GGS StrengthTrainingDuringPreg Day2BonusResourcePacket

DAY TWO
How to Strength Train

Safely in the
First Trimester
YOUR BONUS RESOURCE PACKET

INCLUDES:
• How to Perform (and Teach) the
Connection Breath
PAGE 1
• Tip Sheet: How Training During Pregnancy Is

Different for Experienced Lifters and Athletes
PAGE 6
• Your Prenatal Training Schedule: Find Your

Training Level and Decide How Often to Train
Click here to download standalone version with all trimester workouts
PAGE 19
• Sample Training Program: Trimester 1

PAGE 29
STRENGTH TRAINING DURING PREGNANCY: HOW TO STAY SAFE,
HEALTHY, AND STRONG
How to Perform (and Teach)

the Connection Breath
The Connection Breath is a great way for women to develop awareness and
a strong mind-muscle connection with their pelvic floor muscles. It’s also
helpful in teaching women how to move their pelvic floor muscles through
the full range of motion of relaxing (lengthening) and contracting (shorten-
ing). Maybe people don’t realize it’s just as important to be able to relax the
pelvic floor muscles as it is to be able to contract them!
This is especially important when you’re pregnant, as the pelvic floor

muscles are working harder than usual as your belly grows and begins
putting more downward pressure on your pelvic floor muscles. (Though
we recommend the Connection Breath for all women, including those who
are pregnant, postpartum, and beyond.)
Over time, practicing the Connection Breath can help you gain better
control, coordination, and timing in your pelvic floor muscles. It
can also help you gain awareness of how your pelvic floor works in
conjunction with the other muscles of your core. Anecdotally women
have also reported that performing the Connection Breath regularly has
reduced their symptoms associated with pelvic health issues like urinary
incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
Learning the Connection Breath is as easy as ABC: alignment, breathing,

connection.
VIDEO RESOURCE
For a step-by-step video of how to perform and cue the Connection
Breath, watch this video.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a Certified Pre- and Postnatal Coach, please visit: P1
girlsgonestrong.com/cppc
How to Perform (and Teach) the Connection Breath
Alignment
Posture refers to the position of the body, and alignment is how the joints
and bones stack up to influence your posture.
There’s no such thing as perfect posture or alignment, and what’s optimal

may vary between women. That said, when practicing the Connection
Breath, we recommend trying to start in a relatively “neutral” alignment,
with the ribs stacked over the pelvis.
Here are some cues you can try on your own or with a client to encourage
this alignment:
o Think of a piece of string attached to the crown of your head,

drawing you up toward the ceiling.
o Keep a gentle, natural inward curve in your lower back.
o Keep your chest stacked over your pubic bone in a vertical line.
Ultimately, you don’t need to be hyper focused on alignment. Instead, focus

on how you feel when you shift your alignment, and how this impacts your
breathing.
Breathing
Now you’re ready to move to the second step of the process.
With that, let’s review something you thought you already knew how to
do... Breathe!
Think of the core as starting at the diaphragm, going all the way down
to the pelvic floor muscles, and being surrounded by the abdominal and
spinal muscles. Proper breathing patterns may help to ensure the core
muscles are recruited as a team and allow for better activation of the
deeper muscle system.
To practice relaxed breathing:
o Sit on a hard chair or bench and spread your butt cheeks a little until
you can feel yourself sitting on top of your sitz bones. Your weight
shouldn’t be resting on your tailbone (i.e., tailbone tucked under and
lower back flattened) or on your pubic bone (i.e., rolled forward).
o Make sure you’ve found that neutral alignment with your ribs
stacked over your pelvis.
o Put one hand on your abdomen and the other hand above it, on your
rib cage.
o On the inhale breath, breathe into your hands and think about
inflating or filling your belly and pelvic floor with air.
o On the exhale breath, notice your hands descend as your rib cage
and abdomen deflate, and imagine the pelvic floor deflating upward.
During this process, and during quiet breathing generally, keep movement
of the shoulders, neck, and upper chest to a minimum.
Connection
Building on the first two steps — aligning and breathing — it’s time to use
your breath to connect your core and pelvic floor with the Connection Breath.
To learn the Connection Breath:
o Find a starting position that’s comfortable for you. This may be

seated on a hard chair or bench on your sitz bones, or lying in a
supine position on the floor. (You may notice that in the video linked
above, we recommend starting lying down. Some women find it

easier to work against gravity [i.e., in upright positions], whereas
other women find more supportive positions [e.g., lying on the
ground] easier. See what works best for you/your client.)
o On your inhale breath, imagine inflating or expanding your pelvic
floor as if you’re filling your vagina and anus with air, or driving
your sitz bones apart with air.
o On your exhale, think about activating your pelvic floor muscles
and feel them lift up toward the head. If you need more of a
visualization, try imagining that your pelvic floor is shaped like
a diamond with each corner attached to the pelvis. Now, imagine
bringing all of those points together. (See the illustration below!)
o Flow through your breaths, releasing your vagina and anus with the
inhale breath, and picking them back up with the exhale breath.
PUBIS
RIGHT LEFT
TAILBONE
Connection Breath Diamond Visualization: Picture your pelvic area as a diamond,

and on the exhale, imagine bringing all four points together in the center.
What Happens Now?

