Pregnancy: What Are Safe Exercises During A Pregnancy

If you recently found out you are pregnant, you may wonder what you can do to keep yourself healthy. Here are some safe exercises you can still perform when pregnant.

When you find out you are pregnant, chances are you will be bombarded with tons of questions. Are you feeling morning sickness yet? Have you scheduled your first prenatal visit? You ARE getting enough fruits and vegetables to eat, aren't you? You will also be overwhelmed by all the advice you will start to receive, almost to the point that you will begin to wish you had kept the pregnancy a secret until you were about to deliver. Some people will tell you to take it easy and rest as much as possible as your body develops the growing life inside of you. Still, others will say that you need to get into an exercise routine (or maintain the one you have) to keep your body and your baby's body healthy. As with any other concern you have, you will want to speak with your doctor about beginning an exercise program when you get pregnant, especially if you are a high-risk pregnancy. However, most doctors will agree that performing safe exercises during a pregnancy is beneficial to both the mother and the baby's overall health.

So, what constitutes a safe exercise? If before your pregnancy you have been involved in an exercise program, more often than not you can continue with the same exercise program throughout most of your pregnancy. However, this does not apply to any types of dangerous exercise activities like hand gliding, skiing, mountain climbing or horseback riding. You must simply use your common sense when deciding what would be considered dangerous. A good rule of thumb is that if the sport or exercise is generally dangerous for anybody who participates in it (pregnant or not), you should probably keep away from it while you are pregnant.

If you currently participate in aerobics classes at the gym, you may want to move from high-impact aerobics to lower impact aerobics. For instance, instead of the advanced kickboxing class, you could opt instead for the beginner's step class or dance aerobics. Whichever class you decide to participate in, be sure to speak with your instructor to let them know you are pregnant and he/she may give you modified steps to do during class which will be easier on your joints.

If you are an avid runner, you may want to slow yourself down a notch and simply take slower jogs instead. Of course, if you have never run or jogged a day in your life before becoming pregnant, you do not want to pick this type of training up all of a sudden during your pregnancy.

Most doctors will agree that bicycling is a great sport to maintain your health, but you may want to remember that when your stomach gets to be a little larger, your balance will undoubtedly be affected, so you may want to limit bicycle riding to the first and second trimester.

Many pregnant women swear by the practice of pilates. Pilates is a system that is used to condition the body and mind in order to strengthen the abdominal muscles and back muscles. Many chains of gyms offer pilates courses, as well as many independent businesses catered specifically for pilates workouts. You can find pilates VHS tapes and DVDs that are geared towards pregnant women at most video stores, as well.

Another great exercise that is perfect for pregnant women is swimming. Many pools often offer swimming pool exercises geared specifically for pregnant women, so be sure to look these up in your own town. Swimming is great in that it does not put undue pressure on the joints of the body.

Some pregnant women swear by walking daily. You can walk for twenty minutes a day or an hour a day, as long as you listen to your body. Grab your partner and go out and enjoy the day with a walk around the neighborhood or a walk around a favorite park.

The basic rule when determining what exercise is good for you is to monitor your body. If you find that you are getting easily winded doing a specific exercise, you may want to slow down for a little bit and try again. If you find it much too difficult, tone down your entire workout regimen. Remember, your body is working hard twenty four hours a day, seven days a week creating the little life inside of you, so you will find yourself getting tired faster. Instead of fighting it, realize your limits and set your goals a little lower.

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