Fitness during pregnancy

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Hello,

Im 16 weeks pregnant, still been doing curcuit training (lower impact) and weights, squats etc at home.

My main question is it ok to do the plank during pregnancy??

I have been told by my instructor its really good to do but then i have had conflicting advise on a baby forum.

So thought i would come and ask what you guys think, your thoughts and advise is much apprieciated!! :smile:

Thank you
Michaela x
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Replies

  • digit78
    digit78 Posts: 177
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    bump - I'll ask my wife (she's pregnant and has heaps of info on training while pregnant).
  • jareno0919
    jareno0919 Posts: 18 Member
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    I would ask your doctor honestly.
  • tropaze
    tropaze Posts: 317 Member
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    I would ask your DR, my DR told me not to do anything like that. But I never exercised before I was pregnant.
  • AwesomeSauce4
    AwesomeSauce4 Posts: 1,062 Member
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    Bump to read later.. I am 10 weeks 5 days Preggo and Have been wondering the same... ;)
  • sailorsiren13
    sailorsiren13 Posts: 460
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    Talk to you doctor never on forums they aren't doctors
  • jdavis193
    jdavis193 Posts: 972 Member
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    IT is really great for delivery!! You can do strength just not as heavy and there are modified forms you can do look them up. I have an Oxygen subscription and in the back they always show two pregnant exercises in each magazine you can do most of it just modifed and lighter weights.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    You need to ask your doctor.

    Pleaseandthankyou.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    I continued to teach step classes and swim through my pregnancy. Plank was the only ab workout I did while pregnant, I got the okay from my doctor. She didn't know what they were, so I showed her and she chuckled and said "yes, they should be fine." I had a woman in a class who still did crunches, when I asked her about it she said that she had an okay from her doctor to do crunches. The programs that I teach have plank as a pregnancy option.

    After the baby is born the rules change for a few weeks. You shouldn't do any core work at all until the separation between your left and right abdominal wall is less than 2 fingers, which may take up to 8 weeks (mine took a little longer).
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    I used to lead strength and flexibility classes for pregnant women many years ago (long before plank was popular). I think plank would be ok until you start getting big and a bit out of balance. Lots of abs, lower back and walking will help. Don't get your body temp up too high, and strengthen your arms so you will be ready to carry baby around. I did aerobics until 7 months but quit then and kept to walking to keep my heart rate down. HOWEVER I am not a fitness nor medical professional. I just know it worked for me and I had some women return to my class up to 3 times.
  • DerDude
    DerDude Posts: 170
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    Hey Michaela,

    sure you can. But I would keep an eye on squads, etc.
    All thinks with a big pressure to your abdomen are not that good. So it´s on how low your "low impact" is :)
    But I think, you don´t do heavy weight squads, don´t you? So try to control the pressure by breathing right etc. and everything will be fine.
  • AlyRoseNYC
    AlyRoseNYC Posts: 1,075 Member
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    I don't see why there would be anything wrong with it, but it's always good to ask questions to your midwife or obstetrician. That's what they get paid for! =)

    Pregnancy is natural, and NOT a disability, so don't let anyone make you feel that way. Staying fit and eating well throughout your pregnancy will be beneficial to you when it matters most, LABOR! If nothing else, find ways to strengthen your back during your pregnancy. Good luck =)
  • lwoods34
    lwoods34 Posts: 302 Member
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    My son is 19 months old now and I worked out way before I was pregnant and continued to work out while pregnant. My dtr said that as long as I wasn't lying flat on my back after the 1st trimester that I was ok for to me continue to work my abs. I did a lot of plank work while pregnant and strongly believe it helped keep my abs strong during pregnancy and helped get my abs back after pregnancy. Some prenatal videos I did had plank work in them. But you can always double check with your doctor.
  • arickim
    arickim Posts: 137
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    I def be asking my doctor. Only they can give you the right information.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I don't see why there would be anything wrong with it, but it's always good to ask questions to your midwife or obstetrician. That's what they get paid for! =)

    Pregnancy is natural, and NOT a disability, so don't let anyone make you feel that way. Staying fit and eating well throughout your pregnancy will be beneficial to you when it matters most, LABOR! If nothing else, find ways to strengthen your back during your pregnancy. Good luck =)

    But every pregnancy is different and what is OK for one woman may not be for another. Only her doctor knows if it's OK for this particular pregnant woman to do any particular exercise.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    As a self appointed pregnancy police.

    You can do the same level of as you did before you got pregnant. I would not be ok with Squats, planks, or anything that would stress the abdominal area. This is non negotiable.

    So stop.

    -Pregnancy Police.
  • Rhea30
    Rhea30 Posts: 625 Member
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    I don't see why there would be anything wrong with it, but it's always good to ask questions to your midwife or obstetrician. That's what they get paid for! =)

    Pregnancy is natural, and NOT a disability, so don't let anyone make you feel that way. Staying fit and eating well throughout your pregnancy will be beneficial to you when it matters most, LABOR! If nothing else, find ways to strengthen your back during your pregnancy. Good luck =)



    Just because pregnancy is natural doesn't mean it its health proof from complications or gives a free pass that you can do whatever you want. There are certain exercises that can end up lowering the blood flow to the fetus. Its best to talk to your doctor.
  • Ginsey31
    Ginsey31 Posts: 39
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    I find it entertaining that the "pregnancy police" advice is coming from a man.

    OP-talk to your doctor, but trust yourself in this as well. If it feels good to continue working out, by all means do it. I did yoga and swam throughout my pregnancy. I jogged before, but it became uncomfortable after the first trimester, so I stopped. Towards the end of the third trimester, I had to back off on my swimming laps because they triggered contrations for me. So my advice is to listen to your body and do what feels safe and right for you (and your baby).
  • lwoods34
    lwoods34 Posts: 302 Member
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    As a self appointed pregnancy police.

    You can do the same level of as you did before you got pregnant. I would not be ok with Squats, planks, or anything that would stress the abdominal area. This is non negotiable.

    So stop.

    -Pregnancy Police.

    Again, I would check with your doctor but if you were doing plank work before you got pregnant, you should be able to continue you. Yes, every woman is different. I did regular plank, see plank, side plank with leg raises, regular plank with leg raises, etc. but I was doing all of that before I got pregnant. Your doctor might be different but every time I asked my doctor about a certain exercises, she would tell me if I was doing it before I was pregnant, I could continue while pregnant and just modify when needed and listen to my body.
  • tantalee
    tantalee Posts: 130 Member
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    please dont do nothing without talking to a competent doctor. Normally there are no risks about doing exercise during the pregnancy but there are some bad things and you need to be careful.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    I find it entertaining that the "pregnancy police" advice is coming from a man.

    OP-talk to your doctor, but trust yourself in this as well. If it feels good to continue working out, by all means do it. I did yoga and swam throughout my pregnancy. I jogged before, but it became uncomfortable after the first trimester, so I stopped. Towards the end of the third trimester, I had to back off on my swimming laps because they triggered contrations for me. So my advice is to listen to your body and do what feels safe and right for you (and your baby).
    Because men can't know things about women, we are super-duper mysterious.