We recommend practicing the Connection Breath on a daily basis.
On days you don’t work out, you can do 1–2 sets of 8–10 breaths first thing
in the morning, before bed, or anytime you think of it! On days you do
work out, you can do your Connection Breathing prior to your warm up.
As you get the hang of it, you can start working on your Connection Breath
in different positions (e.g., lying down, seated, on all-fours, side-lying) or
using it with a couple of the exercises in your strength training program,
focusing on the exhale and contraction during the most difficult part of the
lift. (Pick 1–3 exercises you want to do this with; for the rest of your session,
stick with your natural breathing patterns.)
Eventually, you won’t have to think so hard about it, and this contraction
and relaxation will happen automatically when you need to lift, sneeze,
laugh, or exert yourself in any way.
If you’re struggling with the Connection Breath or want to make sure

you’re doing it right, a pelvic health physiotherapist can help. (And
coaches, if your client is having a hard time with Connection Breathing,
don’t hesitate to refer her out to a pelvic health physio!)
HEALTHY, AND STRONG
Tip Sheet: How Training During Pregnancy Is

Different for Experienced Lifters and Athletes
If you’re coaching a very experienced lifter or athlete during pregnancy,

you might wonder how their strength training should differ from a
beginner or intermediate lifter. (And if you’re a pregnant athlete yourself,
you might have similar questions.)
In many ways, it’s not all that different. However, there are a few additional
considerations to keep in mind.
There’s not a huge amount of scientific research out there on pregnant

athletes. Part of the reason for that is it’s not exactly ethical to test out
potentially dangerous training regimens on pregnant women and their
babies. Plus, each woman’s body responds to training and pregnancy a
little differently, so even research can’t tell us what the best practices are
for each individual pregnant athlete.
Fortunately, there’s some information we do know about how training will

differ for more advanced athletes who are pregnant.
In this cheat sheet, you’ll find the most important tips for training a
prenatal experienced lifter or athlete.
(If you’re an athlete yourself, much of this information will be relevant to

you, too. Plus, we added some special tips specifically for you — so keep
reading!)
Tip Sheet: How Training During Pregnancy Is Different for Experienced...
Tip #1: Manage Expectations

This is one of the most important things you can do for a pregnant athlete.
It’s imperative to have an open dialogue about your client’s expectations
for movement in pregnancy.
Women who are strength training for the first time during pregnancy are
likely to get stronger. But training elite athletes during pregnancy is less
about gaining strength and improving performance and more about main-
tenance and mitigating loss.
Explain to your client that her strength and performance may not continue
to increase during pregnancy, but that taking it a little easier during this
time may make her postpartum recovery smoother. That way, she can get
back to the training she loves.
This might sound something like:
“I know you’re used to training really hard. The good news is — you
can absolutely still challenge yourself with your workouts while you’re
pregnant! There are just some adjustments we need to make to keep
both you and your baby safe.
How about this? As we’re working through your program, I’ll explain
why we’re making the changes we’re making and we can talk through
and make adjustments to your program together. That sound OK?”
For many women, their meaning and purpose is closely tied to their identity
as an athlete, so changing the way they train impacts more than just their
physical health — it can impact their mental health and well-being, too.
Simply being cognizant of this and compassionate with your client will go a
long way.
ATHLETE TIP: WORK YOUR MINDSET

Wrapping your head around changes to your training routine can be
tricky. A few things that can help:
o Remember that these changes are temporary.
o Try to focus on the idea that not overdoing it now likely means
you’ll get back to the training you love sooner in the long run.
o Consider shaping some new and different goals — ones that
align with your pregnancy training routine. For example,
maybe you want to focus on developing your core-pelvic floor
connection until you have great control over your pelvic floor
when doing activities you love.
Tip #2: Help Her Assemble the Right Healthcare Team

It’s essential for pregnant athletes to have healthcare providers that can
guide and monitor their training efforts during pregnancy.
Your client may have her healthcare team covered on her own, but if she
needs recommendations on where to get help and when, you can be a
valuable source of knowledge.
Because she’s training at a higher level than a beginner, she may need
more frequent check-ins with healthcare practitioners to make sure things
are going smoothly.
(If you’re an athlete yourself: It’s not that you’re fragile. It’s that pregnant
athletes have slightly different needs than non-athletes — and you want to
make sure those needs are being met!)
So who should be on the team?
o A doctor (or midwife): In addition to having her healthcare

provider fill out the PARmed-X for Pregnancy, a pregnant athlete
may also want to give her doctor a heads up about what her training
schedule entailed before getting pregnant, and how she’s planning to
train in the coming months. Though it might not always be possible,
she’ll ideally want to find a provider who has worked with pregnant
athletes before.
o Pelvic health physiotherapist: We recommend all pregnant women

work with a pelvic health physiotherapist. But since athletes are
more likely to train at a higher level and incorporate high-impact
and/or strenuous exercise during pregnancy, it’s especially important
they connect with one.
o Prenatal trainer/coach: That’s you! Just like other pregnant clients,

pregnant athletes may need adjustments to their program as their
bellies and babies grow. If possible, stay in touch with the other
members of your client’s healthcare team. You may want to use
our referral letter templates (find them in your Day 1 packet!) to
introduce yourself and open the lines of communication, so you can
stay up to date on their recommendations for your client.
o Other providers, as needed: Massage therapists, mental health

providers, and other specialized doctors may be needed in order for
your client to feel and perform her best. Again, you can check out
your bonus resource packet from Day 1 to see who else you might
refer out to, and why.
ATHLETE TIP: FIND THE RIGHT COACH

