More recently, any expectant mother was prescribed almost complete rest until childbirth. Today, fitness classes during pregnancy are only encouraged. Thanks to research, the enormous benefits of moderate, properly designed physical activity during pregnancy have been proven.

Fitness instructors, together with gynecologists, have developed entire courses of exercises. All of them, performed during this period, can both improve the general well-being of the expectant mother and develop individual muscles to prepare the body for childbirth.

By resorting to fitness exercises for pregnant women, you can keep your chest, arms, and legs toned. The main thing to remember is that during the 9 months of waiting, fitness is not a means to make your figure ideal; you will need to do this after giving birth. Exercise now is a way to keep your body in good shape and prepare it for childbirth. However, moderate exercise will reduce the likelihood of gaining excess weight.

Requires special attention press. It is strictly prohibited to pump it at any stage of pregnancy. You should avoid all exercises that place stress on the lower abdomen. Light bending chair exercise may be acceptable. This will help support the press under such enormous loads.

Properly selected exercises improve blood flow in the internal organs and relax the spine. Improving blood metabolism in the mother’s body is important for a good supply of oxygen to the fetus. Fitness classes will relieve pain in the back caused by pinching.

The fitness you did during pregnancy will bring great benefits after the birth of your baby. For example, exercises aimed at strengthening the pelvic muscles are a good prevention of urinary incontinence after childbirth.

Gynecologists don’t just say that you can do fitness during pregnancy, they advise doing yoga and breathing exercises. These two types of fitness prepare a woman for proper breathing during childbirth and stretch the tissues that will participate in this process.

Yoga, in addition to physical activity, teaches you to control yourself and listen to your body. This will be useful during the birth process, when you need to pull yourself together, extinguish your fear and bravely endure the pain.

Playing sports is preparing not only yourself, but also training the fetus. A child, being in the womb, feels everything. And, if a woman likes to play sports, it is not a burden for her; if she hardens herself, then after birth the child will be much easier to tolerate adaptation to the world around him and physical exercise.

Other benefits of exercising during pregnancy include:

• improved digestion;
• reducing the risk of constipation;
• reducing the number of stretch marks on the abdomen after childbirth;
• burst of energy.

Contraindications for fitness

The expression “pregnancy is not a disease” can be heard more and more often today among doctors and pregnant women themselves. Everyone is prescribed walks in the fresh air and positive emotions. Also, no one is canceling sports. But when a new life is growing under your heart, for which you are responsible, then you should be extremely attentive to the load. You should also be aware of contraindications that cannot be ignored.

There are absolute and relative contraindications for exercise during pregnancy.

Absolute contraindications exclude any loads at all. In some cases, complete bed rest is prescribed. Such indications include:

• rupture of membranes;
• the likelihood of premature birth;
• multiple pregnancy;
• placenta previa;
• rupture of the membranes;
• more than 3 previous abortions;
• a history of miscarriages.

Relative contraindications do not exclude sports. However, in this case, you should be extremely careful and first coordinate all exercises with your doctor.

Relative indications include:

• anemia;
• endocrine diseases;
• arrhythmia;
• weight fluctuations;
• fetal fading that occurred during previous pregnancies;
• previous premature birth;
• bleeding.

Thus, in the absence of the above contraindications, pregnancy and fitness are completely compatible things. However, the development of activities should take place according to the individual characteristics of your body and the nature of the course of pregnancy.

How to exercise during pregnancy

Having decided to study, it is worth remembering the rules that will make the lessons useful. First of all, we pay attention to the intensity of the classes. Each workout should not end with shortness of breath, everything should be done in moderation.

It is worth remembering the prohibited movements: sudden movements, strong bends of the back, swinging legs, jumping and stretching.

Sport is an activity that does not forgive long pauses. This is especially true for sports during pregnancy. Irregular exercise can become simply useless, at best, or negatively affect the course of pregnancy.

You need to approach your activities responsibly. First, monitor your own well-being during and after exercise. Any discomfort is a reason to stop exercising. You should also drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration.

Overheating during exercise can have a negative impact on the fetus, so it should be avoided. In summer, for example, do not exercise in the heat, but do it early in the morning or in the evening. And in winter, choose cool rooms for classes. Since blood flow is much stronger during pregnancy and the body heats up more intensely.

When choosing a program for classes, do not forget to tell the coach whether you have played sports before or whether you are a beginner. This fact requires different solutions when developing an individual program.

All your exercises should begin with a warm-up and warming up the muscles. Before you start, pay attention to your pulse. Normally, it should be 12-16 beats in 10 seconds; after performing the exercises, this mark rises to 18 beats.

