When exercising during pregnancy, listen to your body

(Chelsea Update would like to thank Nicole Tweedie, instructor/trainer, NETA, AFAA, Spinning and pregnant. )

Exercising during pregnancy is a very different experience for every woman, depending on the level of fitness from whence she came and whether or not there are any contraindications during her pregnancy.

The ACOG (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week  for those women experiencing a safe and healthy pregnancy.

As a fitness professional, my experience as a pregnant exercise enthusiast and instructor looks quite different from other women’s.

I am currently 8 months along and continue to get frequent comments, warnings, and questions about my routine. It is apparent that there is a significant amount of confusion and many myths to dispel when it comes to exercise during pregnancy.

For many years, pregnant women were warned to ensure their aerobic heart rate did not exceed 145 b.p.m. While this target heart rate still applies to some women during pregnancy, it is on the lower side for women who are recreational or competitive athletes.

During my first pregnancy, I was diligent about checking my heart rate – especially while instructing Spinning classes and H.I.I.T. classes. If my monitor registered at 146 b.p.m, I would panic and back off immediately to allow my heart rate to come back down. Although I was given clearance to maintain a similar routine to what I was doing pre-pregnancy, I was nervous because of a history of miscarriages, so I played things very conservatively.

However, research has shown that women who experience safe and healthy pregnancies and are not “high risk” as deemed by their OBGYN, are safe to workout at higher intensity, within safe parameters.

For the conditioned female, taking the heart rate higher during pregnancy is safe, as long as she trains in her “Target Aerobic Training Zone” and avoids becoming anaerobic. It is also critical to avoid triggering the “Valsalva Maneuver” which is holding one’s breath while straining or lifting.

The bottom line is … listen to your body and trust in your kinesthetic awareness during pregnancy.

I recommend women try a variety of exercise genres and modalities to determine what feels right to them. If something doesn’t feel “right”, it probably isn’t right.

Unfortunately, for some women pregnancy can be a high-risk experience and continuing even a moderately intense exercise program is not recommended. Again, every woman’s body is different.

The best advice I give to pregnant clients is to consult their OBGYN and once clearance has been given, do research, ask professionals such as our fitness specialists and personal trainers at the Wellness Center and most importantly, listen closely to your body when exercising during pregnancy.