If you’re a pregnant athlete, you may already be working with a
trainer or coach. If so, be sure to connect your coach with your phys-
io and doctor/midwife so everyone’s in the loop and you get the best
care and guidance possible.
On the other hand, if you’re an experienced lifter who’s used to

doing your own thing in the gym, you might not have a coach at the
moment. That’s totally OK.
Keep in mind, though, that a coach who is well-informed (and even

better, certified!) in working with pregnant women can help you
train with confidence.
To find a certified coach, check out our directory of GGS Certified

Pre- and Postnatal Coaches. You might also consider getting certified
yourself as a GGS Pre- and Postnatal Coaching Specialist!
Tip #3: Provide Education While Encouraging Autonomy

If your client is an elite athlete, she’s probably used to participating in
exercises that are demanding on her core. She may also be more likely to
perform exercises that are associated with pelvic floor symptoms (high-
impact, relatively heavy exercises). Plus, her training sessions may also be
more tiring than the average person’s.
As an athlete, your client is probably strong in her core and pelvic floor,
and well-acquainted with how much she can challenge herself safely. At
the same time, she may also want to push through symptoms and fatigue
more than the average fitness enthusiast.
Your role is to educate your client on the possible risks of ignoring or

pushing through symptoms like urinary incontinence, abdominal bulging,
and pelvic floor pressure.
Ultimately, it’s her choice if she wants to push through or not. Remember
that your client has full autonomy over her body and her decisions.
Sometimes, a client may have symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction (such
as stress urinary incontinence) and be OK with that.
While you can warn her that continuing what she’s doing could make
her condition worse, she’s the one in charge of deciding — your role is to
educate her.
Your conversation might sound something like:
Coach: “So I know you’re really enjoying still being able to back squat
in your third trimester. I wanted to mention that I do see some bulging
in your midsection when you do that exercise, which may mean you’re
not managing your intra-abdominal pressure well. Remember how we
talked about diastasis recti, that really cool thing where your stomach
muscles separate to make room for your growing belly?”
Client: “Yeah I remember that! So cool and weird!”
Coach: “You’re right! It is cool! And while it’s normal and nothing to
be worried about, we do want to consider how it might be impacted by
certain exercises. We don’t know for certain if that bulging increases
diastasis recti or not, but in general, we recommend modifying or
avoiding exercises that cause bulging. Are you open to decreasing the
weight or trying a front squat instead and seeing if it goes away?”
That said, if your client is experiencing any symptoms that could be

dangerous to her health (such as showing symptoms indicative of a heart
attack), you should insist she stop exercising immediately and contact a
member of her healthcare team.
Make sure to always document that you have made an explicit

recommendation, whether your client follows your recommendation or not.
Tip #4: Find Exercises She Can Do

Pregnant athletes may feel frustrated about all the exercises that are sud-
denly no longer advisable. Take an Olympic lifter, for example, who’s been
told to stop doing her favorite lift: the barbell snatch. Or the CrossFitter,
who can no longer do hand-release push-ups in her second trimester.
It can help to focus on the exercises an athlete can do to help her come to
terms with what’s off-limits for her right now. For instance, an Olympic lifter
can work on her barbell jerk, overhead press, squat, and deadlift safely.
She may also enjoy kettlebell cleans, snatches or swings, which can help
her feel powerful but don’t have the same risk of fetal impact as barbell
Olympic lifts do.
On the next page is a chart of common exercises that are either

contraindicated during pregnancy or have a higher likelihood of causing
abdominal bulging and pelvic floor symptoms, and substitute exercises
your client (or you) can try instead.
INSTEAD OF: TRY:
Barbell clean Kettlebell clean
Barbell snatch Kettlebell snatch
Barbell clean and jerk Kettlebell clean and jerk
Deficit push-ups
Hand-release push-ups (hands elevated on plates to allow for greater
ROM without the belly hitting the ground)
High-rep box jumps Low-rep box jumps (3–5 reps)
Kipping pull-ups Pull-ups or leg-assisted pull-ups
Burpees Hand-elevated burpees
Double unders Skipping rope one foot at a time
Athletes in particular may struggle mentally with the idea of scaling or

modifying their training. You may want to remind your client that there’s
nothing inherently “wrong” with scaling movements, and that it’s not a sign
of failure or of weakness.
It may also help to discuss that genetically, some bodies are more sensitive
to the influences of pregnancy hormones and weight gain than others. Your
client can’t control or predict how her body will respond to pregnancy, but
she can do her best to listen to the signals her body is giving her to help
keep herself and her baby healthy and safe.
ATHLETE TIP: CAN YOU TRAIN MORE THAN ONCE A DAY?

