Pregnant Women Can Do Weight Lifting Safely

Weight lifting during pregnancy can be a great way to keep your body toned and stay fit but it does require a few essential precautions to ensure safety of the growing fetus. Research has determined that remaining active during pregnancy offers several benefits to the mother and to the future newborn as well.

Expert Insight

Women who were used to lifting weights before pregnancy can often continue lifting at lower weights. Those who are new to weight lifting should be especially careful. Fitness expert recommends that pregnant women who are continuing a weight lifting routine during pregnancy use lighter weights, about half of what was previously used, and do a few extra repetitions.

Before Begin

Before starting an exercise program, you should get your doctor’s recommendation even though exercising during pregnancy is generally safe. If you have conditions like high blood pressure or heart irregularities, your doctor may limit the types of exercises that you can do.

Approach

If you regularly lifted weights before getting pregnant, it’s fine to continue with many of the moves you’re used to doing, but your focus throughout pregnancy should be to maintain your muscle strength rather than building more muscle; this means lightening your weights, or at least lifting no more than you can already lift comfortably. Using lighter weights and increasing the number of repetitions also helps protect your joints. Most women should lift no more than 5 to 12 lbs. while pregnant.

 Precautions

Your heart rate should never exceed 140 beats per minute.
Your body temperature should never exceed 100 degrees Farenheit (or 38 degrees Celsius.
Eliminate exercises where you have to lay down flat in your back (such as flat dumbbell bench press).

Why Weight Lifting Will Make Your Pregnancy Easier

Reduces the amount of time it will take to regain a strong core after delivery.
Keeps back and stomach muscles toned and strong.
Helps build stamina needed for labor and delivery.
Women who weight train have a lower rate of c-sections.
Decreases instances of varicose veins.
Helps maintain reasonable weight gain, and decreases additional fat stores.