Fitness in the first trimester

The first trimester is the period of formation of all the vital organs of the child. Sports activities at this stage should be kept to a minimum. You shouldn’t think that your belly hasn’t grown yet, which means you can still push yourself to the fullest. Excessive stress can lead to miscarriage, as it will prevent the embryo from attaching to the walls of the uterus.

Fitness in the early stages can be aimed at strengthening the hips. Breathing exercises and strengthening of the pectoral muscles are also not contraindicated.

Experts characterize exercises in the first trimester this way: simple but effective.

Fitness in the second trimester

Pregnancy is proceeding normally, the size of the fetus does not interfere with physical exercise. After the 12th week of pregnancy, the load can be slightly increased. Now you can pay attention to the pelvic area and abs.

It is advisable to perform all exercises at this stage in a bandage to reduce the load on the spine. Also, all exercises that were previously performed on the back are replaced with exercises on the side. The supine position prevents oxygen from reaching the fetus.

Fitness in the later stages

Many people think that their belly is big and sports in the last trimester should be postponed until later. But that's not true. At this time, special attention can be paid to the arms, chest and hips. You should consider exercises that are designed to relax your back and reduce stress on your spine.

In this case, exercises on a fitball will be useful. In the last trimester, there is a high probability of increased uterine tone. Therefore, if you feel the slightest discomfort or increase in heart rate during exercise, you should stop and consult a doctor.

Previously, pregnant women were told to maintain complete rest until the birth. However, now the answer to this question is simple and unambiguous - it is possible and even in most cases it is simply necessary. Today, fitness exercises while pregnant are welcome.

According to research, the benefits of moderate exercise have been proven. The main thing is that physical activity is properly designed during pregnancy. Classes should consist of gentle general strengthening and warm-up exercises.

Benefit

For women's health

Fitness at this time helps to keep the muscles of the chest, arms, and legs in good shape.. However, at this time it is not intended to make the figure ideal; this will have to be done after childbirth. Exercise during this period of time will help prepare the body for childbirth.

Fitness trainers develop various sets of exercises together with gynecologists so that the exercises are beneficial for the mother and fetus. The benefits of such exercises are as follows:

For the fetus

The benefits of exercise are as follows::

• relief of some of the discomfort that often accompanies pregnancy (constipation, sleep problems, varicose veins);
• improving blood circulation and thereby supplying the fetus with oxygen, which allows it to breathe freely;
• turning the fetus in the right direction (with special exercises, if at first there was a breech presentation);
• improving the child’s well-being due to the good mood of the mother.

Harm

Mom's health

Fitness classes can harm a woman’s health if she puts heavy stress on her body, although she did not exercise before giving birth. Or he continues to exercise with the same loads as before giving birth. In such cases, deterioration of health, increased blood pressure, and muscle pain are possible.

Baby

If a mother does not follow safety precautions and overloads her body, she may be injured during exercise and thereby provoke uterine tone, the threat of termination of pregnancy, premature birth or miscarriage.

Failure to comply with the load during exercise can cause exacerbation of chronic diseases, which will negatively affect the fetus.

Contraindications

From 13 to 27 weeks

To protect herself and her baby, a mother should study the list of contraindications to rule out their presence. Contraindications are divided into absolute and relative. In their absence, the mother can calmly start doing fitness.

The absolute ones include:

Absolute contraindications exclude physical activity.

Relative contraindications include:

• high blood pressure;
• anemia;
• endocrine diseases;
• fetal freezing that occurred during previous pregnancies;
• previous premature births;
• sinus arrhythmia, VSD.

Important! If there are relative contraindications, then you can do fitness, but with some restrictions. Before exercising, you should definitely consult a doctor.

From 27 to 40 weeks

All contraindications that exist in the 2nd trimester also apply to the 3rd trimester. Also added to them:

• constant tone of the uterus;
• polyhydramnios;
• high risk of occurrence (or presence) of gestosis;
• deterioration of health.

If there are no contraindications, then Fitness classes during pregnancy are quite realistic and useful.

Class restrictions

At 4-6 months

Pregnancy is not a disease, but a woman should be more careful during this period.

At 7-9 months

In addition to the restrictions of the second trimester, some more restrictions are added. Do not overuse stretching exercises, since a pregnant woman’s body contains a lot of the hormone relaxin, which helps to “spread” the bones as the baby passes through the birth canal, and therefore dislocations can occur.

Stretching the abdominal muscles is prohibited, as this can lead to miscarriage or premature birth. Such exercises include:

• squats;
• lifting dumbbells;
• arm presses;
• twisting;
• jumping;
• lunges;
• lifting weights.

You should also not do exercises that involve raising your arms up, as this leads to tone in the abdominal muscles. There is no need to do balance exercises because a pregnant woman's center of gravity shifts due to her enlarged belly, making it difficult for her to maintain balance.