Many elite athletes are used to training multiple times per day. To
our knowledge, there’s no research showing this has a harmful
effect on mother and baby, assuming you’re getting enough rest and
enough energy from food.
So if you want to keep up with more than one training session in a

day and you’re feeling good on that training schedule, do you.
Heads up: If you feel exhausted or your doctor says you’re not
gaining enough weight, then reducing to fewer sessions may be
recommended.
Tip #5: Keep Things Challenging Without Overdoing It

Mentally, athletes are used to being challenged. So it’s important to find a
middle ground during pregnancy. You want to help them find ways to get
the mental relief of working hard — without overtaxing their bodies.
There are three main areas to consider here.
#1: HANDLING HIGH-IMPACT EXERCISES

Many pregnant athletes are able to continue with high-impact exercise
(anything that involves running or jumping) during pregnancy. But at a
certain point, your client may start experiencing symptoms or discomfort
that indicate it’s time to look for alternatives.
If your client is used to huffing and puffing from sprints or double-unders,

she could try pushing/pulling a sled or prowler as a low-impact way to
challenge herself without too much stress or impact on her abdominal wall
or pelvic floor. Bonus: With a sled or prowler, your client can easily control
and change her speed and effort.
#2: MANAGING INTENSITY OF LOAD

Experienced lifters may be able to continue lifting relatively heavy during
the first trimester of pregnancy, provided they have the go-ahead from
their doctor.
But even elite athletes shouldn’t be aiming for a personal best on a heavy
lift during pregnancy.
Instead, it’s a good idea to leave some reps “in the tank” on heavier sets.
What does that look like in practice?
o If your client’s doing 12-15 reps, she should keep at least 1–2 reps
in the tank.
o If she’s doing 8–12 reps, she should keep 2–3 reps in the tank.
o And if she’s doing 5–8 reps, she should keep 3–4 reps in the tank.
Once your client reaches the second trimester, it’s best to keep loads to
80–85% of her 1 rep max.
This may still allow her to lift loads that would seem very heavy to an
outsider, even though she’s not maxing out.
For instance, let’s say your client’s 1-rep max deadlift is 250 pounds. The
chart below shows how many reps most people can complete at a given
percentage of their 1-rep max. These would all be considered maximal-
effort lifts.
For instance, lifting 200 pounds for 8 reps (80% of your client’s max) would
be considered a maximal effort.
Table 1 - Estimate of Reps While Lifting at Different Percentages of Your 1 Rep Maximum
REPS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 15
% 1RM 100 95 92 90 87 85 83 80 77 75 67 65
Table 2 - GGS’s Recommendation for Reps While Lifting at Different Percentages

of Your 1 Rep Maximum During Pregnancy
REPS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 15
% 1RM N/A N/A 85 83 80 77 75 72 70 67 65 60
On the other hand, deadlifting 200 pounds for 4 or 5 reps would probably
be OK, because that’s a sub-maximal lift, and would likely allow her to feel
like she still has 3–4 reps in the tank.
This means your client might be doing deadlift sets of 5 x 200 pounds in her
second trimester. To a beginner lifter, this might seem impossibly heavy.
But for an experienced athlete, it’s actually OK.
(Note that we do not recommend lifting in the 1–2 rep range during
pregnancy, regardless of experience level.)
A final thing to remember: If your client is lifting on the heavier side, she
should be able to complete her lifts without holding her breath or using the
Valsalva maneuver. If she can’t, it’s a sign to reduce the weight she’s using.
And remember, weight belts are contraindicated in all trimesters
of pregnancy.
#3: MANAGING INTENSITY OF EFFORT

On Day 1 of this course, we explained that for most pregnant women, we
recommend using the perceived effort scale to monitor how hard they’re
working.
Pregnant athletes are the exception, though. Elite athletes are already
capable of pushing themselves so hard that their heart rate can get
exceptionally high, even while their perceived effort feels moderate or low.
For this reason, elite athletes should monitor their heart rate and keep it
below 85–90% of their max.
Below is a “quick-and-dirty” way of calculating max heart rate if your client

doesn’t already know hers: subtract her age from 220. Then take 90 percent
of that.
(220 – Client Age) x 0.9 = Maximum Heart Rate (bpm) for Prenatal Exercise
Example: For a 30-year-old client, you’d take 220 and subtract 30 to get 190.
Then you’d take 90% of 190, which is 171. You would not want your client’s
heart rate to go above this number during training.
(Note: This formula won’t provide a “perfect” calculation for an elite ath-
lete — but it will give an estimate you can work with in a training session.)
ATHLETE TIP: YOUR HEART RATE THRESHOLD

Check with your doctor or midwife about exactly how high you can let
your heart rate go during training. Recommendations may vary from
athlete to athlete based on your specific situation, and they may suggest
a specific threshold based on your medical and training history.
Have More Questions About Coaching Pregnant Athletes?

