettlebells - 10x5
• standing back swings - 15x4
• leg curls in a lying machine - 15x4

Day 3: back

• vertical block chest pull - 12x5
• vertical block head pull - 12x5
• Bent-over dumbbell rows - 10x4
• Bent-over chest row - 8-10x4

It is highly advisable to reduce the intensity of strength training in the gym during pregnancy, and also start swimming and/or yoga (there is special yoga for pregnant women). Such training will strengthen the muscles of the back and pelvis, and will also teach you how to breathe correctly. This will not only make pregnancy and childbirth easier, but will also keep you and your baby healthy.

During pregnancy, it is very important not only to monitor your health and well-being, but also to lead an active lifestyle. The right approach and training will help ease the upcoming birth and improve the condition of the expectant mother, having a beneficial effect on the emotional component of the woman. Even if you don’t have the opportunity to go to a gym, you can always start working out at home.

Please note that the exercises are designed for the 2nd trimester, because... During this period, you feel a surge of energy, toxicosis and weakness have receded and you can finally take charge of your physical health!

The effect of exercise on the body

The beginning of the second trimester is considered the fourth month, and its end is the sixth month of pregnancy. During this period, playing sports is safe and will keep the body's muscles in good shape. Of course, you can use the following set of exercises in the first trimester, but usually at the beginning of pregnancy, women cannot perform physical exercises due to severe toxicosis or because of the threat of miscarriage. If you do not have the above problems and you feel good in the first trimester, you can safely do simple physical exercise.

Training will serve as excellent preparation for future childbirth, which with regular exercise will be less painful and lengthy.

In addition, a high-quality and correct complex will help eliminate many problems:

• will help stabilize weight and also contribute to its gradual gain
• improves skin elasticity, blocking the formation of stretch marks
• will give you the correct breathing technique
• will improve your core muscles, which will make labor easier in the future
• will prevent severe swelling and the development of varicose veins

Regular exercise will help set your body up to function properly, and it will be much easier for you to recover after giving birth. If you are still wondering: “Is it possible to train with loops during pregnancy?”, then I advise you to read mine, which touches on this topic.

IMPORTANT: When choosing exercises that you will do at home, remember that it is very important not to overwork! And ALWAYS consult your primary care physician!

Contraindications

Of course, such a delicate and scrupulous period has its own criteria, based on which the doctor can prohibit any physical activity. You should not resort to muscle loads if:

• have chronic diseases and serious health problems
• dysfunctions that cause serious swelling
• you have had ARVI or another disease that causes fever and deterioration in health
• During the ultrasound, any abnormalities in the course of pregnancy were identified, especially a low location of the placenta
• long-term toxicosis and dizziness
• increased uterine tone and threat of miscarriage

Before starting a workout routine, be sure to consult with your doctor. There are times when a woman may be prohibited from even the lightest physical activity.

Set of exercises

You should start your workout with a 5-minute warm-up. Having prepared the body for the complex, you can begin the main loads. Perform the exercises 2 sets of 10 times. And at the end, don’t forget about the 5-minute cool-down.

• Exercise 1. Retractions of arms to the sides. The muscles of the chest and back are worked. Fix the loop on your wrists and repeat the movements as in the picture below. Remember to keep your back straight and try not to raise your shoulders high.

GIF

• Exercise 2. Press with your arms behind your back. Take the elastic band by the ends, stretch your arms up, and then begin to pull the loop down, stretching it a little. Keep your back straight with a natural arch in your lower back.

GIF

• Exercise 3. Leg retraction. Sit on the floor and place the loop around your legs, slightly above your ankles. Legs straight, emphasis on straight arms. Then lift your right leg into the air and begin to move it to the side. Do 10 times and repeat on the other leg.

GIF

• Exercise 4. Abduction of both legs. The exercise is the same as the previous one, only here you do not move your legs one by one, but both at once. Place your hands on the floor and lift both legs off the floor. Keep them suspended throughout the exercise.

