5 Surprising Workouts You Can Still Do During Pregnancy

When you think of safe pregnancy workouts what comes to mind? It's likely a combination of prenatal yoga, swimming, and some cardio on the elliptical. What probably doesn't come to mind is boxing, practicing pilates, lifting weights, going to a spin class, or playing tennis…

At Baby2Body, we're huge proponents of helping women continue to do the things they love while pregnant by keeping them informed on how to stay safe and confident while working out. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions surrounding exercise during pregnancy and we’re actively working to bust those myths and change the way people think about prenatal exercise by making it all about what you can do.

The truth is, you can do a lot of the same sports and activities that you did before becoming pregnant - provided you make the right adjustments at the right stage. But it can be tough to know where to get started. In most cases, the best place to begin is where you "left off" before becoming pregnant. Understanding (and respecting!) your pre-pregnancy fitness level will help you know how hard you can push yourself at the start and how to make changes in your second and third as your body starts to change.

If you have a low-risk, "normal" pregnancy, you’ll likely be able to maintain your pre-pregnancy level of exercise intensity in the first trimester, meaning you can keep up with the high-energy workouts you love! You may find that you have to slow down or put them on hold as your pregnancy progresses - and that's OK. We're all different and our bodies change in various ways. Listen to how your body feels during any physical activity and let that guide you as to how far you can go, and be sure to stop if you have any pain. 

If you have any concerns about continuing with certain sports while pregnant, talk with your doctor or midwife about your current health conditions to ensure your workouts will be safe for you and your little one.

Keep in mind that the below suggestions assume that you've been doing the sport in question prior to pregnancy and are fully familiar with the proper techniques associated with it. Starting up a new, intensive exercise isn't recommended during pregnancy - and the same goes for the following workouts.

5 surprising workouts you can still do during pregnancy

1. Pilates

Pilates is actually a low-intensity workout that focuses on strengthening the abdominal and back muscles, as well as your pelvic floor — all of which help to build the stamina required for pregnancy, as well as labor and delivery.

Prenatal precautions to take when practicing pilates during pregnancy:

• Watch out for relaxin. Relaxin is a hormone produced by your body to enable your joints and muscles to stretch and provide space for your growing baby. However, the increased presence of this hormone can often lead to overstretching and injury — we recommend sticking to around 90% capacity in your stretches during pregnancy.

• Be aware of overheating, and be sure to have plenty of water before, during, and after working out

• Listen to your body and don’t advance your practice from your pre-pregnancy levels

• Don’t engage in any high-balance moves as your bump grows and the center of gravity changes

• Stick to prenatal flows and classes to ensure that the moves are safe for you and baby. Key movements to avoid: full planks, forward-flexing abdominal exercises, and lying on your back or face down as bump grows bigger

2. Tennis

If you're a regular on the tennis courts, you definitely don't need to stop once pregnant, as it's a great way to get some cardio.

Prenatal precautions to take when playing tennis during pregnancy:

• Be aware of your joints. Tennis involves a lot of quick movements back and forth, which can put pressure on your joints. During pregnancy, your synovial fluid (the fluid that keeps your joints supple and lubricated) is actually thinner, so you do have to be a bit more careful of any strain placed on them

• Be sure to warm up fully and slow down the pace as necessary

• Be aware of overheating, and be sure to have plenty of water before, during, and after playing & be cautious of playing in the sun — try to play at cooler, shadier times of the day

3. Boxing

Ok, so we're not talking Rocky Balboa type boxing here, but you can continue with bag or spar-boxing classes designed to give you a cardio and muscle-toning workout!

Prenatal precautions to take when boxing during pregnancy:

• Don’t engage in any high-balance moves as your bump grows and the center of gravity changes

• It's best to avoid vigorous twisting of the abdomen once your bump pops, so keep that in mind

• Don’t do any active partner combat but working on techniques with a sparring partner can be safe during pregnancy! 

4. Weight lifting

Strength training and using free weights in your routine can help to build the strength to support your body during pregnancy and postpartum. Lifting weights during pregnancy has been studied for a long time now, and it is considered safe to do during pregnancy, but as always, there are a few precautions you should consider…

Prenatal precautions to take when lifting weights during pregnancy:

• Watch out for relaxin. Relaxin is a hormone produced by your body to enable your joints and muscles to stretch and provide space for your growing baby. However, the increased presence of this hormone can make weight training a little more challenging as you will need to maintain good posture and make sure you’re not going over your usual range of motion

• If you have been doing weight training regularly, continue with your routine but don’t increase the weight loads or repetitions from your pre-pregnancy routine

• If you are new to using free weights, you should begin with really light weights, with only a few reps, and build up slowly

• Use free weights rather than machines as they are safer to use during pregnancy

5. Cycling & spin classes

Spinning classes are finding more and more pregnant ladies in the saddle and that’s because it can be a great low-impact workout for pregnancy! Find out more from our Founder and CEO Melinda Nicciin our YouTube series: Are spin classes safe during pregnancy?

On a stationary bike, you have to worry less about falling over, but the temperature increase in the room can prove challenging. If you're a fan of bicycling or road biking you can keep at it as well, making sure you take balance into consideration and wear all proper gear. Look to cycle in safe, no-traffic areas if possible.

Prenatal precautions for cycling and spin classes during pregnancy:

• Whether you're in a spin class or outside on a bike, you'll want to make sure you prioritize balance & hold on if you do any standing moves

• Let your instructor know that you’re pregnant so that they can just keep an eye on you during class

• Be aware of overheating, and be sure to have plenty of water before, during, and after any cycling sessions

• Keep your intensity to a moderate level

• Make sure you have a strong pelvic floor and no abdominal separation before proceeding

Have a sport or workout you’re not sure about? Leave us a message in the comments and we'll be happy to share more top tips for safety!

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