Training through pregnancy can be a difficult task on many days, but there are so many benefits to continuing your strength training through pregnancy if you can or you feel good enough to. Throughout your pregnancy, we will have to make some modifications and these changes will happen at different times for different people, but training through pregnancy has so many benefits and today we’re going to talk about them.
Here are 6 reasons to continue strength training through your pregnancy;
Helps Maintain Strength
Although pregnancy is not typically a time when we want to load up our weights, hit PR’s, and lift through discomfort we can strive to maintain strength during this time. Lifting throughout pregnancy will help you maintain strength and muscle mass as your body changes. Maintaining strength will often make you more comfortable throughout your pregnancy and it will make your day-to-day tasks throughout pregnancy continue to be manageable (think carrying all those groceries from the car).
Improved Stability
During pregnancy relaxin increases which can increase the laxity in your joints. When we strength train we can keep the muscles around these joints stronger and maintain the stability a bit better in our joints. This increase in stability can help to decrease aches and pains that are common in pregnancy when joints become more lax and move a lot more. Focusing on your major movement patterns can be super helpful in maintaining stability and strength throughout pregnancy.
Maintains and Supports Posture During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, as your belly grows your posture can be impacted. Strength training can help improve and maintain posture over the course of your pregnancy. As your belly grows you are adding more weight to the front of your body, so strengthening in the posterior of the body is important. Be sure to include exercises that help strengthen the muscles of the back to help avoid your shoulders rounding forward too much. Training in the glutes will also help to support your low back and maintain the most optimal posture.
Decreases Severity & Size of Diastasis Recti
Diastasis recti (or separation of the abdominal muscles) is a necessary part of pregnancy. In order to accommodate a growing baby, your abdominals are going to have to separate some. Maintaining core training throughout pregnancy can help to reduce the severity and size of a diastasis. This will contribute positively to postpartum recovery as well. Exercises, like loaded, carries, and pallof press variations can be great to use during pregnancy to help maintain core stability.
More Positive Outcomes for Both Mom and Baby
Being able to continue to lift and stay active during pregnancy typically leads to better overall outcomes for both mom and baby. Active moms often have shorter labours, a decreased risk of pre-term labour, and fewer complications overall. Babies born to moms who maintained exercise throughout pregnancy showed stronger blood vessels and are often able to handle the stress of labour better.
Makes Postpartum Recovery Easier
Although pregnancy, labour, and delivery are all a normal part of the process they do take a toll on our bodies. If we can continue to maintain strength, endurance, and stamina throughout our pregnancy, many women typically have a quicker recovery in the postpartum period.
Remember that all of these things are potential outcomes. Nothing is guaranteed, however, staying active and continuing to lift throughout your pregnancy definitely shows a lot of positives. If you are able to I would encourage everyone to continue lifting throughout pregnancy to take advantage of many or all of these benefits.
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