I’m going to start by saying that the Fitness Industry, like many other industries, is an ever-changing one. It’s full of trends. Exercises come in and out of fashion, research is done to prove exercises safe or unsafe, and as Fitness Professionals, we listen and make changes to our program content accordingly. Sit-ups, or any variation of this movement where you go into forward flexion ie: when lying on your back, you bring your torso towards your knees to work …
When Can I Return to High Impact Exercise After Birth?
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question, and I’m going to use “running” as an example of high-impact exercise in this article. We’ll start with a hormone called relaxin which is released into your system in the early stages of your pregnancy. Relaxin relaxes your muscles/joints/ligaments to help prepare your pelvis for childbirth. BUT, relaxin doesn’t just affect your pelvis, it affects every joint in your body, AND, it stays in your system for up to six months …
Julia O’s Birth Story: Welcome, Elizabeth!
Julia O’s Birth Story: Elizabeth Rebecca Orme was born Saturday, July 23 at 10:30 a.m. I can’t thank you enough for helping me prepare for labor, and here’s why. At 4:30 a.m. on my due date, I started bleeding lightly and shortly thereafter having contractions 8 minutes apart for an hour. Throughout that day, I bled consistently and had contractions varying from 5 to 45 minutes apart, and they were painful! My husband, meanwhile, was sick and also in a lot of …
Management of Gestational Diabetes Through Exercise and Nutrition
Management of Gestational Diabetes Through Exercise and Nutrition A report released by the CDC in 2015 revealed that nearly half (47%) of all pregnant women gain more than recommended during pregnancy (1). The study’s co-author, Dr. Andrea Sharma, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Maternal and Infant Health Branch stated, “This is a concern because gaining too much weight has health consequences for both mothers and infants(2)”. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of these …
In Support of (Individualizing) Exercise During Pregnancy
Exercise during pregnancy. Everyone seems to have an opinion, but who and what information can you trust? A sampling of advice may include “walking only”, “no impact”, “no twisting”, “stick with yoga”, “don’t get your heart rate above 140 bmp”, “and the always popular, “just do what you’ve been doing for exercise.” Well, what if the woman has been training for Ironman Triathlons or perhaps she hasn’t been exercising at all? Where does that leave her other than a bit …
Exercises to Avoid with Abdominal Separation
What exercises should be avoided when abdominal separation is present? Postnatal-specific core-based exercise is THE best form of exercise for new moms to be doing, because it focuses on pelvic floor strength and activation of the deep abdominal muscles. These are the two main areas of the abdominals that as an Pre/Postnatal Instructor I want to focus on building back up again first, before moving on to any other area of the abdominals. If you do the wrong types of …
Abdominals During Pregnancy
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ABDOMINALS DURING PREGNANCY? With all the pressure outward and downward as the size of belly grows, you may be wondering…”What happens to the abdominals during pregnancy?” This quick read provides insight into all that is happening as your body adapts to pregnancy. The six-pack muscle (Rectus Abdominis) runs from your breast bone to your pubic bone and is joined together with a strong fibrous sheath called the Linea Alba. In some pregnancies, the Linea Alba becomes …
Easing Back & Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy
Back pain and pelvic pain are seemingly synonymous with pregnancy. Once baby arrives, your pelvis may ache, your pelvic floor may be fatigued and healing and you will likely feel somewhat disconnected from your core as recovery begins. Staying strong throughout pregnancy is vital…and partaking in safe, appropriate postpartum training is equally important. Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction, referred to as Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) describes pain in the joints of your pelvis. These joints include the symphysis pubis joint (SPJ) at the …
How to Exercise in Third Trimester
Your pregnancy is progressing nicely now; you keep checking off those milestones! You may be seeing your provider more frequently if you’re nearing the finish line and your body is adjusting well to some pretty amazing anatomical, physiological and hormonal changes. No doubt, you’ve had to slow things down a bit, but you’re probably fairly impressed with your fitness levels, all things considered, if you’re exercising. It’s truly remarkable! Below are a couple of things to consider when exercising …
How To Exercise in the Second Trimester
EXERCISING DURING YOUR SECOND TRIMESTER If you’re in your second trimester, you may be feeling more energetic now and relieved to be beyond the first trimester! There are so many milestones throughout pregnancy, congratulations on being here! You may be thinking more about exercise these days and although you may not start to “show” until a bit later, you should bear in mind that certain considerations should be made to your exercise program as your body changes, the fetus moves …