Consider deepening your knowledge of all the changes a pregnant athlete’s
body goes through — and how those changes will affect her training —
with our Pre- and Postnatal Coaching Certification.
HEALTHY, AND STRONG
Your Prenatal Training Schedule: Find Your

Training Level and Decide How Often to Train
How often should you train, and what will your training schedule look like?
Follow the 4 steps below to find out.
Step 1: Determine Your Training Level

Are you a beginner? Or are you more intermediate or experienced with
training? This will impact how many sessions you do per week (and which
exercises you choose in our sample workout programs).
If you’re not sure, take the training level quiz on page 25.
Takeaway: You should know if you’re a beginner (Level 1), intermediate

(Level 2), or advanced (Level 3) before moving onto step 2.
Step 2: Decide on the Elements of Your Training Program

Your training schedule during pregnancy will typically consist of three or
four different elements:
#1: STRENGTH TRAINING: 30–50 MINUTES/SESSION*

Each workout includes a dynamic warm-up, strength training exercises,
breathwork, and optional foam rolling.
*Note: These can be broken into mini-sessions throughout the day if that’s a better
fit for your schedule.
#2: MODERATE-INTENSITY CARDIO (MIC): 20–40 MINUTES/SESSION

MIC refers to moderate-intensity cardio: cardiovascular exercise during
which your heart rate stays between 120 and 140 beats per minute (which
is an intensity of about 6 or 7 out of 10 for most people).
Your Prenatal Training Schedule: Find Your Training Level and Decide...
Cardio performed in this range will help you develop a solid aerobic
foundation, which will allow you to recover more quickly between
workouts so you can stay fresh and strong. Bonus: MIC has also been
shown to improve sleep quality and reduce overall stress levels.
#3: RESTORATIVE WORK OR ACTIVE RECOVERY: AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

Restorative work or active recovery can be anything that you do with
your body that’s relaxing and keeps your heart rate under 120 beats per
minute. This can be a light walk, foam rolling, meditating, deep breathing,
restorative yoga, tai chi, swimming, light cycling, etc.
#4: HIGH-INTENSITY TRAINING (HIT) CARDIO: UP TO 75 MINUTES/WEEK

If you were doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) before pregnancy,
and you want to continue with something similar, replace it with high-
intensity training (HIT) starting in Trimester 1. (And yes, there IS a
difference between HIT and HIIT….)
HIT, also known as vigorous-intensity training, is aerobic training that

feels “hard” or on the verge of “very hard” and lands between 7 and 8.5 on
the perceived effort scale. HIIT is defined as alternating periods of work
and rest, where the work periods are performed at an intensity of 9.5–10
out of 10 on the perceived effort scale. In other words, it’s the absolute
maximum effort.
Important reminder: Our perceived effort scale is likely the best way to
measure your effort, unless you’re an elite athlete.
Takeaway: You should understand the potential elements of your program,

and decide whether you want to include HIT before moving onto step 3.
Step 3: Decide How Much Time You Have to Train (and How
Much You Want to Train)
Next up, you’ll want to consider how many hours per week you:
• Have available to train

• Want to train
• Feel well enough to train
Think about what’s realistic within your life as it is today. How many days
per week can you realistically train, and for how long each day?
This varies person to person: Most pregnant women (excluding elite

athletes) will train around one or two hours a week on the low end, and up
to five or six hours a week on the high end.
Also consider how often you’d enjoy training. For example, two strength
sessions a week might seem fun and doable, whereas four a week might
seem draining.
Final consideration here: Are you feeling mostly OK during pregnancy, or

are you having trouble keeping food down? If you’re not feeling very well
most of the time, you may want to train less often. There’s no shame in
doing less.
So, how does this translate into a given number of workouts per week?
We got you!
Check out the chart below, where we provide some recommendations

based on your level and the time you have available. And remember, these
are suggested ranges not hard-and-fast prescriptions.
Total Exercise: Total Exercise: Total Exercise:

Level
1–2 Hours/Week 3–4 Hours/Week 5–6 Hours/Week
BEGINNER 2 strength sessions 3 strength sessions 3 strength sessions

(LEVEL 1) (30–40 min. each) (30–40 min. each) (30–40 min. each)
1 MIC session 1–2 MIC sessions 1–2 MIC sessions

(20–40 min.) (20–40 min. each) (20–40 min. each)
INTERMEDIATE 2 strength sessions 3 strength sessions 3–4 strength sessions

1 HIT session 1–2 HIT sessions 1–2 HIT sessions

1 MIC session 2 MIC sessions 2+ MIC sessions

ADVANCED 2 strength sessions 3 strength sessions 3–4 strength sessions

1 HIT session 1–2 HIT sessions 2–3 HIT sessions

1 MIC session 2 MIC sessions 2+ MIC sessions

Takeaway: You should know how many hours per week you want to train,
and how many strength, MIC, and HIT (if applicable) sessions you want to
do per week before moving onto step 4.
Cardio: Where Does It Fit In?