During a normal pregnancy, fitness exercises can be done, but first it is better to consult a doctor. Only a personal gynecologist will be able to say for sure whether a woman can engage in fitness and how.

During training, you must monitor your heart rate, since during pregnancy it is higher than normal, and during exercise it can increase to 130. If this figure does not decrease within half an hour, then you need to stop exercising for a while and rest.

Exercises at home

Mid term

The expectant mother, after consulting with her doctor, should determine for herself an acceptable load and frequency of exercise. It is best to include in a set of exercises exercises that are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the back, legs, and abdominal wall. It is also necessary to do Kegel exercises, which will help during childbirth and will contribute to the rapid return of tone to the intimate muscles.

The set of exercises for the second trimester includes:

1. First you need to work all the muscles. We turn our heads to one side, then to the other, make circular movements with our shoulders back and forth, tilt our body, stretch our arms and ankles, and do half-squats to warm up (6 times).
2. Then you need to stand and straighten up, leaning on some object, spread your legs, approximately shoulder width apart. We do squats, stay in this position for a few seconds, exhale at this moment, and then return to the starting position and inhale. Do this exercise 10 times. In this exercise, the muscles of the buttocks and perineum should be tense, but the abdominal muscles should not.
3. Next, we lie down on our side and swing our legs forward, up, and back. Then we turn around on the other side and also swing with the other leg. Do the exercise 10 times with each leg.
4. For the next exercise, you need to kneel and place your hands on the floor. Arch your back upward as you exhale, holding this position for 5 seconds, and then return to the starting position. The exercise is called “Kitty”, repeat ten times.
5. You need to turn your back to the wall, lean against it and lower yourself down, doing a squat. Stay in a sitting position for 5 seconds, and then return to the original position, straightening your legs.
6. To perform the next exercise, you should stand on all fours, your right hand rests on the floor, and your left touches your neck. Then you need to try to reach the mat with your left elbow, and then return to the original position, doing this exercise 10 times for each hand.
7. After this, you should lie on your side, bringing your knees towards you. Now they need to be carefully pulled apart without tearing the feet. Do this exercise 20 times.

Fitball exercises are very useful:

Below is a visual video with a set of exercises for a pregnant woman in the first trimesters:

For later dates

When exercising in the third trimester, you should do everything carefully and very carefully, as abdominal size and body weight have increased. A woman’s body prepares physiologically for childbirth, so fitness exercises should be aimed at helping it in this matter. The expectant mother should not be very active during this period, so flexibility and relaxation exercises are suitable at this stage. The best exercises for pregnant women in the third trimester are exercises on a fitball.

The set of exercises includes:

Long walks in the fresh air are very important during this period, as they normalize blood pressure and pulse, protect the fetus from hypoxia and help the mother stay in good shape.

Breathing exercises are also helpful:

1. To do this you need to straighten your back.
2. Raise your head up and take a deep breath through your nose, gradually inflating your stomach and then your chest.
3. As you exhale, on the contrary, the chest relaxes first, and then the stomach.
4. Repeat 10-15 times.

By doing all the exercises correctly and setting aside a certain time for fitness every day, childbirth will be easy and without complications, and the baby will be born healthy and strong.
Below is a visual video about exercises in the third trimester:
And another video with breathing exercises for late pregnancy:

Expectant mothers subtly sense changes in their figure, feel unprecedented muscle weakness, constant shortness of breath and the desire to lie on the sofa all day. This condition is dangerous because it causes muscle atrophy, including those involved in labor. We will look at the following questions: is it possible to exercise during pregnancy? Is it possible to do squats during pregnancy? aerobics for pregnant women at home.

Basic physical training will have a beneficial effect on the health of mother and baby.

The need for physical activity for pregnant women

All doctors agree that fitness during pregnancy helps alleviate unpleasant symptoms, physically prepares the body for childbirth and promotes rational weight gain.

Pregnant women with a sedentary lifestyle feel muscle aches, chronic fatigue, suffer from sleep disturbances and excessive appetite, which leads to rapid weight gain. Any exertion causes shortness of breath, the limbs become swollen and heavy, and the head feels dizzy. In the case of a “passive” pregnancy, a woman more often suffers from depression, bad mood, hormonal fluctuations, and experiences deterioration in memory and concentration.

A well-chosen training regimen agreed with your doctor will help correct the situation. Fitness promotes the production of hormones of happiness and pleasure (serotonin, endorphin), which allows you to remain in a good mood and notice only the positive aspects of pregnancy.

Systematic exercises help cope with toxicosis and alleviate the symptoms of this period. Also, breathing exercises and cardio exercise reduce the risk of fetal hypoxia (oxygen starvation).

