Some words of advice that I have found to have the most value throughout my pregnancy are, “Don’t be afraid to push yourself”.
I have been quite fortunate to have little to complain about thus far in these 33 weeks. There have been the more minor things here and there that I feel are expected to some extent including: smells, heartburn, my growing belly, my slower pace, throbbing heels and now the heat. Although I don’t have anything to compare this pregnancy to, I feel like I have maybe had it pretty easy as far as pregnancies could go. I haven’t really had to change my workout intensity a whole lot because my body has pretty much controlled what I have been able to do and how hard that I have been able to push just by slowing down naturally. I am mindful however to balance my workout intensity so I don’t feel like I am cashed spending the rest of my day on my feet training my clients.
Several times a week I get asked if I am still working out, how many days am I working out, am I still squatting, how much I have had to change or how long will I keep working out? Honestly I have never really stopped to question this myself. Why would I stop? I need my workouts! My husband can tell you that. There are often times when I feel tired and could easily go take a nap. Without caffeine or a pre-workout getting going can be even more of a challenge. I have realized that if I didn’t workout when I was feeling tired, I could easily miss half of my workouts and I would rather at least get something in. Almost always, once I start working out I almost feel great. If I have to push back a workout I feel like a baby who has missed their nap. Tired, cranky, sluggish. For my mental health as well as the physical health of me and the baby, why should I stop? I have no pain, I don’t force anything. I am just doing what I have always done the past how many years, working out 6 days a week and doing what I am accustomed to. I don’t workout to avoid “getting fat” or gaining weight. I do it because I love it and it’s part of my life and part of me. I am only hopeful that it will also help me through labor and delivery and speed my recovery.
“Listen to your body and do the best you can. No more no less”, another said. It’s true, I will admit there is a lot going on physically, mentally and emotionally with you and your body. There are times where I feel quite big, awkward, uncomfortable. I would say however don’t be afraid to keep pushing yourself, especially through those bad days or moments. Do as much as you can, safely. I have aimed to do as much as I can for as long as I can. It has helped me 100% to keep my own training schedule and workouts updated. I still write my workouts up ahead of time including my lifts, sets, reps, percentages and RPE’s. If I have to make an adjustment, that’s okay. But having my training ready and in front of me has continued to allow me to be more productive as well as maintain my intensity with a plan in place. Find a workout buddy, a friend, a supportive partner or spouse to hold you accountable and pick you up when you need it.
My strength blocks have followed along with how my body and I have felt along the way. I haven’t had to stop or cut back on my programming, but I have been smart with the weight load. I have still felt like I have continued to get a great workout in with a few modifications made as the bump has gotten bigger. My second strength block of pregnancy was a long one, about twice as long as usual, starting at week 8 of my pregnancy and continuing through week 22. My focus from week 1 to week 14 of the block was on total volume rather than the weight lifted alone, or total reps x load. This volume can been looked at per training session, per week or per training cycle. I usually like to calculate all three, currently focusing on working to maintain my total volume throughout the duration of my pregnancy. Focusing on volume over total weight puts a greater role on hypertrophy than intensity, muscular damage, or stress. For example: starting week 1 I had a total working set squat volume of 12,810 pounds. Ending week of my block I had a generated volume of 12,100. Virtually an unchanged volume from the first week to the last week. As my total volume began to slightly drop I also added in some additional high rep and body weight “finishers” to help bring up my total volume for the day. Listed below are some sample “pull day” workouts taken from week 1 and week 14 to demonstrate progression and volume throughout a block period.
Week 1: Week14:
Monday (hypertrophy) Monday (hypertrophy)
Squat 3×12 @ 55% (135×12) Squat 4×5 @ 67.5% (165×5)
Deadlift 3×5 @ 57.5% (160×5) Deadlift 4×2 @ 72.5% (200×2)
Cable pull through 3X15@ 7RPE Banded hip ups 5×15
Seated row 3×15/Upright row 3×15 @ 9RPE Seated row 4×10/Upright row 4×15
Ball curls 3×15
Seated DB curl 3×15
Wednesday (power) Wednesday (power)
Squat 3×10 @ 57.5% (145×10) Squat 4×3 @ 72.5% (175×3)
Step ups 2×20 Split lunge 4×12
BB RDL 3×10 @ 8RPE DB RDL 4×8
BB row 3×8/DB rear delts 3×20 Lat pulldown 4×12/Sissy squats 3×12
Pull ups 4×10 Rear delts 3×20
Friday (strength) Friday (strength)
Squat 3×8 @ 60% (150×8) Squat 4×2 @ 75% (185×2)
Deadlift 3×8 @ 55% (150×8) Deadlift 4×3 @ 67.5% (185×3)
Chin ups 2X5 + 8lbs Chin ups 5×8
DB row 3×8 DB row 4×10
Face pulls 3×15 Face pulls 4×20
In order to continue on “doing what you’re doing” in any form of exercise, a focus on breathing is as important as ever to allow you to continue safely throughout pregnancy. This is a major aspect of lifting and exercise in general that I have found does not get the attention that it should. Not many will actually educate or fill you in on the facts either. Doctors have never inquired about my breathing technique during an appointment. Nor any specifics of my exercise- the frequency, the duration, the intensity. In fact, they really don’t ask a lot of questions period. Rather than simply assume that you know what you are doing as long as there isn’t pain or pressure, I have discovered that it will be your responsibility to do the research, ask questions from others rather than your doctor alone and educate yourself. Fortunately, I had gotten a head start on the subject working along side a female physical therapist who specialized in pelvic floor fallout during my college undergrad. I was learning about things that most women thought were “normal”, acceptable and couldn’t find the help or answers for.
A lot of people, myself included, are accustomed to holding their breath through a lift or using the Valsalva Maneuver. The Valsalva Maneuver creates a pocket of pressure in the abdominal and thoracic cavities which results in increased power output and protects the lower back. You might have also heard of it referred to as “bearing down”, which should be avoided completely through pregnancy to prevent preterm labor. Upon becoming pregnant, I immediately dropped the weight belt and began to learn to exhale on exertion at the top of the lift, continuing through the lift, while still inhaling on recovery between reps. Focusing on using the diaphragm, while keeping the shoulders from rising and relaxed. This technique, often referred to as Piston breathing, also coordinates with the pelvic floor to support core function and help prevent diastasis recti and other core and pelvic floor dysfunctions.
With all of the concerns and misinformation you might get from family, friends or even doctors, it can be hard to know where to turn for accurate and supportive guidance to continue with a safe and healthy pregnancy while maintaining a high level of fitness. When in doubt, remember to seek expert advice from a professional, a qualified fitness professional and medical insight from an OBGYN. I would also recommend purchasing and reading the book, The Pregnant Athlete, to use as a guide to help keep you active and healthy during your pregnancy and beyond.
