Many organizations, including the American Pregnancy Association and the University of Maryland Medical Center, recommend swimming as a form of safe exercise during pregnancy. Because swimming offers cardiovascular, strength and flexibility benefits, you can feel confident that you're staying fit and healthy throughout your pregnancy while working out in the pool.
Lap Swimming
If you're a strong swimmer who enjoys racing back and forth across the pool, you can continue your lap swimming routine throughout your pregnancy. Work your muscles in multiple planes of movement by incorporating multiple strokes into your routine, alternating between freestyle, backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke and even butterfly. You can also use equipment like kickboards, fins or pull buoys to isolate your upper and lower body during your routine.
For an effective workout, aim to swim continuously between 20 and 45 minutes, allowing yourself a five-minute warm-up and cool-down. After 20 weeks of pregnancy, you may want to avoid the backstroke, as lying on your back can reduce circulation, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. And remember, even though you're exercising in the water, drink water regularly during your workout to help keep your core temperature fairly normal.
Deep Water Aerobics
During deep water aerobics you perform exercises while suspended in water too deep for you to touch the bottom. Many facilities that offer deep water exercise classes provide flotation belts that you attach around your belly to help you stay afloat, making it a good choice even for non-swimmers. Deep water aerobics is especially appealing during pregnancy because it's a non-weight-bearing exercise that relieves pressure from your bones and joints, something to look forward to as your pregnancy progresses.
Deep water routines often incorporate foam water dumbbells that you use to perform strengthening exercises, pushing and pulling them through the water. You may also perform "traveling" exercises in the water, moving from one side of the pool to the other while performing different movements.
Water Jogging
If the impact of a land-based jogging routine sounds too stressful during pregnancy, you can easily take your jogging routine to your local swimming pool. Water jogging is performed in shallow or deep water. While performing a shallow-water routine, jog in the water, swinging your arms and moving your legs just like you would on land. If you want to jog in deep water, consider putting on a flotation belt to help keep you afloat, bend forward slightly at the hips and move your arms and legs just like on land. Unlike land-based jogging or shallow water jogging, you aren't physically pushing off a surface, so it may take a little time to get the hang of the impact-free movement.
Member Comments