I am 13 weeks pregnant at the time of this writing, and I wanted to share some tips for how pregnant women should approach group fitness classes.
I recently attended my first group fitness class since having a human inside of me. 🤯
This means more modifications and listening to my body. I'm thankful to have this knowledge on how to modify movements, and I want to do my best to share it with the rest of you who may be wondering how to handle these types of situations while pregnant.
Here are a few tips for anyone hitting up a group class that's expecting, or less than 3 months postpartum:
Let the instructor know
Unfortunately many group fitness instructors won't have all the right ways to modify movements, BUT at least they will know why you're modifying something. This will take a little pressure off of you to feel like you need to do what everyone else is doing in the class.
Modify movements
NO twisting — aka disassociating shoulders + hips — specifically once you start showing. Be mindful of single-leg movements and jumping movements (you have more flexibility and less stability due to hormone changes). Take things down to your knees or incline any plank movements (you want to minimize the pressure in your abdominal area to decrease the risk of diastasis recti). If none of these seem to work, stop and work on your breathing.
Listen to your body
Think of a class or workout on a 1-10 scale… for most people, your workout should feel like a 6-8. If something doesn't feel good for you, don't do it.
Hydrate and take extra breaks
Pregnancy causes women to sweat more in order to manage their internal body temperature. Make sure you are drinking lots of water throughout your entire workout AND take extra breaks if you need to.
Most importantly — remember your workouts are going to feel a little different and that's totally okay. You are still moving, which is so important for your health and your baby's health. Continue doing what you can to maintain a strong pregnancy and recovery. 💕
