A beginners guide to training in Pregnancy

What do the Australian guidelines say?

Strength training is recommended twice weekly, in addition to 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity OR 75 minutes -150minutes of vigorous intensity exercise per week.

What intensity should I work to?

Pregnancy isn’t the time to hit PB’s or smash yourself. Chances are your body will let you know if you over-do it in the gym, however it’s nice to have a guide of what we know is safe vs. unsafe.

If you’ve been cleared to exercise during pregnancy by your Obstetrician or Doctor the intensity can be similar to what you trained at pre-pregnancy.

Heart rate is an unreliable measurement, instead opt for either the “Talk Test” where you want to be able to maintain short sentence conversations during exercise, or the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion.

Can I perform core exercises during pregnancy?

Fitness influences often slam core exercises during the pregnancy period, and I cringe at this misinformation.

Core exercise has a place in all stages of pregnancy and I encourage it with all of my clients.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) is part of core exercise, and there is high quality evidence that women who engage in individualised PFMT have a reduced risk of postpartum incontinence.

What about crunches? There are three factors to consider- 1) the increasing size of your uterus and 2) the abdominal separation, 3) lying on your back.

Depending on the size, and position of your baby you may find crunches feel ineffective or simply ‘wrong’ for you quite early on, or for others not until second trimester.
In terms of coning, ask a Womens Health Physio to assess you in the crunch position.
Lastly, the evidence regarding lying on your back after 16 weeks is still heavily debated. For short periods of time during exercise, the restriction in venous return via compression of the fetus on your vena cava MAY not have any significant effect, however, for those with growth restriction or who are symptomatic (feel dizzy, unwell) in this position, I would recommend modification.

Is coning Bad?

Coning, or Abdominal Separation occurs in 100% of pregnancies that reach 35 weeks gestation.
Observing coning during exercise, may indicate poor pressure management in the abdominal wall.

The evidence regarding the short and long term impact of coning is mixed, and many questions remain unanswered.
Does it lead to increase pressure on the pelvic floor? Could it make abdominal muscle separation worse after pregnancy?

Based off the current research, abdominal separation is a normal part of growing a baby, and the ability for the connective tissue and muscles to recover from pregnancy depends on many factors.

If you notice coning, I’d encourage you to make an appointment with a womens health physio, ensure you are engaging your core and pelvic floor appropriately, and seek advice about compression clothing to reduce the strain on your abdominal wall during exercise.

Other factors training during pregnancy:

Ensure you exercise in a well ventilated space with adequate temperature control, continue to hydrate, and eliminate any movements that increase your risk of trips or falls.

High impact training may place strain on the pelvic floor muscles, which are under increased demand during pregnancy to begin with.

If you notice any pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms please consult with a pelvic floor specialist physio.

Leakage of bladder or bowel, vaginal heaviness or pressure, Urgency to empty bladder or bowel that you can’t delay, pelvic pain, or pain of any kind.