One of the biggest misconceptions I had when going into pregnancy was this often-heard advice: it’s safe to continue working out at whatever level you were working out prior to getting pregnant. While I’d heard this from many people, it’s not what my doctor told me and not how I decided to treat fitness during my pregnancy.
Today I’m sharing the modifications I made during the first and second trimesters. These changes allowed me to keep working out while feeling good along the way. I’ll also talk about why you may not want to workout at the same level that you were prior to pregnancy.
Before I jump in, let me begin with some disclaimers.
- Every pregnancy and every woman is different. What works for one woman does not work for another. Below is what I did and though I’m a certified trainer, I’m not a doctor. I had a very strong fitness base before getting pregnant and that’s important to remember as you explore fitness during pregnancy.
- I have been incredibly cautious in my workouts. I’m not usually a nervous/anxious person , but during this pregnancy I have been. There are many modifications I’ve made that are *probably* not necessary but I haven’t wanted to push myself. To me, I’d rather be cautious and not be panicked during/after every workout. To me it’s just not worth it. I know this will not be the fittest/strongest/most attractive nine months of my life and I’m okay with it.
Alright, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here we go!
First Trimester Modifications
In the first trimester you don’t really need to make huge modifications. For most women (myself included), your body has not changed that much (on the outside that is, on the inside there’s a baby!). These are the rules I lived by and the changes I made:
- Exertion Levels: During this trimester I used the talk test. If you are working out and you can keep up a conversation without huffing and puffing, you’re at a good level. If you are out of breath and can’t complete a sentence, you may be pushing too hard.
- Recovery Ability: You want to be able to recover quickly from whatever you just did. For example, if you’ve just finished a sprint and are hunched over catching your breath, that is not a quick recovery.
- Heart Rate: The old rule is that pregnant women shouldn’t raise their heart rate above 140 bpm. This is no longer the accepted advice and I didn’t pay attention to this. I do wear a Fitbit with a heart rate monitor but didn’t concern myself with the numbers. Instead I use the above two (exertion levels and recovery ability) to rate if I was at the right level.
- Running: I kept running but significantly slowed down my running pace. Instead of somewhere in the 8-9 minute miles, I was more in the 11 minute miles range. Super slow for me.
- Lagree/Pilates/Yoga: I kept up with all of these classes and didn’t make major modifications but did avoid extremely deep twisting moves (mostly found in Lagree classes). My doctor did not say this was necessary and there is no evidence to show deep twists in the first trimester are an issue, but I felt better avoiding them regardless.
- Strength Training: Pretty much fine in this trimester. I dropped my weights to 10 pounds and below and in general kept up with strength work but didn’t try to add weight. I wasn’t working until hitting failure, instead I kept things at a comfortable level.
- Core Work: This is all pretty safe. If you enjoy planks, do them now, because your time is limited!
Things to be aware of:
- Bouncing/Jumping: Avoid…or don’t. My doctor recommended I not do any intense jumping or bouncing in the first trimester. Some women go as far as to take trampoline classes during pregnancy and are totally fine. So I think this is up to you and whatever you and your doctor decide together. My doctor said burpees are best avoided. I’m not sure I agree with this, but was happy for a solid excuse to skip burpees 🙂
- Laying on your back: Totally fine for now.
- Heated workouts: Skip ’em. You don’t want to raise your internal temperature and a hot yoga class may do this. Some women who have already been doing heated yoga continue with it during pregnancy. Being extra cautious, I chose not to.
- Shortness of breath/dizziness: If you experience this, stop what you’re doing and take a break.
I asked my doctor a bunch of workout questions and the biggest takeaway was this:
There aren’t a lot of exercises you have to avoid during the first trimester, however think about how you feel. If something bad were to happen in that timing (like a miscarriage), would you blame yourself?
This was the guiding advice I used during this trimester. For example, I didn’t feel right doing deep bends in Lagree class. So what was the point? I wasn’t expecting to develop rock hard abs during pregnancy and I’d rather not freak out post-Lagree class. If I had any internal question or concern about a move, I skipped it.
I’m fortunate and didn’t have morning sickness or extreme exhaustion in my first trimester. Many women do, and I’m sure this will have a big impact on your ability/desire to workout. One of the biggest learnings in the first trimester and pregnancy in general is to listen to your body. It’s not the time to push your limits. It’s the time to do what’s safe and feels good.
Second Trimester Modifications
Moving right along, let’s chat second trimester. This is when more impactful changes occur in your body, how you feel, and in your workouts.