Unfortunately, many patients justify their inactivity, weakness and laziness, as well as reckless and chaotic activities, with myths found on the pages of women's magazines.

Myth No. 1. Fitness in the early stages of pregnancy (as well as in the third trimester) is contraindicated. During these periods, the laying, formation and development of important organs and internal systems of the baby and skeleton occurs. Many patients make the erroneous assumption that any stress during this period increases the risk of miscarriage, intrauterine fetal death, or frozen pregnancy, however, scientific facts prove the opposite. According to research, moderate exercise promotes natural stimulation of the heart and lungs, due to which the fetus receives enough oxygen and nutrients, and blood supply improves. Also, training helps maintain muscles in natural tension, which we will need in the last stages and directly during childbirth.

Myth No. 2. You should adjust your workouts as your belly grows. This is not entirely true. Despite the absence of a belly in the early stages, the woman is already responsible for the life she has created, so all exercise should be coordinated with a doctor, even swimming and yoga. In some cases, a woman may not be aware of the pathologies of pregnancy and the existing risks, so any careless movement or fall from the exercise machine can cause sad irreversible consequences. Starting from the first months, women should give up “big sports”, even if they had significant achievements in one category or another. It is not recommended to get involved in strength and cardio exercises, abdominal exercises, jumping, and it is also necessary to exclude running and traumatic sports.

Myth No. 3. Expectant mothers should prefer calm yoga to aerobics for pregnant women. Yes, relaxing yoga really helps to strengthen some muscle groups without the need to strain the body, and there are complexes developed for pregnant women. However, most asanas are contraindicated for initial practice without the required level of training and can cause harm. There are cases where yoga lovers damaged ligaments and muscles, injured joints, which caused premature birth or early miscarriage.

Myth No. 4. If you increase the frequency of visiting the gym and the duration of training, your health will improve. Unfortunately, this statement is not relevant to pregnancy, where the rule of “little by little” applies. Doctors consider the optimal load to include breathing exercises, stretching exercises and light aerobic dance movements. You should devote time to physical education no more than 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes, gradually increasing to 45. You should start exercising with walking and swimming to prepare your muscles for further stress.

Fitness for pregnant women: 1st trimester

Since the first trimester is considered the most responsible and dangerous, you should start with light loads, gradually preparing the body for constant and varied training.

First of all, start walking at a leisurely pace for 30 minutes a day, trying to breathe deeply and evenly.

At the next stage, we sign up for the pool (visit 2-3 times a week) and, if possible, find a water aerobics section.

If you tolerate the above activities well, you can sign up for more active classes, for example, dancing. Oriental belly dancing, designed specifically for expectant mothers, has a positive effect. At the same stage, you can begin yoga asanas “for beginners” and light Pilates exercises.

Be sure to perform breathing exercises every day, devoting at least 10-15 minutes to it.

In the 1st trimester, we perform the exercises slowly and carefully, adjusting only to our own pace, without trying to keep up with the instructor or the rhythm of the music. Be sure to alternate loads with relaxation and stretching of muscles, which will help avoid injuries and severe soreness.

As for strength exercises, it is better to put dumbbells, body bars and especially barbells aside. Work with your own weight, learn to perform the exercises correctly and to the end.

Expectant mothers are wondering if it is possible to do squats during pregnancy. Of course, it is possible and necessary. Your own weight allows you to provide the necessary load on the quadriceps and hamstrings, making your legs strong and beautiful and able to withstand long walks and household chores.

List of exercises for the first trimester:

We march in place for one minute, followed by 30 seconds on toes and heels. We do it 3 times. This exercise helps to stretch and warm up the ankle.

In a standing position, we spread our arms to the sides. As you inhale, raise your left arm and right leg, and as you exhale, lower it. We alternate legs and arms. Perform 10 times.

From a standing position (feet shoulder-width apart), we squat back until parallel to the floor, as if sitting on a chair. At the same time, we connect our hands behind our backs and move them as far back as possible. Repeat 8 times. Squats during pregnancy work the buttocks and hamstrings, ensuring blood flow to the pelvic area.

In a standing or sitting position, we join our palms in front of us at chest level (as during prayer, only we move our elbows to the side). As you inhale, squeeze your palms with force to feel the tension in the pectoral muscles. As you exhale, relax (do not unclench your palms). Perform 10 times.

Exercise "Cat".

We take a pose “on all fours”, lowering our head down. As you exhale, we bend at the waist and pull our head back (the cat is caressing), holding the position for 3 seconds. After this, we inhale and round our back, reaching our chin towards our chest (the cat hisses). Do it 8 times.

Standing position, back straightened. For five counts we take a deep breath and for seven counts we exhale slowly and evenly. We do it 10 times.

