PREGNANCY & EXERCISE (THE BENEFITS)

Unlike in the past, beliefs about how exercise affects pregnancy have changed worldwide. However most pregnant women in Malaysia and our society are not aware of the benefits of exercise or/and they even have the wrong mindset that it would bring great risk to their pregnancy.

According to research, suggested below:

• 1985, Research by American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ACOG) approved exercise routine for expecting women but restricted to 15 min.
•  In 2002, (ACOG) has formally recommend to include exercise throughout pregnancy in absence of medical complications 30min or more a day on most or every other day in a week.

Having the experience training pregnant client as a personal trainer, I would like to share how exercise can give great benefits for those who are expecting:

• Common complaint such as fatigue, swelling of joints and muscle often reduced.
• Less problematic & comfortable pregnancy
• Shorter & less painful delivery
• Relief mental & emotional stress,
• Improve physical fitness (*during pregnancy, women often get hypertension & high glucose level due to overeating and less/not exercising at all).
• Exercise will not affect the infant birth weight.

Talking about exercising, some major parts of the body need extra attention to ease delivery the process for example: Strengthening pelvic floor & core, gluteal, hamstring, quadriceps and upper back muscles are crucial.  Here are some routines that you will find helpful:

  

  

Trx Row- Working the back muscle

From Top- Bridge, middle-Birddog, 3rd- ball squats (These three exercises works the pelvic floor, core, gluteus, hamstring, and quadriceps).

So step up and try these exercises, for a better pregnancy and delivery  yourself. You will feel the difference. However, i advise beginners to engage with a personal trainer, who is certified training pregnant and post-partum client. This way, you will be given a proper routine and  safety precaution during your sessions as pregnant women have certain limitations in the period of pregnancy. 

Thank you.

Prepared by,

Izwan Yusop

Advanced Personal Trainer Fitness First SCM

(Certified Training Pregnant & Post-partum Client)

Reference

Ø  Fit Malaysia Training pregnant & post – Partum Client course (2012) CEC.

Ø  National Academy of Sport Medicine (2005) Shaping the industry – Exercise and Pregnancy Issue 1, No.6.

Ø  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2002), Chapter Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period, 99:171-173.

Ø  ACE’s PDF Guide to pre-natal Fitness (2004), American Council of Exercise, Healthy Learning Monterey, CA