A lot of women note that feel their best in their second trimester and have a surge of energy. I didn’t really experience this because I felt really good in my first trimester. If anything, I felt worse in my second. I had some under-rib pain (mild but constant) and side rib pain (when I was on my feet too long). Plus, my belly was growing at what seemed like a crazy rate and made everything a new experience. I had what I think is round ligament pain–dull pains under my belly. All of these things impacted my workouts and what I was willing to do.
- Exertion Levels: I lived by the same rule as I did in the first trimester. The talk test is key.
- Recovery Ability: Again, same as above. If I could recover immediately from whatever I was doing, my effort level was on-point.
- Heart Rate: I kept any eye on it but didn’t make any changes based around these numbers.
- Running: Here’s where the big changes begin. I stopped running. Completely. Some women run all the way through their pregnancy and that’s great for them, but it wasn’t for me. For one, it didn’t feel comfortable. The bouncing (not a great feeling for both sore boobs and the belly), plus the round ligament pain I feeling were both just not worth it. I also spoke to a doctor who noted that running is fine, but some of the women she worked with ran throughout their pregnancy and had really bad pelvic floor issues post-pregnancy. Again, not worth it to me. I do miss running but I know it’s waiting for me on the other side. I switched to incline walking on the treadmill and love it.
- Lagree/Pilates/Yoga: I attempted to continue with these group fitness classes but around weeks 16-20 it no longer worked for me. Lagree classes are incredibly core-reliant. I was worried about putting too much pressure on my core which meant I didn’t have anything to do for a majority of class. I’m not well-versed on modifications so I just sort of stood there until the instructor noticed me. Balance is also important and falling is a real possibility when your center of gravity is shifting with your growing body. In yoga I ended up in child’s pose more than I’d like. In the end, I would leave these classes feeling defeated and like I could have used my time more wisely in a different class or working out on my own. So I stopped going. My preference is now barre classes as they are less core focused and require fewer modifications.
- Strength Training: I kept up with this, again lowering my weight. My workouts are now with 8 pound weights or less. I’m extra careful with overhead moves as to not put unnecessary pressure on my core and back. If possible, I’ll take moves seated on a bench (bicep curls, overhead press, etc)
- Core Work: More or less, I stopped doing all core work. Side planks and oblique work can be safe throughout pregnancy but I always felt like I was putting too much pressure on my center core and decided to stop all core work. I do think having a strong core is important but I stopped and am not planning to work on my core during the remainder of my pregnancy. I noticed I have a mild case of diastasis recti and I see coning when I do core work. Instead of modifying it, I’m not doing it.
Things to be aware of:
- Bouncing/Jumping: Continue to avoid if these don’t feel right to you.
- Laying on your Back: In the middle of your second trimester (around week 19) is when it’s recommended to no longer lay on your back as it can restrict blood flow to you and the baby. Take moves sitting up, at a slight incline, or laying on your side.
- Deep Twists: Time to start avoiding these. Though I avoided these since the beginning, this is the time it is doctor-recommended to stop doing this.
- Shortness of breath/dizziness: If you experience this, stop what you’re doing and take a break.
- Balance: With a growing belly, your balance will be challenged. Keep this in mind and avoid risky moves that may result in a fall. I have found that barre has helped me maintain good balance.
In the second trimester I more closely listened to my body. There were some days where I went to the gym feeling good, only to feel odd pains once I hopped on the treadmill. Instead of pushing through like I may have pre-pregnancy, I slowed down or tried a different workout…or left! I literally got on a spin bike for 30 seconds, felt uncomfortable and got off. Don’t feel weird doing this. When in doubt, squats were always my go-to. Squats every day!
The second trimester for me was filled with my own workouts (walking on the treadmill and strength work) and a lot of barre classes (Barre3 is my favorite). There are other group fitness classes I’d love to try but so far have felt more frustrated than empowered. Perhaps if I had a studio I was regularly visiting prior to pregnancy, I would have continued with it. But since we moved to Portland basically the week after I got pregnant, I was not in a class routine here. I’ve found I’m more productive and feel better working out solo.
Working out during pregnancy is super important. Unfortunately, the fear of doing something that might hurt you or your baby can be overwhelming. At times it might seem like it’s not worth the risk and you’re better off sitting on the couch. It’s worth it to keep working out! I recommend discussing with your doctor, slowing down and focusing on what makes you feel strong and safe as you keep your body in motion through the months.
If you have any questions about my modifications or working out through the trimesters, please comment below or send me a note!
