Strength Training During Pregnancy : Safe Smart and Beneficial for Mum & Baby
Strength training during pregnancy can be one of the best ways to support your overall health during your time carrying the bubba. As a personal trainer in Brighton I've worked with women over the decades throughout all stages of life, and I've seen time and time again how strength training during pregnancy can make the journey so much easier and deliver benefits to mother and child.
Before I start though, it's always advisable to check with you GP before starting strength training during pregnancy and it’s something I always ask my clients to do before starting with me.
Why Strength Matters During Pregnancy
There’s a common misconception that you should ‘lay on your laurels’ during pregnancy and take it easy, avoiding resistance training. However research shows that strength training is not only appropriate but beneficial.
A major study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine (Art & Toole, 2003) showed that women who engaged in regular resistance training had fewer musculoskeletal complaints, better weight management and improved psychological well being compared to those that did not. Also much more recently the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists encourage 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Resistance training helps build muscular endurance, postural strength and help mitigate potential metabolic disorders that can raise their head during pregnancy.
Here are some well documented benefits of strength training during pregnancy.
1- Reduces Back Pain and Postural Strain. As your centre of gravity shifts your lower back and hips experience more load. Strengthening up your posterior chain - your back, glutes and hamstrings, helps take the load off your spine.
2- Improves Metabolic Health. Maintaining muscle mass supports insulin sensitivity and healthy weight gain- really important factors in preventing gestational diabetes.
3-Enhances Pelvic Floor Support. Rather than high impact work controlled strength work improves pelvic stability.
4-Prepares Your Body for Labour. A stronger body means an easier delivery. Strength work primes your body to cope with the demands of the labour.
Benefits for Baby
It’s not just the mum’s health but baby benefits too.
1- Better Placental Function and Nutrient Delivery. Training shows that it can enhance blood flow to the placenta supporting nutrient and oxygen delivery.
2- Healthy Birth Weight Trends. Active mums have been shown to carry babies of healthier weights - both low and high.
3- Epigenetics. It’s been shown in latest research that if you start training pre conception you can actually pass on altered stronger genetics to your offspring. Wild I know!
If you’re in Brighton or Hove and want a tailored pre or post natal strength training session come see me! I’ve worked with women pre and postpartum and all the stages in between. We focus on safe progress, functional strength and making pregnancy feel better not harder.
Ready to Start Safely During Pregnancy?