Pregnancy for a woman is a delightful period of her life. When in another body two hearts will beat at the same time, and even constantly increasing numbers on the scales will please? And in order that in the future it would not be necessary to restore the state of health and shape for a long time, it is much better to take care of maintaining the figure from the very beginning of pregnancy, this will have a beneficial effect not only on the expectant mother, but also on the baby.
Of course, speaking about sports during pregnancy, there can be no question of hard and exhausting training. But if before the onset of an interesting situation, the girl was actively interested in sports, then she did not need to stop pursuing classes, only some changes should be made taking into account pregnancy. And vice versa, if physical education in the life of the expectant mother was limited only to trips to shopping centers and shuffling in anticipation of an elevator, then this is a very suitable time for changing a lazy lifestyle to an active one for the health of the child.
Exercise available to pregnant women
The following loads may be included in the activity of pregnant women:
- Daily walks in open air for at least 30 minutes.
- A visit to a specialized gym for pregnant women.
- Water aerobics classes several times a week, as well as swimming in the pool.
- Dancing, mainly oriental, in the absence of restrictions and good health.
- Pilates under the supervision of an instructor.
- Breathing exercises every day.
- Classes with fitball.
- Performing a complex for pregnant women in the gym of a fitness club (stretching, exercises to strengthen the spinal muscles, chest, legs and pelvis).
Pregnancy Exercise Rules
When performing any exercises, expectant mothers must adhere to the following rules:
- All actions are performed in a calm rhythm, without overload.
- Muscle strengthening exercises alternate with relaxing exercises.
- Any exercise on the press, "bicycle", "birch" is strictly prohibited.
- All bends and squats are half done.
- Stretching is done very quickly, because due to the increased hormonal background in pregnant women, the ligaments and tendons can be easily damaged.
- In the first trimester, it is necessary to exclude strength training, in the 2nd and 3rd trimester they can be resumed.
It is important to understand that the first few months of pregnancy are the most dangerous from the point of view of interruption, for this reason training should be as gentle as possible. From the 7th month, it is recommended to completely abandon classes in the gym, because any, even the most insignificant loads can badly affect health and even provoke a premature birth.
Gym visit
Exercise in the gym is the most common sport for the fairer sex, seeking to get the perfect fit and everyone knows that strength exercises in this case can not be done. But, unfortunately, breaks in classes will quickly reflect on the figure. Can pregnant women go to the gym?
If a girl is used to monitoring her health and has always led an energetic lifestyle, but because of pregnancy she cannot decide to continue training, since there are a huge number of conflicting opinions on this issue, the only right decision is to consult with a personal obstetrician-gynecologist. Only he knows how the pregnancy process proceeds and what is the state of health of the expectant mother, and only he is able to expertly give an answer to an exciting question.
Are weight training allowed during pregnancy?
If there are no contraindications and the doctor has allowed you to perform exercises for pregnant women in the gym, then you should consider how long and how successfully you trained before. If the sport entered the life of the expectant mother for a long time and was regular, then you can continue the classes, of course, making some adjustments. However, if training on simulators came to life recently, were difficult and brought you to exhaustion, then it is more advisable to refuse strength exercises during pregnancy.
The gym itself is a traumatic zone. The point is not that a dumbbell and so on may fall over the leg, strength training exerts a huge load on the joints, especially if you do not know the safety rules.
Basic rules and approximate training order
Classes in the gym of pregnant women are allowed only with an experienced mentor individually. And that's why. Even if before that you systematically trained on all simulators and are well acquainted with them, without the support of a trainer who is able to organize the safest and most effective training for pregnant women in the gym, you can’t do it.
The order of the sequence of classes for pregnant women remains familiar, that is:
- You need to start with a warm-up.
- Next are the main exercises.
- And in conclusion - a hitch.
At the very beginning, you can exercise for 15 minutes 2-3 times a week, adding each workout for five minutes, but you need to do this regularly, because one lesson in the gym for pregnant women cannot be called a program. The fact is that non-compliance with the systematic practice is a great stress for the human body, especially in this situation. If you can’t do it all the time for any reason, it’s better to stop.