GIF

• Exercise 5. Glute bridge with knees raised. Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your heels firmly on the floor. Hands lie along the body. The loop is fixed just above the knees. As you inhale, tense your buttocks and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. At the top point, hold for 2 seconds, spread your knees to the sides, bring them back and return to the starting position.

GIF

• Exercise 6. Deadlift. Stand in the middle of the tape. Match the ends so that you feel resistance. Lean forward, pushing your pelvis back, keeping your legs as straight as possible and keeping your back straight and arched at the waist. At the bottom point, feel the muscles in the back of your thigh stretch. Using your buttocks, return to the starting position.

GIF

That's all for today! If you liked the workout and need more exercises, write in the comments!

Good luck to all!!

You may also be interested in the following articles:

Home workout with elastic bands for buttocks
Exercises with elastic bands for legs (intensive workout)

The amount of speculation that fitness instructors come to my favorite pregnancy fitness seminar with is simply overwhelming compared to all other topics. As soon as we start discussing fitness for pregnant women, even the most experienced and competent instructors begin to be denied their own knowledge, from somewhere prejudices and outright fairy tales from the series “one grandmother said” come to the surface. One striking example is the legend that raising your arms up cannot be used as an exercise for pregnant women. Moreover, no one can explain in any clear way from a physiological point of view why a pregnant woman cannot raise her arms up (???), but the idea is extremely tenacious.

In this material we will share the main features of the training method for pregnant women and the main principles for selecting exercises. Some points seem obvious from a common sense point of view, others are not so obvious. Let me make a reservation right away: here we are talking about a pregnancy with a normal course in a relatively healthy woman. Cases with pathologies should be considered not by fitness trainers, but by doctors. Fitness instructors do not have the right to take responsibility for the health of a woman and child in such a situation.

WHAT CAN A PREGNANT WOMAN DO DURING TRAINING - IF SHE WAS TRAINING BEFORE PREGNANCY

The answer is surprisingly simple. She can do everything she did before she became pregnant. There is no reason to suddenly change or cancel what she is used to.

Of course, with logical restrictions and adjustments that are associated with natural anatomical and physiological changes. And this means: with a gradual decrease in load, with the necessary changes in the starting positions that a growing belly requires. And be sure to take into account your current state of health.

What does this mean in practice?

If a woman has been involved in swimming, then swimming during pregnancy will only benefit her. However, this is not the time to continue to push the load and set new records. Distances and speeds should be gradually reduced, and attention should be paid to swimming in as clear a lane as possible to avoid collisions with others. If it is possible to supplement and/or alternate swimming with aqua aerobics for pregnant women, that’s great. Running during pregnancy is also encouraged if it is a habitual physical activity. The restrictions are the same as in the case of swimming: you should not start preparing for a marathon at this time, and attention to the body’s signals should be maximum.

If a woman has been working out in the gym, then she can continue to do so. But the training program must be adjusted taking into account changes in the body. Weights should be gradually reduced to a minimum, starting positions should be chosen according to the growing belly, and special attention should be paid to safety precautions. The program aimed at training the abdominal and back muscles should be refocused on strengthening or maintaining the strength of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms. Reduce the number of exercises and the amount of load on the calf muscles and quadriceps femoris. The initial standing positions are gradually replaced by similar ones, but in sitting and lying positions.

If a woman has been doing yoga, she can continue to do it. But there must be reasonable restrictions in asanas. Gradually reduce and completely eliminate inverted positions with your head down or lying on your stomach. The main principle during this period is to exclude positions and movements that are far from natural.

