Exercise For Life
Thoughts on Exercising During Pregnancy
Exercising during pregnancy is often something that many women are confused about. On one hand they want to stay fit and healthy but on the other hand they want to protect their baby. It's very important that you understand that exercising during pregnancy is certainly something that you should be careful about for obvious reasons.
It's important that we all stay healthy and even mild exercising will help the circulatory system going and also deal with mood swings and increase the muscle tone of the pelvis. Done right, you can lessen the severity of backaches, keep joints flexible and firm, and improve sleep.
When you do any type of exercise, endorphins get released and this helps considerably with ones mood. In order to help with the prevention of backaches during pregnancy, exercise and help with the strengthening of muscles in the buttocks, back and thighs. A daily stretching routine keeps joints well-lubricated with synovial fluid. Moderate working out burns up some of that anxious energy, leading to more restful sleep.
Prenatal yoga, swimming, spinning and pelvic strengtheners are considered to be ideal. Swimming helps improve cardiovascular system but also the water helps support the back and legs in the latter stages of pregnancy. The cardio system is so important because it helps in the regulation of the endocrine system plus it helps keep your joints flexible and muscle tissues strong. When it comes to treadmill vs elliptical, the latter is probably best because it's "low impact".
Swimming is also a great all-over body workout because you are working your upper body as well as your lower body. It also prevents any stress on your joints unlike jogging for instance. Knees get a break from the higher stress of carrying additional weight and breathing exercises can be done while wading, in between laps.
As long as you are careful not to overdo anything, spinning is a wonderful exercise for the first 7 months of pregnancy. You will receive very similar cardio results as if you went swimming and the stomach and legs are really well worked out. That benefits fitness overall, while helping to keep legs in shape to prevent falls. In addition to this it also helps two particular muscle groups that will be needed during delivery.
A 10-minute routine on a stationary bike is plenty, keeping in mind that you should stop at the first sign of bleeding, fluid loss, dizziness or intense pain.
You will most likely have already heard of the exercise Kegel where you want to target the muscles that are used during birth. In order to work these muscles you basically try to imagine that you want to stop urinating mid-flow. Squeeze those muscles for a few moments and then relax. Concentrate on those muscles and try to avoid tightening your stomach or leg muscles. This will help isolate the right muscles you need to zero in on. Remember to continue to breathe normally, in and out slowly and regularly.
It's very important that you tread cautiously when it comes to this sort of thing so make sure that you seek professional medical advice before you embark on any exercise routine. This article is no substitute for professional advice.
