5 Tips To Building Strength And Endurance During Pregnancy

09/30/2017

No one ever says to a marathon runner a few months from her big race… “Wow, that’s going to be the worse, most exhausting experience of your life. It’s going to be torture. Good luck with that!”

But this is exactly the kind of crazy talk many pregnant people are hearing as their beautiful belly grows.

So let me first say, “Congratulations! You are growing a human (or more then one?) You are amazing for taking on this incredible task! This will be one of the most awesome and intense experiences of your life.”

Exercise during pregnancy is great for a myriad of reasons, but we’ll focus on getting to the finish line – or is that the start line?!

5 quick tips to building strength and endurance for your body and mind:

1. Find the most amazing Prenatal exercise class with other pregnant people and start building community. Make friends! This is more important than you might believe. You need a team and they’ll end up being your village of new parents to rejoice and commiserate with later.
2. Find an instructor that is passionate about your belly and body and making sure you work it safely and effectively. There are many considerations for keeping a pregnant body working safely- it’s important to find a certified and experienced instructor.
3. Make sure you learn to breathe properly. That’s right, there’s a proper way to breathe and it works your “core”! An awareness of your breath is a great tool and comfort measure during labour and will promote healing postpartum.
4. Work your core, your glutes (that’s your bum!) and your legs with “functional fitness”. Traditional abdominal work isn’t recommended once your belly is showing. So, get on your feet and use your body parts to create challenge on your core, build strength and endurance.
5. Use your time exercising to listen to your body and get to know how it responds to strain, stress and physical work. How do you work through a difficult exercise? Do you find yourself holding tension in various parts of your body? Are you able to recognize that tension and successfully redirect your efforts? In a good Prenatal class you should spend some time using imagery, releasing and relaxing the body too. Body awareness and the ability to release is a huge asset when working your way through the birth process.

Yes, labour and birth will be hard work. Exactly that, work!

So, prepare your body and your mental game to meet that challenge head on, just like an athlete would. You’ve got this!

Written by Ruth Ruttan, Pre & Postnatal Pilates Specialist at Retrofit Pilates and Doula.

Ruth has enjoyed watching many bodies change, stay functional and become powerful humans. Education is at the centre of her approach, believing that knowledge is power and that informing our minds and bodies will help build an extraordinary life experience. Creative by nature and armed with an excellent knowledge of functional anatomy and physiology of pregnancy & birth, Ruth loves working with all sorts of bellies, babies and bodies!

Ruth will be joining us at our MIT (Mom In Training!) Workshop on Sunday Nov 26th, 1-5pm at Retrofit Pilates.  As your due date approaches, one of the best things you can do is put aside the to-do list (the stroller research, nursery decorating, and million other tasks can wait!) and prepare YOU for what’s to come.

You’re invited to join us on Sunday Nov 26th for an afternoon workshop where we’ll do just that. You’ll gain valuable knowledge to help you prepare for childbirth and the early postpartum period (the ‘fourth trimester’ when babe would rather be back inside the comfy hotel you created than in the outside world!), and – perhaps most importantly – meet a tribe of supportive women who are at the same stage as you.

We’ll delve into nutrition, preparing your body physically for childbirth, and what to expect when it comes to breastfeeding. Then we’ll facilitate a discussion amongst your fellow moms-to-be so that you don’t feel so alone in this crazy adventure. And finally, we’ll finish off with a relaxing pre-natal pilates class, suitable for all fitness levels.

This workshop is for women only, and is designed to complement – not replace – a more traditional pre-natal program. There will be tons of time for socializing, door prizes, and you’ll also leave with a special gift bag.

To register, click here.