Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Can I Lift?
I am at work, so I have to keep this short, but I really need some advice. I know that I could go to my doctor, but I think y'all will be a better source. I am not liking how my arms are looking these days and with summer currently rolling into NC, I want to take care of them if possible. So, with my present condition in mind, can I lift bis, tris, shoulders, back, and chest? And, if so, how much weight can I lift? I am walking a few times a week, time permitting, but I need to bump that up too. Any ideas, tips, and pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Yes, you can lift and walk. Exercise is great during pregnancy for most people (except E). That is the short answer and you really should check with your doctor for guidance.
Now that you can't sue me..
The danger with exercising while pregnant is an elevated heart rate. Most advise to stay under 140bpm, so if you don't wear a heart rate monitor now would be a good time to start.
Don't lay flat on your back after 4 months. No reason to anyway, use a ball.
Stay very hydrated.
Lighten up your weights and do higher reps. Don't strain; you shouldn't anyway.
Have you thought about yoga or pilates? Many gyms offer classes for pregnant girls or talk with the instructor before class for some modifications.
Don't be surprised if you find that you fatigue much faster. Take breaks. Careful with circuit training (ups your heart rate). Always use good form, pregnant or not.
I lifted all the way through with Tanner. I had to lighten up and I used the stability ball for lots of things. I walked a lot with both kids.
I am sure that Rachel and E will give you better/more current advise.
I reduced the weight by 50% for squats, everything else I lifted normal (heavy) my entire pregnancy. (I would freak the gym staff out by lifting 100# plates off the leg press machine...I wasn't the rude gym goer that would leave them on). I even did 250 crunches twice a week up to the day (resting on my side between sets).
The hardest is cardio, I was so excited the first time I actually could hold out for longer than 15 minutes witout taking a breather. I biked up to 24 weeks.
I walked A LOT. There isn't much research on athletes and pregnancy so I figured the more I kept doing the better afterwards.
Your body is out of control right now. You will gain body fat regardless of how much you work out, but at least you won't get huge and it will come off quicker afterwards.
My advice: find a doctor who is athletic. I asked my doc and he told me no more than 120BPM which is REALLY ridiculous. I ignored him altogether. It's so difficult finding information on web, too. I read somewhere to keep it no more than 140 bpm and then another site says new evidence shows that it's the internal body temperature that matters most.
Here is what I found during my pregnancy:
Most of the time I'd stay around 140-150 anyway because anymore than that I'd be out of breath anyway and that is what I kind of used as my benchmark. Besides...who really wants to take a break and check their temp? not me!
I didn't run much because it just wasn't very comfortable for me; even with one of those pregnancy belts. I just stayed put on the elliptical or walked a lot.
I'm wishing I would have worked out more because while I have pretty much lost all the baby weight already I still have fat and need to build muscle. So if you can keep up the muscle and workout like Rachel said she did I'd do it! Maybe even just get some 5 and 10 pound weights and do lots of reps; anything to keep the muscles toned.
Good luck!
I am finally getting around to reading my most current issue of Fit Pregnancy (April/May issue). They have a great article about working out so if you can I'd go check it out!!
Here's what the drs told me for my normal pregnancies.
The key points: you can keep doing what you're used to, don't add. Keep your heartrate moderate: 140 is a good guide, just make sure you don't get short of breath. A general guideline: you should always be able to talk throughout the workout. Make sure you don't dehydrate or overheat--very dangerous for baby.
As for lifting, light weights are fine, but the above rules apply. My dr placed the following exercises off limits: squats, abs, anything requiring prone or supine positions (hamstring curls, etc).
The best exercises for pregnancy: walking, swimming, pregnancy yoga (you'll probably need a note from the dr clearing you before they'll admit you to a class). My dr said I could continue running, but it was uncomfortable and hard for me to do without feeling short of breath. I walked 3 miles/day until the very end with A. and M. I never tried swimming (the thought of getting into a suit in that shape makes me nauseous), but many women swear by it and love it. It takes the weight off your joints for a bit and the water keeps you cool.
Definite no's from my dr: activities requiring balance or a high risk of falling, such as bike riding (stationary is fine), skiing, skating, horseback riding, etc.
Rachel is right: you will gain fat and you need to. It's just a matter of not gaining too much. Being in shape makes labor much easier and of course, recovery.
Post a Comment