Pregnancy is very valuable for every woman. The expectant mother should lead the right lifestyle: eat well, monitor her daily routine. And modern doctors also advise not to forget about physical activity. Now I want to talk about what exercises on fitball for pregnant women will be useful and bring not only pleasure, but also some relief.
To be or not to be?
Women who have always kept their body in good shape should not relax during pregnancy. However, the complex load should be completely different. So, gymnastics for pregnant women on fitball is completely safe for both mom and baby. Moreover, correctly selected exercises can help in muscle tension (which is very useful during contractions and during childbirth), perfectly reduce back pain (which is very important for women, especially in the last trimester), normalize high blood pressure and generally give the body strength and energy. Modern doctors say that a pregnant woman, if everything is in order with her, should not lie in bed, as if sick. She should move and lead a moderately active lifestyle.
About the ball
Before looking at various exercises on the fitball for pregnant women, it is worth noting that such an interesting ball was invented in Switzerland and was widely used to facilitate contractions and childbirth. A little later, they began to use it more widely, as a sports equipment, without regretting it at all. Classes on such a ball will suit all women, there are no contraindications here. However, this applies only to those women in whom pregnancy proceeds without complications. Otherwise, proceeding to any new lesson, you must always consult with a gynecologist and ask for permission for classes from him. It is important to note that classes with fitball will appeal to those ladies who wish to avoid excessive physical exertion on the body. After all, the exercises themselves perfectly relax the muscles, while training the unborn baby!
How to choose a ball?
Looking for a fitball for pregnant women, how to choose the right ball - this is what a woman should be interested in first of all. So, everyone knows that balls differ in size. Which one will suit a woman? If the fitballs are puffed up in the store, the best option is to just sit on top of it and look at the location of the legs. If the knees are bent at a right angle - the ball was created specifically for this woman. But what if the fitball is packed in a box on the trading shelves? To do this, you just need to find out its size and correlate with your height. So, if a ladyβs height is below 152 cm, she needs a ball with a diameter of 45 cm. If the height is from 153 to 165 cm, so to say average, itβs better to take a ball with a diameter of 55 cm. For tall women, whose height is above 165 cm, the size is suitable fitball 65 cm. It is also important to recall that buying any sports equipment, including similar balls, is better in certified stores. This is the only way to protect yourself from fake, and your health - from various injuries when using low-quality goods.
First trimester
What should be the load in the first trimester of pregnancy? Since doctors consider this period to be the most dangerous: there is a great threat to such a fragile nascent life, and my mother does not feel too well, it is better not to do any strength exercises, classes should be aimed at relaxing the body. No stress and exhausting workouts!
Second trimester
This period is characterized by the fact that the motherβs terrible condition associated with toxicosis is behind. The baby is already felt in the tummy, but still does not cause any inconvenience. Itβs good to actively begin to engage in fitball, choosing the most diverse exercises for yourself. However, only from the complex for pregnant women.
Third trimester
The woman should also spend the last trimester of pregnancy actively, even despite the fact that the baby can cause certain inconveniences. However, this is not a reason to abandon the maternity class on fitball. On the contrary, during this period, exercises with the ball will help reduce back pain and relax. In addition, such exercises are an excellent preparation for the period of labor and even for the birth itself, when the woman herself knows what is best for her to relieve pain.
Basic poses
So, what can be the main exercises (fitball for pregnant women)? In the video that various coaches actively offer women, it is clear that there are not so many poses for practicing with the ball. First: lying on the ball (belly or back). This is necessary in order to strengthen the muscles of the back and abs. Second: sitting on the fitball. This is an excellent posture that helps to train the pelvis, and also works as a prevention of kidney problems and early prolapse of the uterus. Third: kneeling and lying on the fitball with the front of the torso. This pose perfectly helps to remove pain in the back and lower back, and also improves blood circulation. It is important to say that all exercises on the fitball for pregnant women can be divided into three main large groups: these are exercises for strengthening muscles and stretching, relaxation, and Kegel exercises (training the deep muscles of the perineum, which is very useful during childbirth).
Exercise Unit 1: Stretching and Strengthening Muscles
You need to start with a simple one. So it is here. The first exercise, which, however, will perfectly help relieve pain and distract a woman during contractions: you need to sit on the ball, while resting your hands on it if you wish. Now we need to make small swaying back and forth, small rotational movements both clockwise and against it. This exercise in the future will help the uterus to open more quickly, and to pass the birth faster. We go further. Now you need to properly stretch the muscles of the legs, because it will be very needed during childbirth. To do this, a woman sits on the floor, spreads her legs and places a fitball between them. Now, several times in a row, she should gently squeeze it with her feet. However, this must be done slowly. The exercise stops when the lady feels tired. At this stage, you can stretch the muscles of the back and hips. For this, the pregnant woman needs to sit on the ball and rest her feet well on the floor. Now with the opposite hand to the foot you need to reach the foot. At first glance, this is easy to do, although in reality everything is different. This exercise is a great stretch for a woman. Exercises on the fitball for pregnant women can also train the woman's hands. This is useful already for the postpartum period, when the baby will constantly be in the arms of the mother, while gaining weight. So, you need to take the ball outstretched arms and gradually squeeze it. Itβs also good to train your spine. To do this, you need to put the ball in front of you, bend towards it, rest on it with your hands and roll it to yourself, then away from you. It is important not to run after the ball, but to roll it as far as possible, standing in one place. Well, of course, you need to train your stomach during pregnancy. For this, it is necessary to lie with your back on the fitball (namely the shoulder blades), but the legs must be bent at the knees, creating a right angle with them. Hands are placed behind the head. A woman should raise her stomach several times, while lingering for a couple of seconds in the upper position. Exercise (fitball for pregnant women) on the video will help you to understand this perfectly.
Exercise Unit 2: Relaxation
It is also important for a woman to be able to relax properly. For this, the pregnant woman needs to sit on the floor and place the ball directly in front of her. Now the fitball needs to be hugged and settled on it as comfortable as possible. That's all. In this position, a woman can be as long as she wants. So she just rests. It is important to say that a lady needs to be able to relax in order to more easily transfer the period of contractions. Therefore, to train this exercise is important from the very beginning of pregnancy.
Exercise Block 3: Kegel Exercises
How else can you use fitball during pregnancy? For training the internal muscles of the pelvis. Kegel exercises, which are named after the doctor who first proposed them, will be excellent helpers in this. So, the bottom line is that a woman will train the multilayer muscles of the pelvic floor, constantly compressing and unclenching them. Of course, you can do this without the ball, but otherwise there will be more benefit. For this, the pregnant woman should sit on the ball and begin to squeeze the internal muscles, while at the same time squeezing into the ball. Now you need to linger in the most extreme state of the muscles for several seconds and begin to gradually relax, as if rising up. You need to do this several times in one sitting, but it is better to repeat the approaches as often as possible. If, after all of the above, a woman still doubts the usefulness of the ball, you can advise her to read various reviews. Fitball for pregnant women is used by so many expectant mothers who receive from the classes not only great benefits, but also pleasure, which is important during the course of pregnancy.