Exercising during pregnancy is very important when it comes to having an easier pregnancy. Keeping your health at top notch as well as making delivery easier are only two of the benefits of doing pregnancy workouts.
Finding the right workout during pregnancy can be difficult. When you become pregnant, you have to start to consider your own well being as well as the health of your baby. Even though exercise is extremely beneficial for you and your baby, you will want to do your research before starting an exercise routine. If done incorrectly, you could be putting yourself at risk.
When you become pregnant, your fitness goals change. It's no longer about losing weight or fitting into a smaller pair of jeans. Now, it's about improving your pregnancy and your baby's health. The good news is this can be done with a quality low-impact workout routine. There's no need to do long exhausting workouts anymore. Working the muscles needed to improve your pregnancy can be quite simple.
If you are making your own routine, here are some guidelines to follow when choosing the right exercises:
- There should be as little risk as possible from falling or bumping your stomach.
- You want to be able to control your body temperature and heart rate as easily as possible. We don't want your heart rate to go above 140.
- The exercise needs to give the results and benefits you're seeking through exercising during pregnancy.
Along with your exercise routine, add this short workout to help improve strength, stability, and stamina in all those muscles important during pregnancy.
Plie Squat
The plie squat is one of the best exercises if you're pregnant. Keep your toes pointed outwards away from each other. Lower your body gently to a comfortable level and use your leg muscles to stand up.
Thigh Squeezes
(this requires a stability ball)
Sit on the edge of a chair. Place the stability ball between your legs and keep the ball in place with your hand. Squeeze your knees together slowly. Hold and release this motion for 1 repetition.
Pelvic Tilt
This specific exercise is amazing for reducing lower back pain. Begin on your hands and knees. Keep your back straight with your head facing the floor. While exhaling, gently pull your shoulders upward, allowing your lower back to sink downward. Then take a deep controlled breath in and round your back. This will help develop your core and stretch your back.
Perform each of the above exercises for 3 sets and 15-25 repetitions.
As you can probably see, the exercises for pregnancy are going to focus on your thighs, core, and back strength. These are the most important areas to develop during pregnancy because they are what are mostly used during labor.
Please make sure to talk with your health care provider before you start any exercise program. This is very important because not all pregnant women will be advised to exercise.
Read more about staying in shape for pregnancy in our other articles, including The Best Exercises for Pregnancy and The Dangers of "Pregorexia".