You may also be wondering when you should perform cardio. Before
or after you lift? On the same day as a strength workout or on a
separate day?
It depends on your goals. Always prioritize the activity that’s most

important to you. For most women who are trying to get stronger,
healthier, and improve their overall fitness, strength training
should be the priority and should come first in their workouts. We
only recommend performing cardio first if improving your cardio
performance is your main priority.
Cardio, including HIT and MIC, can be performed immediately after

strength training, and there’s evidence to suggest that performing
moderate- or low-intensity cardio after a strength training session
can improve recovery. However, you don’t have to perform it on the
same day. Listen to your body to determine how much you are able
to take on during a given training session.
Ultimately, your best bet is to perform your cardio whenever you’re

most likely to actually do it, and do it safely.
Step 4: Schedule Your Week of Workouts

So how does it all fit together? Good question! Ultimately, this will depend
on your schedule outside of training, your preferences, and other factors.
But here are some examples of what your full training schedule might look
like based on your level and the time you have available to train.
Note, there are at least two recovery days per week, regardless of your
level or the time you’ve committed to training! Make sure to give yourself
time to rest and recharge.
Total Exercise: Total Exercise: Total Exercise:

Level
1–2 Hours/Week 3–4 Hours/Week 5–6 Hours/Week
Monday: 30–40 min. ST Monday: 30–40 min. ST Monday: 30–40 min. ST

Tuesday: recovery Tuesday: recovery Tuesday: recovery
Wednesday: 20–30 min. MIC Wednesday: 30–40 min. ST + Wednesday: 30–40 min. ST
Thursday: recovery 30–40 min. MIC Thursday: 40 min. MIC
L1 Friday: 30–40 min. ST Thursday: recovery Friday: 30–40 min. ST
Saturday: recovery Friday: 30–40 min. ST Saturday: recovery
Sunday: recovery Saturday: 30–40 min. MIC Sunday: 40 min. MIC
Sunday: recovery
Monday: 30–50 min. ST Monday: 30–50 min. ST + Monday: 30–50 min. ST +

Tuesday: recovery 15–25 min. HIT 15–25 min. HIT
Wednesday: 20–30 min. MIC Tuesday: recovery Tuesday: 40 min. MIC
Thursday: recovery Wednesday: 30–50 min. ST + Wednesday: 30–50 min. ST
L2 Friday: 30–50 min. ST +
10–15 min. HIT
20–30 min. MIC
Thursday: recovery
Thursday: recovery
Friday: 30–50 min. ST
Saturday: recovery Friday: 30–50 min. ST Saturday: 40 min. MIC
Sunday: recovery Saturday: 30–40 min. MIC Sunday: recovery
Sunday: recovery
Monday: 30–50 min. ST Monday: 30–50 min. ST Monday: 30–50 min. ST +

Tuesday: recovery Tuesday: 20–40 min. MIC 15–25 min. HIT
Wednesday: 20–30 min. MIC Wednesday: 30–50 min. ST + Tuesday: 20–40 min. MIC
Thursday: recovery 20–40 min. MIC Wednesday: 30–50 min. ST
L3 Friday: 30–50 min. ST +
5–10 min. HIT
Thursday: recovery
Friday: 30–50 min. ST
Thursday: recovery
Friday: 30–50 min. ST +
Saturday: recovery Saturday: 15–25 min. HIT 15–25 min. HIT
Sunday: recovery Sunday: recovery Saturday: 20–40 min. MIC
Sunday: recovery
LEGEND: ST = Strength Training • MIC = Moderate-Intensity Cardio • HIT = High-Intensity Cardio
Takeaway: After completing step 4, you should have a rough idea of what a
calendar week of workouts will look like for you.
Quiz: What’s Your Training Level?

Establishing your (or your client’s) training level will provide you with
guidance about how often you should train, the intensity level at which
you should train, and which exercises you might want to choose from the
sample training templates we provide.
While establishing a person’s training level might sound straightforward

(for example, it’s pretty simple to figure out that someone who’s never
exercised before is a beginner), there’s actually a fair amount of nuance.
For example, research shows that muscle strength can decrease by 10–20
percent per week, so women with a recent lack of fitness activity may need
to start with a scaled program, even if they’re super familiar with strength
training. Plus, there are a whole bunch of ways to define training level (e.g.,
time spent training, ability to perform certain movement patterns, one-rep
max weight).
Here at GGS, we evaluate training level (as is relates to strength training)

by several factors, including:
o How long you’ve been training consistently.
o How many reps of foundational exercises (e.g., pull-ups, push-ups)

you can do.
o What percentage of body weight you can handle as a load during
foundational exercises (e.g., squat, deadlift). (Obviously you won’t
want to test this during pregnancy, so use your best judgment or use
pre-pregnancy numbers.)
Caveat: Many beginner clients (and even some intermediate ones) may not
know how to answer these questions right off the bat! And the last thing
you want to do during pregnancy is test an exercise that you’re not yet
equipped to perform safely. That’s why we’ve included the option to check
if you (or your client) don’t know the answers.
Please note that training level can depend on other factors, and we cannot
account for them all in a simple quiz, but it should be a great starting point
for most women. What’s more, we would rather under-estimate a person’s
abilities and allow them to progress quickly than overestimate them and
risk injury.
1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STRENGTH TRAINING FOR?

A. Less than one year.
B. Between one and three years.
C. Longer than three years.
D. For years, but I’ve never been consistent.
E. I’ve never trained before.
2. HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN YOU SQUAT WITH A BARBELL?

