weight lifting?

mommyJto3

how many of you are still lifting? Im about to enter my 3rd trimester and still strength training 3/4x a week. I've actually reduced my cardio and focused more on lifting. I'm not doing cleans or anything dramatic, and I've decreased my weights but I've always loved the feeling of lifting.

Plus cardio makes me out of breath - fast.

JLatham325

I lift about 4 days a week, focusing on different body parts each time, and then I do 30min of cardio ususally afterwards.

It helps me feel strong and I never push myself beyond my comfort zone while pregnant.

bushidowoman

I'm still lifting 2-3 days a week. I'm not increasing my weights any, and I've cut the number of reps I do on some exercises. But it really is taxing me right now with the first trimester nausea and fatigue. I may just focus on martial arts for the rest of my pregnancy.

Schuyler

32 weeks and still lifting!

kathyk519

Well ladies - you seem like the experts - how much should a pregger be lifting? Also, I tend to like using the machines rather than free weights - is there anything that I should stay away from? Thanks.

chickybuns

I have been about twice a week, although I'd really like to make it more often. I've most been using 5-12lbs with multiple reps.

jamie31

I am 17 weeks and am still doing much of the same lifting i was doing before. I however do not lift more than 20lbs. This was a huge drop for me since i used to use 35+ for just about everything.

You will not really be able to base the weight YOU should lift off of others just for the simple fact that we were all different levels to begin with. However my dr told me that you should never lift over 20lbs. So that it the absolute max

kathyk519

I feel like I do one weights on the various machines, but when I do free weights - it is always less. I am just very nervous about it all. I was doing at least 25 to 30 lbs on the machines (various arms, back, etc) but free weights are like 10 lbs. I am trying not to tell anyone about the pregnancy, so I am not sure who to ask.

ruggedBear

I am trying not to tell anyone about the pregnancy, so I am not sure who to ask.

^This

At only 6 weeks in, I'm not ready to tell my trainer but I'm thinking I just might. His wife (also a trainer) had a baby in December and I know he is knowledgeable about the limitations of lifting while pregnant. We have been pushing the training fairly hard these past few weeks in preparation for an Adventure 5K that we planned to do together - so I know I have to spill the beans as soon as I know I won't be able to participate!

BTW - I'm using kettle bells - up to 40lbs for the swings, 20lbs each hand for the doubles and 15-20lbs for the one armed cleans/snatches/etc. I do a lot of bodyweight floor exercises as well. Still running so far (3-4 miles per day 3-4x per week). Pace has slowed, but distance has stayed the same. I am so tired when I start! but I find that a little push at the beginning and I am able to get my stride.

I am so glad that I have gotten used to listening to my body over the past 10 months, but am also so scared about gaining since I lost 65 lbs this year and feel a bit 'cheated' that I have to gain some back - it was a hard battle!

Nataliaho

I am still lifting weights, but a little differently to what I was doing before. It really depends on so many things, especially what you were doing before. Dropping to 20lb would be rediculous for me, but my max squat for example is over 200lb. I have basically stopped my powerlifting training, i.e. really heavy weights for low reps and replaced it with lighter weights in the 12-15 rep range. I am still doing olympic lifting, but won't be going near my max weights.

My trainer just had a baby last year so she knows what I can and can't do. The way we are approaching it is that I will keep doing what I was always doing unless or until I can't. So certain things were immediately eliminated like box-jumps, really heavy weights, double-unders. Others things I have modified, like step-down and step-up on my burpees. As I get further along we'll just keep removing things I can't do, but replacing them with stuff I can do. I am going to start swimming this week and cut out one of my really intense cardio sessions. Once I can't oly lift anymore, I'll do pilates instead.

Rosered3333

Hi ladies!
I was hoping to get some advice: I was lifting about 2x/week before I got pregnant and I'm about 9 weeks pregnant now. I've been exhausted and busy and just haven't had the energy to lift for a little while.

Any suggestions on how to get back to weight lifting? I was thinking of going back to my Body Pump class but I know how intense that class can be and I don't want to overdo it.

Thanks for any input!

lilchino4af

Rosered3333, listen to your body. if you're too tired to continue at the rate you've been lifting, then lessen the frequency and/or duration. The bright side to this is that most of what you're feeling (fatigue, no energy) goes away after the first trimester so you should be able to increase the number of days again when you feel better. Hope that helps.