Pregnancy and exercise

  • Any previous complications or issues falling pregnant bodytech requires a doctors clearance.
  • Avoid raising your heart rate to high (keep it less than 75% of your maximum heart rate)
  • Avoid raising your body temperature too high
  • Reduce your level of exercise on hot or humid days. Stay well hydrated.
  • Don’t exercise to the point of exhaustion.
  • If your weight training, choose low to medium weights and medium to high repetitions – avoid lifting heavy weights altogether.
  • Avoid lifting above the head
  • Perform controlled stretching and avoid over-extending.
  • Avoid exercise if you are ill or feverish.
  • If you don’t feel like exercising on a particular day, don’t! It is important to listen to your body to avoid unnecessarily depleting your energy reserves.
  • Don’t increase the intensity of your sporting program while you are pregnant, and always work at less than 75 per cent of your maximum heart rate.
  • Stop immediately if you feel pain or discomfort
  • supine exercise position (lying on your back) – the weight of the baby can slow the return of blood to the heart; some of these exercises can be modified by lying on your side or planks
  • if you develop an illness or a complication throughout the pregnancy, inform bodytech before continuing or restarting your exercise program.
  • Be aware that your balance may be effected with the extra weight at the front of your body which can effect your co-ordination and agility
  • Avoid significant changes in pressure – such as SCUBA diving.
  • Avoid heavy lifting.
  • Avoid high-altitude training

If you’re not sure whether a particular activity is safe during pregnancy, check with your healthcare professional. 

Training while your pregnant has many benefits and I recommend it. Just make sure you speak to your health practitioner and your trainer be kind to your body.

When I fell pregnant with my first child I followed all of the above guidelines and took extra precaution. I started to slow down at 6 months and only participated in walking and water aerobics. Although I was fully aware of all the guidelines being my first pregnancy I wanted to be extra cautious.

I was juggling two jobs at the time and started to become very tired. I worked right up until the Saturday and had my first born the Sunday night.

With my second pregnancy I followed the guidelines however wasn’t as cautious and skipped on the water aerobics and participated in more athletic group fitness classes.