Exercise tends to be an integral part of the life of a healthy person. While in your pregnancy you may not require to do any tiring work, a little bit of exercise is extremely necessary to keep you and your baby fit. Pilates is one of the forms of exercises well suited during pregnancy. Here is all you need to know about Pilates during pregnancy.
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In This Article:
- What is Pilates?
- Is it Safe to do Pilates During Pregnancy?
- What are the Benefits of Pilates During Pregnancy?
- Prenatal exercises safe during all trimesters
- Precautions for an Effective Pilate Workout
11 Prenatal Pilates Exercises- Safe Pregnancy Workout for Any Trimester
What is Pilates?
Developed by Joseph Pilates, this workout system has its main focus on low impact flexibility, muscular strength, and endurance.It focuses on improving your posture, strength, balance and movement.
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Is it Safe to do Pilates During Pregnancy?
Doctors recommend pregnant women to exercise as it keeps you active. It’s not the time to exercise for weight loss or maintaining body figure, but actually staying active and fit during pregnancy will help you maintain weight after pregnancy.
Since, Pilates do not put you at any risk of miscarriage unless you doctor advises you not to do it. You must be careful to not stretch or force your body beyond a limit. Any kind of exercise during pregnancy should be gentle.
What are the Benefits of Pilates During Pregnancy?
The benefits of doing pilates regularly during your pregnancy are as follows:
- Breath: Pilates teaches lateral breathing during pregnancy, which will help you in breathing effectively when there is less room to breathe.
- Gluteal strength and stretch: it increases strength and prevents pain in the pelvic area and lower back.
- Abdominal strength: Doing Pilates helps in strengthening the core muscles which helps to prevent diastasis recti.
- Controls weight gain during pregnancy
- Strengthens legs and helps in relaxing the body
- It also reduces postpartum fatigue.
Read More:Kegel Exercises: Ultimate Guide
Prenatal exercises safe during all trimesters
Lower Lifts
As shown in the picture, lying on your side, keep your shoulder relaxed away from your ear and bend your bottom knee slightly. Lift up your top leg and exhale as you left your leg higher. Ten to twenty lower lifts a day are good enough for you.
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Small Leg Circles
You can continue doing leg circles after doing your lower lifts. Stretch your top leg out long and do small circles(at least 10) in one direction and then in the reverse direction. You must use your glute to perform the circles. It is really a simple get helpful exercise.
Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise
With your legs together and butts on your heels, sit on your knees(as shown in the picture). Squeeze your muscles as if you are trying to avoid the urge to urinate. Do this for a span of 10 secs and slowly relax. Doing this ten times a day is really helpful as it makes the pelvic muscles strong and prevents any complications during delivery.
Deep Tummy Strengthening
As shown in the picture, lie on one side and bend your knees slightly. Breathe in and out and pull in the tummy. Stay in the position for ten seconds and relax slowly. In order to improve your back support, do this exercise ten times a day.
Pelvic Tilts
As shown in the picture, lie on your back with your knees bent and breathe gently. While breathing out, press your lower back downwards as your pelvic region tilts and you attain the posture as shown in the picture. After five seconds, come back to your normal posture. Repeating ten times helps in making your lower back and pelvis strong.
Lateral Rotations
As per the illustration given, lie down on your side and bend both knees in at 90 degree. Rotate your top leg up and down laterally. 10-20 lateral rotations everyday are enough to keep your hip strong.
Inner Thigh Lifts
After lying down carefully on your side, with your top leg bent, lift up your bottom leg straight outwards. Breathe out as you lift your bottom leg up. Doing this 10-20 times a day helps in strengthening the thighs and glutes.
Upper Back Stretch
This is the most relaxing exercise to improve your posture. Sit in the position as shown in the illustration with your legs crossed and stretch your hands upwards as you breathe in gently. Extend your back and draw in your tummy as your breath out and look at the ceiling.
Cat Stretch
Take the position as shown in the image, that is, on your knees and palms. Breathe in as your relax your baby bump and breathe out as you draw it inwards, bend down to look at your tummy and then breathe in as you get back to your previous position.
Wagging the Tail
In order to improve flexibility and make the lower back strong you must do this exercise three to four times a day. Take the position on your knees and palms and keep your wrist aligned to the shoulders. Lift one knee and make circles with the leg in air and slowly bring it back to normal position. Do the same with your other leg.
Sword Arm
This exercise helps to maintain balance and makes the arms, back and hips strong. Take the position as shown in the picture and breathe in as you draw your hand upwards and align your sight with your hand. Breathe out as you bring it back to its position. Repeat.
Precautions for an Effective Pilate Workout
Precautions should always be taken in order to avoid any injury. So even when you are well aware of which exercises to do, you just stay cautious.
- Seek help from an instructor and let her choose the the right Pilates workout for you.
- Never over-exercise
- Stay hydrated
- Hot and humid conditions are not ideal for workout.
- Exercise around one to two hours after a meal.
- Check on your energy level.
- Abdominal curls, crunches and Overstretching of the joints should be avoided
Conclusion
However, you must make sure to avoid any kind of balance workout, oxygen-limiting activities, fiery fitness activity and heavy lifting. So, for a safe and healthy pregnancy you must perform certain exercises daily. Happy parenting!
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8253242/
- https://healthengine.com.au/info/pilates-in-pregnancy