A. 0–0.5 times my body weight (for a 150-pound woman, this would be
0–75 pounds).
B. 0.5–1 times my body weight (for a 150-pound woman, this would be
75–150 pounds).
C. More than my body weight (for a 150-pound woman, this would be more
than 150 pounds).
D. I don’t do squats with a barbell.
E. I don’t know.
3. HOW MUCH CAN YOU DEADLIFT WITH A BARBELL?

A. 0–0.5 times my body weight (for a 150-pound woman, this would be 0–75
pounds).
B. 0.5–1.5 times my body weight (for a 150-pound woman, this would be
75–225 pounds).
C. More than 1.5 times my body weight (for a 150-pound woman, this would
be more than 225 pounds).
D. I don’t do deadlifts with a barbell.
E. I don’t know.
4. HOW MANY PUSH-UPS CAN YOU DO IN A ROW?

A. Fewer than 5
B. Between 5 and 15.
C. More than 15.
D. I don’t do push-ups.
E. I don’t know.
5. HOW MANY PULL-UPS/CHIN-UPS CAN YOU DO?

A. Fewer than 2.
B. Between 2 and 5.
C. More than 5.
D. I don’t do pull-ups or chin-ups.
E. I don’t know.
Now count how many of each letter you got, and please note that you’re
going to add the As, Ds, and Es into one group.
o A + D + E =
o B =
o C =
Take the group with the highest number, and find your corresponding
level:
o If you had mostly As, Ds, and Es, you’re Level 1 (Beginner).
o If you had mostly Bs, you’re Level 2 (Intermediate).
o If you had mostly Cs, you’re Level 3 (Advanced).
If you had a tied score (e.g., two Bs and two Cs), then you’re better off going
with the lower level (in this case, Level 2) most of the time.
Keep in mind that this quiz is not the be-all and end-all. It simply provides
general guidelines to help you determine which exercise in the program is
the best fit for you, based on factors like training age and current strength
level. There are always exceptions, so in addition to reviewing our general
guidelines, take a look at the programs to determine what will work for
you. You know your body best.
HEALTHY, AND STRONG
Sample Training Program: Trimester 1
Welcome to your first trimester training plan! This program is designed

to last four weeks (though you could use this program for your whole first
trimester, if you wanted to). Here’s how it works.
The Warm-Up
Do your warm-up before each strength workout. Completing a dynamic
warm-up:
• Raises your core temperature.

• Increases blood flow to your muscles.
• Improves the ability of the muscles to stretch (extensibility).
• Promotes muscle activation and mind-muscle connection.
• Primes your central nervous system for lifting heavy (or running
fast, jumping high, etc.). Not everyone will be doing these activities
during trimester 1, but if you are, this is helpful.
Even if you’re low on time, at least perform a couple of reps of each exer-
cise listed in your warm-up to help prepare your body for your workout
(and possibly reduce your risk of injury).
The Workout
There are two workouts in this sample program: Workout A and Workout B.
This allows you to get familiar with the movements of the program by
performing them more often and getting a lot of practice. If you want to
work out twice per week, that means you perform Workout A and Workout
B once per week each. If you want to work out four times per week, you
perform Workout A and Workout B twice per week each. If you want to
work out three times per week, simply alternate your workout each time
you strength train.
You’ll see that exercises are grouped using numbers and letters. Exercises
that have the same number are meant to be performed in a superset. This
means if you see three exercises labeled 1A, 1B, and 1C, you’ll:
o Perform a set of exercise 1A, then rest for the listed rest period.
o Perform a set of exercise 1B, then rest for the listed rest period.
o Perform a set of exercise 1C, then rest for the listed rest period.
o Go back to exercise 1A and repeat until you’ve completed the listed

number of sets.
o Once all sets are complete, move on to exercises labeled 2.
The Exercises
All exercises have Level 1, 2, and 3 options. Not sure which level is best for
you? Take the quiz on page 25. If you’re still in doubt, err on the safe side
and start with the more regressed variation or the lower-level option. If
you’re using perfect form and following the instructions, you’re still going
to get a great workout. Over time, as you feel ready for more of a challenge,
you can choose a higher-level variation.
If you’re not sure how to do an exercise, click on the name of it. This will take
you to a video of the exercise, so you can see how it should be performed.
Next to each exercise, you’ll see a range of sets and reps. Let’s say it says
3–4 x 8–10. Start on the lower end of the range by doing 3 sets of 8 reps.
As you progress through the four-week program, you have the option to
increase up to 4 sets of 10 reps. Increase your sets and reps when you feel
confident about an exercise and the load you’re using.
You can also progress over time by increasing the load you use for a given
exercise. In this case, do not increase the number of reps or sets until you
feel comfortable with the new load you’re lifting.
Pro tip: Print out this program and bring it to your workouts. We’ve provided
extra space for you in the sets and reps column to record how many you do
each workout, and how much weight you use for the exercise, if applicable.
Ready? Let’s get to it!
Trimester 1 Warm-up
Perform 1–2 sets of each of the exercises listed below depending on your
energy level and schedule.
EXERCISE SETS X REPS REST
1–2 x 10 None
1A Connection Breath - Seated
1–2 x 10 None
1B Bird Dog
1–2 x 10 None
1C Supine Hamstring Stretch (Band)
1–2 x 20 None
1D Glute Bridge
1–2 x 10 None
1E Lateral Lunge
1–2 x 30 sec None