Aerobics for pregnant women at home is not complete without a fitball - a special elastic ball that allows you to warm up some muscles, isolating and relieving the load on others.

Sit on the ball, spread your legs to the sides and rotate your pelvis over a wide amplitude. The exercise perfectly trains the back and abs without the need for flexion-extension exercises.

Place the fitball between your legs and squeeze it forcefully with your inner thigh muscles.

We lie down on the ball with our stomach and perform gentle rolls from the pelvic area to the chest. The exercise is permissible until the appearance of a tummy. You can also turn on your back and roll along the entire length of your spine.

Jump lightly on the ball, sometimes moving your knees, sometimes spreading them apart.

Classes in the 2nd trimester

So, the important trimester of pregnancy is over, and now our goal is to provide the body with regular and high-quality exercise.

Since the risk of pregnancy pathologies is sharply reduced, and also does not suffer from toxicosis, you can add aerobic exercises and the first strength exercises to light gymnastics and walks.

Fitness for pregnant women in the second trimester should include the following workouts:

• outdoor sports walking;
• swimming;
• dynamic sports (dancing, aerobics, cycling);
• Cardio exercises (treadmill, breathing exercises);
• stretching (yoga, Pilates, stretch);
• elementary strength training using light dumbbells and body bars (up to 3 kg), bosu, fitball, elastic bands.

You should also focus on exercises in the pelvic area, which will help ensure good blood flow to the necessary organs and alleviate the troubles of pregnant women (urinary incontinence, bloating, cramps, etc.). It is useful during this period to become familiar with Kegel exercises, which will help you during labor and allow you to quickly restore tone to your intimate muscles after childbirth.

From the 18th week, when the tummy is already noticeably growing, a special support bandage should be used. Exercises that involve moving weight from one side (legs, sides) to the other are also excluded.

It is forbidden to take a lying position on your back, only on your side, otherwise the swollen uterus can compress the vena cava, which supplies oxygen to the baby.

Sports for pregnant women at home in the 2nd trimester (you can use exercises from the 1st trimester, adding new ones).

We work every muscle. We perform head turns to the left and right, circular movements of the shoulders forward and backward, body tilts, warm up the hands and ankles, and do warm-up half-squats (6 times).

Exercise for the oblique abdominal muscles.

We take a position lying on our side, join our hands and stretch forward. Using the body, we move the upper arm to the side 180°, hold for 3 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times with each hand.

An exercise known since school times that helps to work out the quadriceps femoris well. Do 8 lunges with each leg, making sure there is a 90° angle between each knee.

We hang on the horizontal bar.

An excellent exercise to help relax the spine and relieve lower back pain. Choose a low bar so that your fingertips touch the ground for safety. Hang as long as you can, gradually increasing the time.

We sit with our buttocks on our heels.

Slowly stretch your arms in front of you until your forehead touches the floor. This exercise helps to relax the muscles after another workout.

Exercises 3 trimesters

Fitness for pregnant women in the third trimester again becomes careful and extremely careful, because the volume of the abdomen has increased significantly, as well as body weight. The body physiologically begins to prepare for childbirth, so all exercises should be aimed at helping it in this difficult task.

Great emphasis should be placed on a variety of breathing exercises and asanas.

Since simple exercise becomes exhausting and monotonous, we shift all our attention to fitball and water aerobics.

The ball will help you stay in shape at home, and some of the exercises from the first trimester and a few new ones will do.

We sit on the fitball and pick up light dumbbells (weighing up to 2 kg each). We bend our elbows and straighten them (biceps exercises). Perform 10 times.

In the same position, we move our arms straight back and perform up and down movements (load on the triceps).

We sit on the mat, cross-legged, and place the ball directly in front of us. We quickly and rhythmically squeeze it with our palms or our whole hand, which allows us to work the pectoral muscles.

Gently lie down on your side and place a pillow under your stomach. We place our foot on the fitball and roll it in different directions, sideways and in a circle. Perform each leg alternately for 2-3 minutes. This exercise will help prevent varicose veins.

Strength and intensity training during pregnancy can improve uterine tone. If you suddenly feel discomfort, cramps or pain in the abdomen, and your pulse increases greatly, you should immediately stop exercising and, just in case, go to the doctor. Most likely, in the last trimester you will have to limit yourself to breathing exercises.

Controlling the load

Regardless of the stage of pregnancy and health, every woman should strictly monitor her condition while playing sports.

First of all, you need to monitor your heart rate. For each age, a certain maximum value is allowed. To calculate it, subtract your age in years from the number 220. Pregnant women should focus on an indicator that is 75% of the maximum.