In group classes, coordination should be simplified. It becomes more difficult for a woman to control her body due to a shift in the center of gravity. But not only that. Amazing metamorphoses occur with coordination - it begins to change at the most unexpected moment. Even those who are very coordinated can have difficulty performing the simplest movements; at some point they simply “get stuck”, forgetting what to do next. This is due to the fact that the nervous system experiences enormous additional stress due to the onset of pregnancy and is not able to fully cope with coordination work. And this effect is expressed more and more clearly at later stages. To avoid injury, training coordination skills should not be a priority in classes for pregnant women. Aerobics for pregnant women is the same aerobics, but coordination is simpler, the step is lower, the pace is slower, etc.

You won’t envy a pregnant instructor here, because he (she!) has to strain extra during coordination classes if he has to conduct regular classes. And sometimes unpredictable situations arise: one of our students, a very experienced instructor, was forced to give up work during her own pregnancy, because... I “forgot how” to perform such a simple exercise for an instructor as a cross step! But pregnant instructors are ideal participants in a fitness seminar for pregnant women - they are the ones who absorb every word and pass it through themselves, understanding everything we talk about at the seminar!

It is important to remember: any changes in health for the worse (dizziness, nausea, pain, etc.) are an absolute indication to stop any training.

WHAT CAN A PREGNANT WOMAN DO DURING TRAINING - IF SHE HAS NOT EXERCISED BEFORE PREGNANCY

The main principle here is also simple: pregnancy is not the time to learn new physical skills or start doing something completely new. If a woman did not know how to swim before pregnancy, then there is no need to start teaching her to do so. If she has not practiced any coordination activities, then it is better to postpone their development until the period after childbirth.

What can you offer her: any exercises based on familiar movements from everyday life. A woman who has not trained before can definitely walk, stand, sit, and make movements with her arms and legs. This should become the basis for classes - in fact, it turns out to be simple gymnastics for pregnant women (it is often also called exercises for pregnant women). It may seem that there is little that can be done here. Nothing like that, restrictions can only be from the imagination of the instructor. This is one of the problems that some coaches face. Most people find it difficult to come up with many variations of simple movements from certain starting positions.

We made a video of methodological material for instructors - a series of exercises at the machine. We filmed in two steps, because... they couldn’t force our model @NATALY_RADOVENCHIK to film for more than 3 hours in a row (she was 33 weeks on the first day of filming and 37 weeks on the second day of filming). And they filmed more than 200 variations and modifications of various exercises from the same position - facing the support (at the choreographic machine). Next up is filming the next series of exercises in a position sideways to the support. We are waiting for another instructor to appear, who will be approximately 6-8 months pregnant, to be our model for filming for several hours (literally a couple of exercises from filming in a short video).

Exercises related to movements in ankle joint. During pregnancy, many factors converge that contribute to blood stagnation in the lower body. And this increases the risk of edema, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids. Therefore, exercises are needed to improve blood circulation and outflow in the lower extremities: normal walking, raising the heels while standing, various (including circular) foot movements.

They are good because they can be performed in any position (standing, sitting, lying down) and do not require any additional equipment. They should be recommended to be performed not only in class, but also independently in any situations where you have to stand or sit for a long time: in the office while working, in line, in a car or public transport. You can also usefully spend time sitting in front of the TV or standing at the stove.

Any dynamic movements(walking, raising legs, turning, bending) will have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the intestines, improve its peristalsis, and this will help minimize the manifestation of such frequent companions of pregnancy as constipation, bloating, etc.

Strength exercises for the muscles of the arms and shoulder girdle.

They will prepare a woman for a new period of life, in which she will have to carry an ever-increasing weight in her arms every day - a growing child. To do this, it is necessary to give her more both static and dynamic load on the biceps, deltoid and pectoral muscles.

Exercises for formation of posture.

Posture during pregnancy changes for the worse due to a shift in the center of gravity: the lower back sags, the upper back begins to slouch. This often leads to pain in the lumbar and thoracic spine. Working on your posture will help reduce pain during pregnancy. With proper training, a pregnant woman will be able to better control the position of her back, keeping it straight not only during pregnancy, but also after childbirth.

