Training for the Main Event

A recent trend in the field of sports conditioning advises us to “train the movement not the muscle.” Now what, you may ask, does this have to do with prenatal exercise? In many ways, pregnancy is an athletic event. Think about it. Your body must adapt to changes in your center of gravity. As the hormone relaxin takes effect, balance and stability are challenged.

The human body works as an integrated system, and should be trained with programs that use the sum of its parts working in concert, as opposed to single muscles working in isolation. Motherhood is the ultimate form of multi-tasking. Being a Mom is a dynamic activity. It requires dynamic strength, dynamic balance and dynamic flexibility. The American Heritage Dictionary defines “dynamic” as being “characterized by continuous change, activity, or progress,” and being “related to energy or to objects in motion.” The movements of motherhood involve consistent changes in energy, direction and intensity. Nothing is predictable. Toys are dropped. The baby gets bigger week by week. Mom is in constant motion as she goes about her day. Have you ever seen a mother stand still and “bicep curl” her baby? I think not!

Transverse Logic

Dynamic motherhood requires a dynamic training plan. Programs that enhance functional strength, balance and flexibility are more effective than static isolation exercises. The body’s core stabilizers keep the “function” in the word functional. The core, sometimes called the “inner unit”, consists of the transverse abdominus, the multifidus, the pelvic floor and the diaphragm. The transverse abdominus is the deepest unit of abdominal muscle. Research performed by the Australian physiotherapist Paul Hodges, showed that people who have healthy, pain free lower backs will activate their transverse abdominal muscle along with the other stabilizing muscles, 30 milliseconds prior to shoulder movements, and 110 seconds prior to leg movements. You can find the transverse by exhaling. It will press against the diaphragm to expel the air. Imagine you are hugging your baby with your stomach.

Kegel What?

Most pregnant women have some understanding of the pelvic floor. Your doctor has probably told you to practice “Kegels.” Most people describe the Kegel exercise as the sensation of trying to stop the flow of urine. For the purpose of alignment and stability, think of the pelvic floor as a hammock. Now draw the hammock upwards. What do you feel? Notice how the spine elongates with this image? During labor, your transverse abdominal muscle and pelvic floor will be active. Activating them at will, serves as a “dress rehearsal” for the big event The transverse abdominus and the pelvic floor are also used in sport conditioning, as a means of enhancing alignment and stability. Core stability facilitates agility, quickness and coordination. These qualities are basic requirements for the sport of Motherhood.

Let’s take a look at a common movement of motherhood. Bending down to pick up either your baby, or your baby’s toys, will be an essential part of your day. Your doctor will remind you to bend your knees to protect your lower back. Ironically, many women end up hurting their knees, if their legs are not strong enough.

Strong Expectations

A fitness plan that integrates strength training with postural alignment and stability will prepare you for the first “Main Event,” childbirth, and the subsequent events involved in “bringing up baby.”

An article in The Physician and Sports Medicine describes the benefits of strength training for women.

• Enhanced bone modeling to increase bone strength and reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Stronger connective tissues to increase joint stability and help prevent injury
• Increased functional strength for sports and daily activity
• Increased lean body mass and decreased nonfunctional body fat
• Higher metabolic rate because of an increase in muscle and a decrease in fat
• Improved self-esteem and confidence

For expectant moms:

• Reducing the risk of osteoporosis means that you will be active with your child reaches adolescence.
• Increasing joint stability is an important component of prenatal fitness programs. The hormone relaxin increases with pregnancy. While its purpose is to relax the pelvis for labor, its systemic effect might cause instability. Strengthening the muscles around the joint prevents injuries, and enhances stability.

Functional strength training that uses different muscle groups simultaneously prepares you for the multi tasking involved in motherhood.

A toned muscle has an elevated metabolic rate. While weight loss during pregnancy is not an issue, strength training may prevent excessive weight gain.

James F Clapp MD. Discusses prenatal strength-training benefits in his book, Exercising Through Your Pregnancy:

Regular, sustained, weight bearing exercise is the best type of exercise for pregnant women because it clearly complements the adaptations to pregnancy. However, the proper frequency, duration and intensity will vary from woman to woman.

Many factors influence your frequency, duration and intensity. Participation in a strength- training routine prior to pregnancy may enable you to maintain that program, with some modifications, for most of your pregnancy. Inactive women should seek their doctor’s advice.

Breathing Lessons

Using your breath to find the transverse abdominal muscle enhances strength training efficiency. Your labor coach will tell you, breathing is important during labor.

Strength training coaches advise us to “exhale on exertion.” The exertion phase of a movement is called concentric contraction. The muscle shortens as it goes through the movement cycle. During this phase, exhaling on movement initiation enhances form.

• Inhale in preparation for the movement
• Exhale as you move, “hugging the baby with your belly”

The return phase of a strength training exercise is called eccentric contraction. The muscle lengthens with contraction. Maintaining good form during this phase doubles the exercise benefits. Practice your Kegels during eccentric movement. In most cases, you would inhale on this movement. You can imagine that your inhalation draws the pelvic floor muscles upward like a hammock.

Having a Ball

Incorporating the Stability Ball into prenatal conditioning effectively engages your core musculature. According to Sheila Watkins, of Healthy Moms Fitness:

“Clinical observations involving the use of a stability ball with prenatal clients have shown a low incidence of back pain in late pregnancy, strong, firm abdominal muscles and increased core stability.” Simply sitting on the ball improves your posture, making it a great place to perform strength- training exercises.

Muscles of Motherhood

Strengthening your upper back muscles is a prenatal priority. After childbirth, you will be in a forward flexed posture for many hours of the day. Exercises requiring the shoulder blades to pull together prevent the round-shouldered posture sometimes seen in new moms.

The adductors or inner thigh muscles are important for expectant moms. When active, they stabilize your knees and your pelvis. Relaxin causes hyper-flexibility in your adductors, making you prone to injury. Many popular adductor exercises involve a range of motion that may be unsafe for a pregnant exerciser. The solution may be found in the medium sized balls sold at toy stores. Seated on the stability ball, place the smaller ball between your inner thighs. Inhale to prepare. Exhale and squeeze the ball. Good news! You can do this while performing most upper body exercises. Be sure to sequence your exercises so that you work the larger muscles, chest back and shoulders, prior to working your biceps and triceps.

Many midwives advise women to perform squats during labor. This apparently opens the pelvis and eases the birth process. While this has not been scientifically proven, the squat is the best functional lower body exercise.

Prenatal Strength Training Guidelines:

• 3 non consecutive days a week
• 30 minutes each session
• 8-10 repetitions in good form
• Avoid standing in one position for too long

A well- designed prenatal fitness program helps you have a healthier pregnancy, while training you for the main event: Motherhood. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting a prenatal exercise program!