As a rule, the average acceptable heart rate for patients of childbearing age is 120-140 beats per minute. In this case, after only 5 minutes of break between approaches, the pulse should fully recover to normal 60-80 beats. If the indicator does not return to normal, then your load was excessive and may lead to complications in the future.

During training, monitor the level of strength load, taking into account certain risk factors.

And, of course, training should be stopped immediately if the following symptoms appear:

• vaginal bleeding or abnormal discharge;
• dizziness, darkening of the eyes, spasms in the temples;
• lack of coordination;
• chest pain, muscle pain;
• shortness of breath, breathing problems;
• swelling of the calves (possible thrombophlebitis);
• false contractions and spasms in the area, nagging pain;
• tachycardia, pressure surges, strong pulse acceleration;
• movement of the fetus in the uterus;
• increased uterine tone.

Whether it is possible to engage in fitness during pregnancy is decided by each woman independently, in consultation with her doctor and instructor. In the absence of physical contraindications and the normal course of pregnancy, regular aerobics will help keep fit and ensure a good mood for the expectant mother.

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)

Greetings, gentlemen and especially ladies! As you probably already guessed from the title of the note, today we will dedicate it to young mothers and their proper physical activity while in an interesting position. To be honest, this article might not have existed if it weren’t for the readers of the project, who are familiar with this interesting situation firsthand. And exercises for pregnant women are exactly the topic that worries them. It was they, my dear friends, who asked to shed light on the issues of keeping fit during pregnancy. We will soon find out what came out of this casting of light.

So, take your seats, it will be interesting, let's go.

Exercises for pregnant women: everything you need to know about fitness during pregnancy

So it happened...One fine day you discovered two stripes. Please accept my congratulations - you will soon become a mother, there will be a new addition to your kingdom! Motherhood is the main goal, the mission of a woman on this planet, it is through it that she is realized as a person and an individual. A lady who did not give birth of her own free will can hardly be called a full-fledged woman. They live for themselves, take care of themselves, maintain their figure in its original form, but let's be honest, no matter how rude it may sound, they are selfish. Of course, every woman decides and chooses her own path in life, the main thing is that it is conscious, and at the end of her life she does not have to regret the wrong choice of pill. Well, closer to the topic...

Pregnancy is the process of sacrificing the health, and sometimes physical beauty and attractiveness, of a woman in favor of another new person. It is during childbirth that ladies lose their pristine youth, beauty and accumulate all the additional bad things, such as: excess weight, stretch marks, diastasis, cellulite and other problems. You were thin and loud, but it passed 9 months, and your youthful forms have fallen, and your beauty has faded. However, what are our women good for? The fact that a certain percentage of them are not ready to put up with “getting fat” and want to keep themselves in shape in every possible way even during pregnancy. It was from these “form holders” that applications were received with a request to tell about the correct process of organizing physical activity for women in labor, in particular, exercises for pregnant women. All the details in a few seconds...

Of course, we will start our article from afar, from Kamchatka, because there is little useful information on the Internet for pregnant women, and the number of the latter is growing every day. So get ready for theory, let's pour water :).

Note:

For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Stages of pregnancy: every woman should know this

Below we will describe the course of the entire pregnancy process, which on average lasts 40 weeks, grouped into three trimesters. This way you will have an idea of ​​what is happening with your child at each of the three stages. So let's start with...

First trimester (1-12 weeks)

The most intense period during which a woman’s body undergoes many changes. The most important hormonal changes affect almost every organ of the woman in labor. The main changes include:

• increased fatigue, fatigue;
• swollen mammary glands, protruding nipples;
• upset stomach, morning sickness;
• strong cravings/aversions to certain foods;
• increase in body weight (fat mass);
• headache, mood swings.

As you enter trimesters, your body and body condition will change, so you need to quickly make changes to your current pregnant life schedule. These include: going to bed earlier at night, taking naps during the day, increasing caloric intake (on average per 250-300 kcal), number of meals and reduction in the volume of single servings. During this period, if there are no contraindications, a woman can perform special exercises for pregnant women.

Second trimester (13-28 weeks)

Usually it proceeds easier than the first one, although everything is individual. Some symptoms (nausea, fatigue) subside, but noticeable physical changes occur in your body, in particular, your stomach expands in volume and begins to protrude forward. Your body (especially the stomach) inflates to provide the necessary space inside you for your growing fetus. The main changes include:

• body aches - back, stomach, groin, hip pain;
• stretch marks on the stomach, chest, hips, buttocks;
• tingling hands, carpal tunnel syndrome;
• itching of the abdomen, palms, soles of the feet;
• swelling of ankles, fingers, face.

