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Regular safe exercise and light physical activity reduce the risk of heart disease, help maintain physical fitness, and manage some of the symptoms of pregnancy.
Pregnancy is an ideal time to relax, but fatigue and unbearable lower back pain often appear. This needs to be addressed – safe sports and a little exercise can help you stay fit, manage some of the symptoms of pregnancy, improve your well-being and prepare for childbirth.
Benefits of exercising during pregnancy
When a woman is healthy, she has no complications, playing sports will prevent weight gain, improve mental state, help to stay in good shape, be stronger. Regular exercise and light physical activity reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Consider some of the benefits of regular exercise throughout your pregnancy:
- moral satisfaction, increased energy, stress relief;
- reduction of pain in the back and pelvic region;
- reduction of toxicosis, reduction of the risk of complications from hypertension;
- faster recovery after childbirth;
- prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence;
- improvement of posture, blood circulation, weight control;
- reduced risk of anxiety and depression;
- improved sleep and insomnia management;
- increased ability to cope with the duties of a mother.
Safe sports during pregnancy
During pregnancy, the body goes through many changes. Some of them will affect the ability to train or require a change in the training regimen. Before starting sports or training, you should consult your doctor.
Consider safe sports for pregnant women:
- Aerobic exercise or cardio is a type of physical activity where moderate-intensity exercise is performed for a long time. This includes walking, running, swimming, dancing and various activities accompanied by music. It’s worth starting slowly, gradually reaching 4 half-hour sessions per week.
- Swimming and any exercises in the water keep the muscles of the growing abdomen in good shape, contribute to the formation of the correct posture, remove the load on the back. This is a great way to get your heart rate up without putting too much strain on your joints and ligaments. Water sports lessons are popular with pregnant women and are a fun way to meet other moms-to-be.
- Yoga classes are aimed at psychological, mental and physical well-being. In this case, a series of body positions called postures are used. Yoga for pregnancy uses relaxation techniques and breathing exercises specially adapted for pregnant women.
- Cycling is a great low-impact sport. However, as the belly grows, it is recommended to be safe and switch to an exercise bike before the baby is born.
- Running is a great aerobic workout. If you were running before pregnancy, it is safe and healthy to continue exercising. The baby in the womb will not suffer from impact or sudden movements.
- Pilates: The goal of classes is to improve body balance, strength, flexibility and posture. Classes will help the body cope with excess weight, prepare for childbirth and subsequent recovery.
- Strength training is an activity that strengthens the muscles. These include swimming, weight training, uphill walking, and even digging. This is a good way to keep your muscles toned during pregnancy.
Exercises not recommended for pregnant women
Pregnant women during training should be as careful as possible, avoid certain sports, in particular, activities with an increased risk, characterized by:
- injuries to the abdomen or pelvic area: weightlifting, wide squats or lunges;
- clashes: martial arts, football, basketball, other competitive sports;
- the probability of falling: skiing and skating, riding a horse;
- imbalance, coordination: gymnastics;
- significant pressure drops: scuba diving.
Playing safe sports and exercising regularly can help build stamina and cope with the physical changes during pregnancy. If you haven’t been exercising regularly before, you now have a chance to use pregnancy as a motivation to start exercising.