1. Balance exercises.

   As a result of a shift in the center of gravity, not only does posture change, but also the risk of losing balance due to the “pregnant” state of the body increases. Exercises from different starting positions will be useful to train the skill of controlling body balance in new conditions. This skill will help you avoid loss of balance, falls and injuries.

   Exercises for pelvic muscles.

   During pregnancy, pressure on the rectum, bladder and perineal area increases. Exercises aimed at the pelvic muscles improve blood circulation in this area, maintain the tone of these muscles, which helps maintain the position of the internal organs, and prevent prolapse of the abdominal organs, hemorrhoids and varicose veins. The ability to tense and relax the muscles of the perineum will prevent involuntary urination, and during childbirth will help to avoid tears and cuts in the perineum.

   Exercises for relaxation and stretching of muscles.

   During pregnancy, the muscles of the back and legs are constantly under increased tension. The calf muscles, quadriceps femoris and spinal extensor muscles are especially tense. They need to be purposefully stretched and relaxed.

In addition, the skill of relaxation will help fight insomnia during pregnancy, and during labor with inevitable pain.

Any exercises need to be taught not only for the sake of performing them in class, but also for the sake of using them in everyday life to make you feel better, for daily physical activity, to develop the necessary skills, for comfort and pleasure. Help your pregnant students be in harmony with their “new” body, enjoy their pregnancy, help them stay healthy and active!

In the video, see just a few examples of possible exercises for pregnant women at the barre. In the next part we will cover another extremely important topic - what should be excluded from training for pregnant women.

Exercise is good for everyone, and during pregnancy this is doubly useful. Today we offer you a set of physical exercises for pregnant women in the second trimester.

We will tell you about the advantages of this complex, give recommendations for implementation, and also dwell on contraindications, in which any physical activity is strictly prohibited at this stage of pregnancy.

First, let's figure out what changes occur in the female body in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Anatomy

The second trimester is rightfully called the most pleasant period of pregnancy. Toxicosis is already behind me, my stomach is not very big yet and absolutely does not interfere with moving and living a full life. It is during this period that you will first feel your baby's movements.

Physical exercises during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester useful for the following reasons:

• allow you to maintain muscle tone;
• after childbirth it will be much easier to get back into shape;
• promote better saturation of cells and tissues with oxygen;
• prevent the appearance of stretch marks;
• give vigor, lift your spirits and help cope with mood swings.

Despite the many benefits of exercise, there are some conditions for which exercise is strictly prohibited.

Contraindications

• toxicosis;
• low placenta;
• spontaneous abortions in the past;
• swelling;

• uterine tone;
• period of infectious diseases or exacerbation of chronic ones;
• any abnormalities in fetal development.

When choosing exercises for classes, preference should be given to the following sports:

• swimming;
• any classes marked “for pregnant women”;
• walks in the open air.

There are also several exercises that can be performed at this stage of pregnancy Absolutely forbidden. Such exercises include:

• abdominal exercises;
• dancing;

• jumping;
• any exercises and sports that have a high risk of falls and injuries.

Before moving directly to the exercises, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the recommendations that will help you make your workouts comfortable and enjoyable.

A set of exercises for pregnant women – 2nd trimester

Exercise 1

As your belly grows, your center of gravity shifts forward, causing lower back pain.
Place your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees slightly and move your pelvis forward. At the same time, you will reduce the load on the lower back and be able to get rid of pain in this area.

Exercise 2

While standing, raise your arms up and slowly stretch your arms. At the same time, rock your hips to the sides. Don't forget about the slow pace of execution.

Exercise 3

Sit on the floor with your legs crossed in front of you. Stretch your spine by straightening your back. Perform sideways, forward and backward turns. In this case, you can spread your arms to the sides and also perform rotational movements in the joints. Concentrate on your feelings, free yourself from extraneous thoughts. Breathe deeply. Imagine how every cell in your body is saturated with oxygen.