Third trimester (29-40 weeks)

The finish line, just a little patience left. The baby gains its final weight, which makes it harder for the woman to breathe during this period and she has to run to the restroom more often. The latter occurs due to critical enlargement of the fetus and greater pressure on the organs of the woman in labor. The main changes include:

• shortness of breath, difficulty breathing;
• heartburn;
• haemorrhoids;
• enlarged breasts, from which water-milk fluid (colostrum) may leak;
• navel enlargement and protrusion;
• the child begins to actively push or move down the abdomen;
• the appearance of contractions;
• the cervix becomes thinner and softer, which helps open the birth canal.

Note:

In general, the course of pregnancy and changes in a woman’s body composition can be compared to pumping air into a rubber doll. Visually (externally), everything is the same, only a bunch of internal bonuses are added, from which the inflatable woman is spared.

In the picture version, the process of changing a woman’s body by trimester looks like this:

Visually you will change as follows:

So, now you know what to expect and in what trimester and, so to speak, you are mentally prepared :).

Now let's get closer to the practical side of the issue, namely physical activity during this “interesting” period. And let's start with...

Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy: is it worth the bother?

It's no secret that the process of finding an interesting position goes differently for the vast majority of women. Someone on maternity leave throws himself into all seriousness:

• getting up late;
• indulgence in sweets;
• constant stress and depression;
• minimal physical activity - shopping, cooking at home, walking livestock (not husband:);
• getting stuck on TV shows;
• Constantly communicating with friends on the phone.

However, there are also more conscientious citizens (and I think they are reading these lines now) who want to be active and stay in shape as much as possible, although they don’t know exactly how and what to do in this situation. This is what we will talk about now. The main criterion for all actions taken by a woman in labor during an interesting period should be the preservation of common sense, the appropriateness of actions and the avoidance of extremes - this also applies to such topics as exercises for pregnant women. A few words about the last incarnation...

Fitness and physical activity during pregnancy is hyperactivity, which in the extreme can lead to miscarriage and premature birth. In turn, a woman’s low activity and amoebic state can lead to complications and complications of childbirth. Thus, in everything you need to look for the golden mean, namely, the optimal level of stress that corresponds to your state of the body and its degree of fitness.

Note:

Numerous studies show that women who exercise moderately during pregnancy subsequently give birth to healthier and stronger children than inactive mothers.

So, the first step, after you have decided to go to fitness (or study at home), is a consultation with a professional gynecologist. It is his competence that includes assessing your condition, the course of pregnancy and giving the green light for this or that physical activity. Attention! Only his positive decision is a pass to self-care. Not the advice of acquaintances, girlfriends, not your own opinion, but a professional medical opinion.

Actually, you went to see a specialist, he said that everything is fine and does not see any obstacles to your fitness classes.

And here the cards are in your hands. And the second step is some understanding of the benefits and dangers of some exercises and physical activity in general during pregnancy.

By performing special exercises, a woman in labor receives the following positive effects:

• optimal level of pregnancy and simplification of childbirth;
• subsequent (after the birth of the child) effective fight against excess weight;
• increasing the level of endorphins (happiness hormone) in the blood and improving mood/well-being;
• decreased pain threshold;
• increased regeneration of body tissues after childbirth and a faster process of getting into shape;
• increasing muscle strength and endurance, which will allow you to better cope with a newborn;
• exercise can prevent gestational diabetes, which develops during pregnancy;
• exercises develop not only the mother’s muscle strength, but also the child’s brain; as a result, the child of an active mother may be smarter than the child of an inactive mother;
• babies of active mothers are less colicky, sleep better and are therefore calmer (long live good nights!);
• during training, babies in the womb of an active mother are stimulated by the sounds and vibrations during her training, which has a positive effect on their internal development;
• important point! In active mothers who were physically active during pregnancy, childbirth proceeds without outside intervention (including caesarean section). Statistics say that the average probability of a favorable birth increases by 40 %.

Not many mothers know, but during pregnancy their blood sugar levels jump. This extra sugar is passed through the placenta to the baby, and he may gain more weight than expected.

It has been scientifically proven that physical activity and exercise during pregnancy do not give rise to gestational diabetes, and the baby of such mothers is born at a normal weight.

It is also useful for young mothers to know about the other side of the coin, namely:

• for its full development, the fetus requires more generation/consumption of water, oxygen, energy/calories;
• Hormones produced during pregnancy affect ligaments, joints and muscles (especially lower back/pelvis), as a result of which there is a greater risk of injury;
• growth of the uterus leads to;
• excess weight and its uneven distribution shifts the center of gravity of the body;
• increased blood pressure and heart rate;
• excessive loads (both in intensity and time) provide blood flow to the muscles, which reduces blood flow to the uterus and deprives it. This can negatively affect the condition of the fetus and the health of the baby;
• holding your breath and various fitness belts lead to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, which can also negatively affect the fetus;
• too intense exercise can cause irregular breathing, oxygen starvation, dizziness and fainting;
• increased sweating, release of salts and insufficient drinking during exercise lead to thickening of the blood and disruption of the delivery of nutrients/oxygen to the fetus.