You should start the lesson from a short warm-up in the cardio zone, this is the section of the gym where various simulators are installed, such as an exercise bike, treadmill, ellipse and others.
Simulator exercises
As mentioned above, it is recommended to start training with a treadmill and an exercise bike with a back. Running on the track is not recommended, the best option is walking at a speed of 3-4 km / h, in the process you must definitely monitor the state of the pulse. This observation will allow you to accurately distribute the load and eliminate overvoltage. Now many cardio simulators calculate the pulse on their own, in addition, you can use cardiomonitors of the heartbeat. This device, consisting of several parts: a bandage that is worn on the chest, and hours to display the work of the pulse throughout the entire set of exercises. This is very convenient for pregnant women, because the simulators for strength training do not provide a pulse measurement function, and you have to do it yourself, it is very important that it is not higher than 60% of the pulse of the maximum oxygen consumption (P02 max.) In the first trimester and approximately 70% on. Calculate P02 max. can be according to the following formula: 220 - age. If, say, a woman is 25 years old, then it turns out 195, this is 220–25; now 195 * by 0.6 = 117.
Accordingly, the pulse of a pregnant woman at 25 in the first trimester can be no higher than 117 beats per minute.
Basic exercises are performed on simulators no more than 20 minutes. Do not forget that the main task of training during pregnancy is only to maintain the previously achieved result. For this, the following training program for pregnant women in the gym is the best option: 2-3 laps of 10 repetitions with a weight not exceeding 60% of the usual working weight. This is quite enough to maintain shape and physical condition.
Maternity Exercises
Not sure which pregnant exercises in the gym should I do? The complex of strength training for pregnant women can include all exercises of the type of deadlift, squats, leg and hand presses on the simulator, bending the legs, mixing and raising arms and legs. It is very important to completely exclude exercises in the process of which there is a large load on the spinal column, as well as those that are inconvenient to do with the stomach.
Training program
The first round of exercises is performed on the muscles of the frontal surface of the thigh:
- Straightening the legs.
- Breeding legs.
The second circle on the muscles of the back of the thigh :
- Bending the legs.
- Mixing legs.
The third circle, exercises are aimed at the broad spinal muscles: traction of the upper block behind the head.
The fourth circle - chest muscles: bringing arms and legs in a sitting position on the simulator.
Fifth circle - deltoid muscle exercises:
- Bench in a sitting position on the simulator.
- Hands spread to the sides in a sitting position.
The sixth block is aimed at training biceps and triceps arms:
- The pull of the upper block with a straight arm.
- Straightening hands in a crossover (multifunctional block simulator in the form of a vertical frame).
The complex for pregnant women in the gym completely excludes exercises with the press, exercises with free weights, all kinds of twisting, tilting. Focus on sitting exercises, with emphasis on the back. Do not make sudden movements, productivity should increase slowly. Between sets, pregnant women can take a break.
Training for pregnant women in the gym should end in the same way as usual, that is, a five-minute hitch. A great option for her is cardiozone, but the load should be less than when warming up. In an interesting position during a hitch, stretching exercises are not performed.
Advice
A few points that it is important to pay attention to during the workout for pregnant women in the gym:
- Drinking water. Adequate fluid intake before, during and after exercise is of great importance. The best option is room temperature water without gas.
- Breath. It is also important to pay great attention to how you breathe during the exercise: exhalation should be done at the most difficult stage, inhalation should be done at a simpler stage.
- Body temperature. It increases during the lesson, which can adversely affect the condition of the unborn child. The temperature regime of the body during training should not be higher than 38 degrees, so they should not pass in too warm and damp rooms, and also do not need to dress warmly.
Conclusion
If you experience a breakdown, dizziness, shortness of breath, pulling sensations in the abdomen, spotting or other unpleasant signs, you should immediately end the training and consult a doctor.
Follow the instructions of the doctor and instructor during the exercise for pregnant women in the gym, monitor your physical condition, then the baby will be born strong and healthy, and the figure will remain in excellent condition!