Exercise 4

This exercise will help keep your pectoral muscles toned.
In a sitting position, place your arms in front of you, palms together, elbows raised. Press your palms against each other and hold in this position for up to 10 seconds.

Exercise 5

Lie on your side with your knees bent. Place your hands in front of you, one on top of the other. Perform a smooth turn of the body to the side, while trying to place your hand, which is located on top, as far behind your back as possible.

Exercise 6

There is the best back exercise for pregnant women, which is recommended not only in the 2nd trimester, but throughout the entire pregnancy.

Stand in a knee-elbow position. As you inhale, bend your back, aiming the top of your head towards the ceiling; as you exhale, round your back, lowering your head as much as possible. It is even useful to periodically just stand in this position. It also helps relieve lower back pain.

Exercise 7

From the same pose, move your right arm forward parallel to the floor, while moving your left leg back. Stay in this position for a while. Then change your arm and leg and repeat the exercise again.

Exercise 8

Lie on your back, place your arms along your body, palms down. Bend your knees, placing your feet as close to your hips as possible. As you exhale, lift your pelvis up, creating one line with your body and hips. Hold this position for a few seconds and then return to the starting position.

Exercise 9

Sit on the floor, spread your legs wide, bend your right leg at the knee, placing your foot next to you. With your left hand, grab the toe of your left foot. Reach up with your right hand. Hold for a few seconds, then switch arms, bending your left leg and straightening your right.

Exercise 10

Stay on the floor, spread both legs wide, and pull your toes towards you. Stretch your arms to the sides. Perform smooth turns of the body, first to the right, then to the left.

Next, we will tell you what exercises on a fitball are recommended for pregnant women in the 2nd trimester.

Exercise 11

Sit on a fitball, place your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees at a right angle. By the way, if you have chosen a fitball of a suitable diameter for you, in this position your feet will rest firmly on the floor.
Raise your legs one at a time until they are parallel to the floor. At the extreme point, pause and perform circular movements with your feet.

Lie on the fitball with your back, resting your elbows. Feet on the floor. Try to bend at the waist, throwing your head back. Give your back a good stretch. Don't try to bend as much as possible. It will be difficult for you to get up later.

So that you can choose exercises to your liking, we have selected the following video for you, which will help diversify your workouts.

Exercises for pregnant women 2nd trimester – video

This video shows the technique of performing exercises that are recommended to be performed during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester.

In conclusion, I would like to remind you that pregnancy is not a disease, but the most wonderful time of your life. And you shouldn’t deny yourself physical exercise if there are no contraindications. And exercises on a ball for pregnant women in the 2nd trimester will not only keep you in shape, but will also help you get rid of pain in the lower back.

What exercises have you chosen for yourself? What difficulties did you encounter? How has your health changed since starting classes? Share your thoughts on this matter in the comments.

Previously, it was believed that physical activity during pregnancy should be kept to a minimum. Exercising will cause irreversible reactions that will negatively affect the health of the fetus. However, at the moment this opinion is officially recognized as erroneous.

Light fitness and special exercises are not only acceptable during pregnancy, but can also be beneficial. The main thing is to choose the right exercises and not overdo it with the load, taking into account the stage of pregnancy and the woman’s condition.

Basics of safe aerobics during pregnancy at home

There is a separate direction in fitness that deals with training pregnant women. The question has been around for a long time; debates about the admissibility, harm and benefits of such activities have been going on for a long time. Recently, most experts believe that fitness for pregnant women is not only allowed, but also recommended.

Relatively low-level exercises that are allowed for pregnant women cause the following reactions:

• the heart muscle is strengthened;
• metabolism accelerates;
• heat exchange is activated.

Attention! All this significantly reduces the risk of complications that often occur in pregnant women. However, it is important to choose the right load, since excessive load will only cause negative consequences.