1F Deep Squat Hold (Supported)
WORKOUT NOTES
Trimester 1: Workout A
L1: Reverse Lunge - Bodyweight 3–4 x 8–10 30 sec

1A L2: Reverse Lunge - Dumbbell or Kettlebell
L3: Reverse Lunge - Barbell
Tall Kneeling Pulldown - Band or Cable 3–4 x 8–10 30 sec

1B
all levels
L1: Glute Bridge 3–4 x 8–10 60 sec–2 min

1C L2: Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl
L3: Suitcase Deadlift
L1: Incline Push-Up 3 x 8–10 30 sec

2A L2: Push-Up
L3: Feet-Elevated Push-Up
Suitcase Carry - Dumbbell or Kettlebell 3 x 15–20 sec 30 sec

2B
all levels
Side-Lying Knee Abduction (mini band 3 x 20–30 60 sec–2 min

2C around knees)
all levels
*all reps are per side, if applicable
WORKOUT NOTES
Trimester 1: Workout B
Tall-Kneeling Pallof Press - Band or Cable 3–4 x 8–10 30 sec

1A
all levels
L1: Squat - Bodyweight 3–4 x 8–10 30 sec

1B L2: Front Squat - Dumbbell
L3: Front Squat - Barbell
One-Arm Dumbbell Row 3–4 x 8–10 60 sec–2 min

L1: Knee on Bench
1C
L2: Three-Point
L3: Three-Point
L1: Lateral Lunge - Bodyweight 3 x 8–10 30 sec

2A
L2/L3: Lateral Lunge - Dumbbell or Kettlebell
Swiss Ball Rollout (pause in rollout position 3 x 8–10 30 sec

2B if advanced)
all levels
Glute Bridge (mini band around knees) 3 x 20–25 60 sec–2 min

2C
all levels
*all reps are per side, if applicable
WORKOUT NOTES

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DAY TWO

How to Strength Train

YOUR BONUS RESOURCE PACKET

• Tip Sheet: How Training During Pregnancy Is

• Your Prenatal Training Schedule: Find Your

• Sample Training Program: Trimester 1

How to Perform (and Teach)

This is especially important when you’re pregnant, as the pelvic floor

Learning the Connection Breath is as easy as ABC: alignment, breathing,

There’s no such thing as perfect posture or alignment, and what’s optimal

o Think of a piece of string attached to the crown of your head,

Ultimately, you don’t need to be hyper focused on alignment. Instead, focus

To practice relaxed breathing:

To learn the Connection Breath:

o Find a starting position that’s comfortable for you. This may be

above, we recommend starting lying down. Some women find it

Connection Breath Diamond Visualization: Picture your pelvic area as a diamond,

What Happens Now?

If you’re struggling with the Connection Breath or want to make sure

Tip Sheet: How Training During Pregnancy Is

If you’re coaching a very experienced lifter or athlete during pregnancy,

There’s not a huge amount of scientific research out there on pregnant

Fortunately, there’s some information we do know about how training will

(If you’re an athlete yourself, much of this information will be relevant to

Tip #1: Manage Expectations

This might sound something like:

ATHLETE TIP: WORK YOUR MINDSET

o Remember that these changes are temporary.

Tip #2: Help Her Assemble the Right Healthcare Team

So who should be on the team?

o A doctor (or midwife): In addition to having her healthcare

o Pelvic health physiotherapist: We recommend all pregnant women

o Prenatal trainer/coach: That’s you! Just like other pregnant clients,

o Other providers, as needed: Massage therapists, mental health

ATHLETE TIP: FIND THE RIGHT COACH

On the other hand, if you’re an experienced lifter who’s used to

Keep in mind, though, that a coach who is well-informed (and even

To find a certified coach, check out our directory of GGS Certified

Tip #3: Provide Education While Encouraging Autonomy

Your role is to educate your client on the possible risks of ignoring or

Your conversation might sound something like:

Client: “Yeah I remember that! So cool and weird!”

That said, if your client is experiencing any symptoms that could be

Make sure to always document that you have made an explicit

Tip #4: Find Exercises She Can Do

On the next page is a chart of common exercises that are either

INSTEAD OF: TRY:

Barbell clean Kettlebell clean

Barbell snatch Kettlebell snatch

Barbell clean and jerk Kettlebell clean and jerk

High-rep box jumps Low-rep box jumps (3–5 reps)

Kipping pull-ups Pull-ups or leg-assisted pull-ups

Burpees Hand-elevated burpees

Double unders Skipping rope one foot at a time

Athletes in particular may struggle mentally with the idea of scaling or

ATHLETE TIP: CAN YOU TRAIN MORE THAN ONCE A DAY?

So if you want to keep up with more than one training session in a

Tip #5: Keep Things Challenging Without Overdoing It

There are three main areas to consider here.

#1: HANDLING HIGH-IMPACT EXERCISES

If your client is used to huffing and puffing from sprints or double-unders,

#2: MANAGING INTENSITY OF LOAD

What does that look like in practice?