How to Safely Lift Weights While You Are Pregnant

How to Safely Lift Weights While You Are Pregnant

Oct 11, 2023 mindpump

Women who are pregnant go through plenty of hormonal and physical changes that can be difficult to navigate.

How much weight should I be gaining? What foods should I be focused on eating? How many days a week can I work out?…

Yes, it can be a lot. But I want to first start off by saying that exercising is extremely beneficial for both mom and baby. And, resistance training is, in fact, encouraged.

Throughout pregnancy, the body becomes more flexible as it prepares for childbirth. So both stability, and strength, could decline during this time. Lifting weights can also help improve energy levels, and decrease aches and pains associated with pregnancy.  

There are way more pros than cons when it comes to lifting weights while pregnant, but it needs to be done appropriately.

Lower Expectations

First, you need to have the mindset that you will not have the same strength and endurance that you did pre-pregnancy. Your body is working HARD to grow and nourish your baby, so an abundance of energy normally devoted to physical activity will likely go to that. Many women also struggle to get moving during their first trimester, when they are more fatigued and nauseous; working out 5 days a week, which was completely normal before, may not be in the cards for you, so it is okay to go down to 2 or 3 days a week.

Lift at a Lower Intensity

This is not the time in your training career for you to attempt PRs. Changes in hormones impact the ligaments and joints, such as creating more laxity than what your body is used to. Because of this, you are more likely to sustain injuries.  

To avoid an injury, it would be wise to lower the intensity, and try not to sustain a heart rate higher than 60 to 80% of max heart rate. Staying within 10 to 20 reps is encouraged, because ultimately, muscular endurance and maintaining strength is safer than trying to gain muscle or lift heavier.  

If there is a mental barrier when it comes to lowering the resistance (because you KNOW you can lift more), slow down the tempo to get more of that muscle burn.

Modify Your Exercise Selection

After the first trimester, you should avoid exercises on your back. There are plenty of movements you can choose from to take the place of those performed on your back.

Instead of: Lying Dumbbell Chest Press

Try: Standing or Sitting Cable Chest Press

Instead of: Lying Leg Raises

Try: Modified Side Planks

Instead of: Lying Tricep Extensions

Try: Cable Rope Tricep Pushdowns

You also want to avoid bouncing or jerky movements, like box jumps or squat jumps, or anything that can cause you to fall. Plyometrics are not safe during this time, and should be saved for postpartum workouts.

Something that is also stressed a lot is to include exercises for your pelvic floor. Your gynecologist should have plenty of options that will be safe for you to do. 

And one last thing: if you didn’t work out a lot before you were pregnant, don’t try going super hard when you are pregnant. Your body is not conditioned to handle a lot of exercise, and pushing yourself while pregnant is not the answer; it will do more harm than good. You can still work out at a light intensity, 2 to 3 days a week, and gain a lot of benefits. Daily walks are also encouraged to help boost your mood and energy levels, while possibly decreasing back pain.

Ensure You Are Eating Enough

It’s common for people to want to be in a calorie deficit when working out, but obviously, you and baby NEED the calories for proper development and to meet energy requirements. Don’t worry about gaining weight (you are pregnant), and remember that the weight you are gaining is not all fat. It can be really hard for some people who normally watch their weight like a hawk to see the number on the scale go up; if you are not eating enough, you are going to feel a whole worse than if you were eating an adequate amount of food.

Keep in mind, that you don’t need to eat for two; there is a misconception that you need to increase your calories at an astronomical rate, but that is not true. For most, you really only need to increase your daily calories by 200 to 400 calories. The number will steadily increase the farther along in the pregnancy you are.

Hopefully these tips and recommendations will help you through your pregnancy journey!