When starting aerobics classes for pregnant women, it is worth considering the basics that must be taken into account when creating a training plan:

• loads should not be excessive. Light exercises are recommended, excluding work with weights;
• loads on the abdominal press are minimized;
• important importance is given to well-being, which should always be paid attention to.

Exercise is only done when the pregnancy is uneventful. Otherwise, you need to consult your doctor.

Is it worth it?

Doctors believe that pregnant women should exercise moderately if there are no additional contraindications and the pregnancy proceeds without complications. At the same time, it is important to understand which loads are suitable for pregnant women and which ones are best avoided.

To accurately understand whether pregnant women can engage in fitness, it is recommended to contact your doctor and ask him a direct question. He will give an opinion based on the available analyzes and research results, the actual condition of the woman. Most often, the doctor will recommend taking time to take special courses for pregnant women, which include only safe exercises.

How to properly organize classes at home

Aerobics at home for pregnant women is also possible. In this case, you need to take into account what trimester the woman is in so that the classes are as safe as possible.

When organizing classes, you need to remember that any load on the body should be gradual and consistent. To begin with, walking is recommended, for at least half an hour. This will help the body get used to subsequent loads.

Next, you can perform light exercises with your own weight. This can be squats, various bends, as well as muscle stretching movements. Breathing will be important. You need to breathe correctly, slowly, so as not to create unnecessary pressure on the abdominal cavity.

In the second trimester, the load may be slightly increased. Race walking, anaerobic exercise with fitness bands and light dumbbells (up to 3 kilograms), and light cardio are allowed. Swimming and muscle stretching are also possible.

During the third trimester, exercise becomes more cautious again. The load should be reduced and excess pressure on the abdominal cavity should be avoided. Walking and some yoga exercises are allowed.

Important! Home workouts should take into account not only the physical condition of the woman, but also the duration of pregnancy. At each trimester, certain exercises are allowed that correspond to the development of the fetus and other physiological processes.

Contraindications

If you have certain ailments, fitness for pregnant women is prohibited:

• disorders of the respiratory system that will not allow you to breathe properly when performing exercises;
• heart problems;
• placenta previa, especially after 26 weeks of pregnancy;
• threat of childbirth before the end of the term;
• blood pressure problems;
• presence of bleeding.

Fitness is also significantly limited during multiple pregnancies, as well as under any circumstances where premature birth is possible.

Be sure to check out:

What exercises will be useful

Each trimester has its own exercises that will be most useful:

First trimester	Walking in place. Squats. Cat. You need to get on all fours and arch your back, raising your head up. Breathing exercises. Stand up straight, inhale deeply, then exhale slowly, up to seven seconds. Pelvic rotation on a fitball. You will need to sit on a special ball and rotate your pelvis on it. Squeezing a fitball with your feet. Sit down, tilt your back back, put the projectile between your legs and squeeze it with the force of your thighs. Bouncing on a fitball. Sit on the ball, raise your arms up and lightly bounce up and down.
Second trimester	Race walking. Dancing, including dance aerobics at an easy and medium tempo. Stretching exercises. Easy jogging. Simple strength exercises with dumbbells up to three kilograms and a fitness tape. Hanging on the horizontal bar. Squats.
Third trimester	Raising your arms on a fitball. You need to sit down and raise your arms up; you can use dumbbells up to two kilograms. Triceps curl. Does it in the same position. The arms are bent behind the head at the elbow and raised back up. Squeezing a fitball. Sit in front of it and squeeze it with your arms extended forward. Hiking is also recommended.

Each exercise should be performed with the utmost care to minimize possible risks.

Most experts believe that some physical activity during pregnancy will only be beneficial. They will help improve blood flow, metabolism, strengthen muscles and heart. But everything must be done with the utmost care to avoid possible negative effects on the body.

It is better to forget about heavy anaerobic training, as well as abdominal exercises during pregnancy. They will not bring any positive effect and can only cause harm. All loads should be aimed at improving health, and not at increasing certain physical indicators.