: timing of classes and list of prohibited exercises

Young fitness moms should also remember the following important gynecological instructions.

Rule #1.

The first and third trimesters are periods when physical activity should be limited, i.e. they do exist, but their character must be “super lite” (both in terms of time and degree of load). Stress in the first weeks of pregnancy can lead to its termination due to the fact that the fetus is still extremely small and the placenta has not completed its formation. In the third trimester, preparations are underway for childbirth, which is associated with careful and careful behavior of the mother.

Thus, we can outline the following optimal time frame for including exercise in your pregnant activity schedule. Start - 4-5 week of first trimester and up 30-31 weeks of the third trimester.

• All exercises are done in a lying position on your back/stomach. For example, abdominal crunches, planks, reverse hyperextensions. The supine position causes compression of the vena cava and reduced blood flow to the uterus and brain;
• exercises that twist the waist, for example, pulley presses, cable side crunches;
• squats with a barbell on the shoulders/chest, jump squats, jumping rope, ordinary jumping jacks (including from side to side), swinging your legs up/sideways, abducting your legs in a crossover from the lower block;
• Cardio exercises (treadmill running, elliptical, stepper).

All these exercises/activities can increase the level of oxygen deprivation of the fetus, tone the uterus and contribute to the occurrence of miscarriage.

As for the picture version, the approximate atlas of avoidable exercises during pregnancy looks like this.

Rule #3.

The most optimal types of activity for a pregnant woman are:

• swimming (including on the back);
• aqua aerobics;
• stretching/stretching;
• yoga and pilates movements;
• group lessons with an instructor (including on fitballs);
• low intensity cardiovascular activity;
• walking distances up to 45 minutes;
• walking on a treadmill (including with an incline);
• stationary exercise bike.

Water has a relaxing effect on the body and has a calming effect on the fetus. Walks in the open air (especially outside the city) saturate the mother’s body and, as a result, the baby with oxygen. What is especially important during this period.

Rule #4.

When exercising yourself during this period, it is important not to overdo it, and as soon as you notice the following symptoms, immediately stop your current workout. These include:

• pain in the lower abdomen, pelvis;
• dizziness and slight fainting;
• difficulty breathing, vaginal bleeding and fluid loss;
• difficulty walking;
• cramping urges.

Strength exercises for pregnant women: is it possible?

We all considered light types of exercise, but there are probably active mothers who want to work with dumbbells, weights and exercise machines. It is precisely for such “active fitness girls” that we will analyze a training program called “Come on, baby!”

The technical parameters of the training are as follows:

• 3 power, 2 aerobic training per week;
• type of training - separation of muscle groups, split;
• moderate-light weights;
• number of approaches 3 , reps 15 ;
• rest time m/b approaches 1,5-2 minutes;
• after training, exercises for the pelvic floor muscles ();
• total training time 50-60 minutes minutes = 5 minutes of stretching+ 5 minutes of brisk walking on the track+ 5 minutes cool down;
• intensity medium-moderate (on completion of the approach you can talk without gasping);

Note:

Performed on an ongoing basis before pregnancy and early in pregnancy (first 4-7 weeks) exercises on the pelvic floor muscles, in particular Kegels, will allow labor to proceed like clockwork. The fact is that strengthening/development of the deep pelvic muscles contributes to more efficient pushing of the fetus. In other words, by doing the Kegel exercise (and its variations) you won't have to tear your veins and push until you lose your pulse. As soon as the obstetrician gives the command, after a while you will see the result :).

The Ideal Workout Plan for Pregnant Moms

Now we will look at a specific example of a training program that takes place for a young mother who has received permission for physical activity and exercises for pregnant women from her obstetrician-gynecologist

The training split itself looks like this:

• Monday – chest, arms;
• Tuesday – aerobic activity (swimming, 1 session in the pool);
• Wednesday – legs;
• Thursday - aerobic activity (swimming, 1 session in the pool);
• Friday – back, shoulders;
• Saturday/Sunday – rest.

In schematic form, the training program for pregnant women looks like this.

Afterword

Today we devoted time to ladies who are in an interesting position. I am sure that now you have a general picture of what loads and what exercises can be performed by pregnant women, which means you can spend a little time working on your charms. Therefore, let’s finish reading these lines, collect our money and... success!

PS. Girls, how do you feel about being in an interesting position? I wonder? Will you go to the gym or are you shy?

P.P.S. Attention! 07.06 the ability to send questionnaires for and food became available. I will be glad to see you working together!

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.