Pregnancy & Training

Pregnancy & Training

*Disclaimer: this is not intended to replace advice given by your medical professionals, please consult with your (Doctor, physiotherapist, athletic therapist, chiropractor, etc) for the best exercise protocol while pregnant. 

Okay! Let’s talk about exercise and pregnancy! So whether you’re pregnant, planning on getting pregnant, or perhaps know someone who is pregnant, let this article be a great framework for understanding pregnancy and how training fits into it. 

When taking classes at BTB while pregnant the big consideration is ‘scaling your workouts’ and understanding that at different stages of your pregnancy different scaling options might be required. Further, everyone's pregnancy is going to be different, no two pregnancies are the same! So while advice from friends on what exercise can look like for you, should always be taken with a grain of salt. 

#1 Rule: listen to your body, and know that your pregnancy is unique to you. 

True story, a few years back I was training two ladies who got pregnant at the same time, and went through their journey together. As their pregnancies progressed, despite being on the same time line their training plans looked vastly different. One had to scale almost all exercises by the end of her term (which is completely fine and okay) and the other I kid you not was still running days before her delivery. Now with those two polar opposites in mind, recognize that your pregnancy can fit anywhere along that spectrum and beyond. 

But before we get into scaling options for the gym, let's start by talking about the mindset you should take into your training. Here are a few key points to keep in mind through your pregnancy

• The safety of you and your child is our #1 priority

• Everyday will be a little bit different, it's not linear so expect ups and downs. Be patient with yourself, and listen to and trust your body.

• A point will come when you need to start to scale movements, that's okay!

• Each workout you’ll need to consider how the exercises, intensity, and types of workouts should be scaled. 

• You’re growing a human! So low energy is normal, that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you, quite the opposite. 

Approach To Training

Before the start of each class take a look at the exercises involved and start to develop a plan as to how you should scale your workout for the day. Make sure to relay that plan to your coach, as they can help you come up with a workout that's best for you. Here are some ideas below:

For other great pregnancy Resources Try:

www.girlsgonestrong.com

https://journal.crossfit.com/article/cfj-pregnancy-a-practical-guide-for-scaling

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy-and-exercise/art-20046896

https://csepguidelines.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/4208_CSEP_Pregnancy_Guidelines_En_P2A.pdf