Monday, August 24, 2009

PREGNACY FITNESS- Keys To Pregnancy Fitness Success with These Moves

IMG_3920Congratulations, now where do you begin? Everything you read, advice from friends and doctors indicates having a fit and healthy pregnancy is the key to making a healthy baby. You want to do the best for you and your baby, but where do you start.

If you are a complete beginner to fitness, meaning you have not exercised regularly for the past 3 months walking within your age predicted heart rate zone is the activity recommended for you in your first trimester. I do personally feel this guideline in Canada is outdated. Start performing kegel pelvic floor exercises NOW on a regular basis. Mobility moves such as CAT/CAMEL and the Bialteral Back Extension(shown above) exercises are also great during pregnancy, beginner or advanced. Once you hit your second trimester it is safe to add in some other forms of exercise.

If you have been exercising regularly you can continue BUT adjust your program using your age predicted heart rate guide. Add more focus on your warm-up (lengthening it to about 10 minutes) and be diligent performing a cool down regime to prevent and blood from pooling in you extremities and to help prevent hemorrhoids. Yes without a gradual decrease in heart rate during pregnancy exercise blood can pool around your pelvic floor area further expose you to the risk of hemorrhoids.

As your belly grows your posture is changing dramatically Pregnancy workouts should focus on postural exercises so you can prevent aches and pains of pregnancy. To get a free pregnancy workout please sign up below.

If you have been regularly active for 3 months or more please start this complimentary program right away. If you are a beginner to exercise please wait until your second trimester to add full range squats and lunges, but bilateral back extensions, hip rotations and shoulder clocks which are all mobility move are great.

OK, so I am editing my post today (Aug 13) as I have just come across an article that supports my view of current pregnancy exercise guidelines being outdated-please enjoy through this link Pregnant Women Should Start An Exercise Program-study GREAT STUFF.
[Valid Atom 1.0]