Most women experiencing normal pregnancies are told to exercise regularly to keep themselves and their babies as healthy as possible. But between the aches, bloating and fatigue that go along with pregnancy, it can be tough to get motivated to get up and move. Water exercise offers a perfect compromise for women who hate the discomfort of working out while pregnant; it burns calories and tones your muscles while keeping you cool and easing your most common discomforts.
Benefits of Water Exercise
Sliding into the water can offer your heavy, aching body instant relief when you're pregnant. The buoyancy that water provides makes you feel light and graceful, and it eases the stress and weight on your joints. Exercising in the water also offers a low-impact way to burn calories without the risk of losing your balance and falling, and it forces you to engage your muscles, since you're constantly pushing back against the weight of the water. Moving in the water is particularly good for strengthening your core muscles, since you have to contract them just to remain stable in the water. Finally, as long as you're not exercising in hot water, you can raise your heart rate without worrying about overheating, which is a concern during pregnancy.
Exercise Options
There's no need to limit yourself to one certain type of water exercise when you're pregnant. You can start by simply walking back and forth across the pool, since the water creates resistance that forces you to work much harder than if you were walking on land. From there, try adding some jogging or running intervals in the water, or swim laps using your favorite stroke. If you have a gym, fitness center or community pool nearby, check out its class schedule to see if it offers an aqua aerobics or other water exercise class. Some places have classes designed specifically for pregnant women, but you can also try a regular pool class; just be sure to inform your instructor that you're pregnant so she can offer exercise modifications when needed.
Moves to Try
If you don't have access to an aqua exercise class, or if you prefer to work out on your own, try some of these strengthening moves: Walk up and down the pool steps frontward, sideways and backward; hold a kickboard straight out in front of you and make your way down the length of the pool doing dolphin kicks, kicking your legs while keeping them firmly together; walk back and forth in the pool keeping your elbows bent at your sides, your forearms straight out on both sides and your thumbs pointing up to create resistance; stand with your back to the wall of the pool and your elbows on the edge, and slowly raise your legs straight out in front of you, holding for 10 seconds before lowering back down.
Guidelines
Every pool workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down, as well as gentle stretching, to help prevent muscle injuries. Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout; it's easy to get dehydrated in the pool because you feel cool and refreshed, even though you may be sweating just as much as if you were on land. Avoid jumping or diving into the water, and stop exercising immediately if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or you experience any other uncomfortable symptoms.
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