Tips for safe weight training in pregnancy

 Do not push yourself too hard.

 Keep cool by drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding hot exercise spaces.

 Do not hold your breath (known as the Valsalva manoeuvre).

 Protect your back by having good posture when you are training.

 Protect your pelvic floor muscles by tightening them before you lift any weights.

 Focus on your technique rather than the weight and number of reps.

 Check your technique with your instructor.

 Be careful with free weights so they do not hit your bump by accident.

 If you are finding weight training hard, try using resistance bands or exercises that
use your own body weight instead. Get advice from an instructor before using
resistance bands and tell them that you are pregnant.
 Stop exercising if you feel faint, overheated or in any pain. Contact your midwife or
doctor if you have any unusual symptoms.

Weight exercises to avoid in pregnancy

 Cross-fit type training, which involves lifting heavy weights in a timed circuit. If you
have lots of experience of doing cross-fit, you may be able to carry on with some
changes to your routine and support from your doctor.

 General circuit classes using bar bells and fast movements.

 Exercises that use heavy bar bells behind your neck after 12 weeks. You could use
dumbbells instead.

 Using a single, large barbell to do deadlifts, clean and press, and upright rows,
especially in the third trimester. There is a risk of the bar hitting your bump.

 Weighted sit-up exercises after 12 weeks.

 Abdominal rotation machines.

 Lifting weights while lying on your back after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Instead,
try the chest press and chest fly on an incline bench from 12 weeks and with a
 further incline from 20 weeks.

 Lifting weights over your head after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy as it may strain
your lower back.

 Lying flat on your back after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

 Bending at the waist after the first 12 weeks as it may make you feel dizzy.

Also avoid:

 High-impact moves where there’s a risk of blunt force trauma. This

may mean skipping exercise that involves hulking heavy free weights
around your belly.

 Lifting overhead after the first trimester. Why? Your posture changes,
and lifting over your head may place strain on your lower back. To
work those deltoids and rotator cuff muscles, try front raises, lateral
raises, and reverse flies instead of shoulder presses.

 Lying flat on your back after the first trimester. Again, it places
pressure on your vena cava and can impact the blood supply to the
placenta. This can make you feel dizzy.

 Bending forward at the hips and/or waist after the first

trimester. This may make you feel dizzy. As your belly grows, you
may also find it hurts your lower back. Try instead an all-fours
position if you’re looking to work those glutes and hamstrings.