Exercising in the first trimester is a brilliant way to ease those nasty symptoms of sickness and nausea. Taking some time out to move is refreshing, energising and helps to re-balance your mental health during one of the toughest phases of your pregnancy. You are safe to continue with your exercise regime with careful consideration.
How do I ensure I am safe when I am exercising in first trimester?
I am glad you asked! Here are my top 5 tips for you:
1. Adjust your goals.
Focus on maintaining strength and maintaining levels of fitness. Don’t start a brand new method of training because your body isnt used to it. This avoids putting your body under unnecessary stress when its primary focus is to build a little human.
2. Prioritise maintaining muscle mass.
When you get pregnant your posture changes and your centre of gravity shifts forwards. If you can manage to maintain your current muscle mass it will help to avoid back ache and other issues surrounding your hip joint.
3. Be aware of relaxin.
This is a hormone that is produced by your ovaries and placenta. Its job is to relax your ligaments in order to prepare your body for childbirth. How clever! However, it does increase your risk of injury whilst you’re exercising when pregnant. Therefore you will need to avoid movements that involve deep flexion and extension. Also, when you’re stretching try not to take your joints to a state of maximum resistance.
4. Monitor your heart rate.
This is when your smart watch comes in handy! It’s highly beneficial to track your heart rate throughout your workout. Keep your heart rate below 70-75% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age). For example, I am 33 so my maximum heart rate is 187 and so I would want to keep my working heart rate lower than 131-140 bpm. Aim to be able to hold a conversation throughout your workout, that’s when you know it’s not too intense.
5. Breath naturally.
This one is a big one so that you avoid the valsalva maneuver. This is a breathing technique that the likes of power lifters employ when they’re lifting a maximum resistance. It helps to stabilize their core and helps to generate the power they need to complete their lift. If you lift weights as part of your training regime you will probably do this without realising. I would describe this breathing technique as a brace. For example when performing a squat you would flex at your hip and knee to get to the bottom of that movement, take a big breath in, hold it and then push/extend to stand back up again. It’s kind of like exhaling but without actually expelling any air.
Using the valsalva maneuver when you are pregnant can restrict blood flow and oxygen to your baby. This breathing technique is a natural response to being able to complete a movement. In order to avoid it you will need to decrease the weights you use to 60-65% of the amount you were using before you became pregnant. Remember the focus is muscle maintenance, not muscle gain.
Example of exercising in first trimester:
The thought of doing a workout during the first trimester can feel exhausting, but gentle movement with a reduction of intensity releases serotonin that keeps your mind upbeat and positive. Here is a first trimester weight training workout that can be done by all ability levels:
1: Goblet squat 12-15 reps x 3 sets
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift 12-15 reps x 3 sets
3: Bent over row 12-15 reps x 3 sets
4: Seated shoulder press 12-15 reps x 3 sets
5: Lateral raises 12-15 reps x 3 sets
6: Side plank 15-30 seconds each side x 3 sets
Disclaimer
Before starting an exercise regime when pregnant, please check with your doctor that you are safe to do so and also avoid the following exercises:
- Anything that makes you out of breath so you can’t hold a conversation
- High intensity
- Overhead movements without support for your abdominals
- Lying flat on your back (in the second trimester)
- Abdominal work
For more support on workouts during your first trimester or the rest of pregnancy contact the team at BodyReach.
Coach Kate
