Prenatal Fitness vs Regular Fitness

Have you wondered if there is a difference between a pregnancy workout and a regular workout? I can’t vouch for every workout claiming to be a “prenatal fitness” workout but my answer is there should be a difference. I’ll teach you what makes a good pregnancy workout different from a regular one so you can make sure you’re getting the most out of your prenatal fitness routine.

Let’s start first with the GOAL of a prenatal workout. Most people engage in regular fitness activities with goals of either weight loss, muscle gain, overall health or for athletic performance. When it comes to prenatal fitness, the goal isn't usually weight loss or athletic performance anymore. Some women may still try to build muscle during their pregnancy but the main focus generally shifts to overall health, prevention of excessive weight gain AND prepare the body for labor.

This moves us into the WHAT goes into a good prenatal workout. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) gives very general recommendations for what should go in a prenatal workout and it mimics that of general fitness conditioning recommending a combination of aerobic and strength training. Since many of my clients exercise to help prepare their bodies for labor, I include labor training drills into their third trimester programs in addition to strength training. For a few of my favorite strength training exercises, check out this post.

It’s kind of funny, the specifics from ACOG are more of what DOES NOT go into a prenatal workout. There are some very common exercises that can potentially do more harm than good during pregnancy and a good prenatal fitness program eliminates those or provides coaching to make sure those moves are done correctly and worth being in the program. For example, weighted bends (deadlifts), twists, exercises on the back, and planks put a lot of stress on the core even when done correctly which normally means they offer more “bang for your buck”. During pregnancy however, it is hard to manage the inter-abdominal pressure during these moves and that could contribute to the abdominal separation known as diastasis recti (DR). For many women, the risk of worsening a DR is not worth the “gain” of stronger abdominal muscles. Does that make sense?

I hope this information has been helpful! You don’t necessarily need to do a “prenatal” workout during pregnancy but you do need to know why you’re doing what you’re doing and check that with if it is safe and makes sense- the reward outweighs the risk. Working with an experienced pre and postnatal fitness specialist can really come in handy to clear up any confusion and make sure your exercise routine is meting your goals and needs.

Here is a resource from ACOG that you might find helpful in your prenatal fitness journey! If you have questions, I’d love for you to reach out and ask me.

https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/pregnancy/exercise-during-pregnancy