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Pilates during Pregnancy
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Pilates after pregnancy,
Pilates and pregnancy,
Pilates ball,
Pilates diet
Pilates fitness,
Pilates for pregnancy,
Pilates for pregnant women
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Exercise And Having A
Fit Pregnancy
For people with active lifestyles,
workaholics, or real fitness enthusiasts, you will most definately want to alter that routine on account of your baby.
On the same note, you will want to continue to stay in shape
such that, after your pregnancy, you will have an edge to
getting back into shape after your baby is brought into this
world.
1. What Is A Fit Pregnancy?
Having a fit pregnancy doesn't
necessarily mean that you suddenly have to become some kind of
exercise fanatic or suddenly stop everything that you enjoy
doing.
Use your common sense
and make small
alterations to your
lifestyle in order to
accommodate zero risk to
your baby.
For example, if
you are an active person who
enjoys extreme sports, these
are some of the activities
that need to be thought
about.
Speak to your medical
provider about that of these
sports fall nicely into a
fit pregnancy program, and
seek their advice about
whether or not they are
suitable during pregnancy,
it could be that
after the first few weeks,
and up until the third
trimester, you will be
allowed to take part in some
of them. That said, bungee
jumping or rock climbing in
your third trimester should,
using common sense, not be
allowed whatsoever. |
2. Kick It Up A Notch
On the other side of the
coin, if you are very
inactive and sluggish, you
will want to start to
incorporate more excercise
into your daily routine -
yes, daily! During the first
few weeks when you are
already exhausted with
pregnancy fatigue, this
might not be what you want
to hear, but if you can even
start to introduce some form
of low impact exercise into
your life you will be more
able to build upon this
later. You will want to have
an exercise regimen set up
where you are exercising two
to three times per week.
3. Ideal Examples Of Low-
Impact Exercises -
- Yoga - Pilates - Swimming
- Aqua- aerobics
Author
Mandy Robinson,
for more great pregnancy
related articles and
resources check out
http://pregnancyhaven.info
Healthy
Pregnancy: Pilates Helps
Expecting Mothers From
Pregnancy Thru Post Partum
Most people think of Pilates
as a new form of exercise
because of its recent surge
of popularity in the fitness
and healthcare industry. In
reality, Joseph Pilates
invented this about 80 years
ago.
Pilates was a sickly
child with asthma. To
help fight his illness and
build his strength, he
experimented with various
mind-body disciplines and
later became an accomplished
skier, diver, gymnast, and
boxer. While in internment
during WWI in England, he
taught fellow interns his
concepts and exercises that
he developed over 20 years
of self-study and
apprenticeship in yoga, Zen,
and ancient Greek and Roman
physical regimens. During
this time, Pilates began
devising the system of
original floor exercises
known today as “Pilates
matwork". Within a few
years, he became a nurse to
the many internees under
care with wartime disease
and physical injury. Here,
he began devising exercise
apparatuses to rehabilitate
the patients by taking
springs from the beds and
rigging them to create
spring resistance and
"movement" for the
bedridden. This “system”
formed the foundation for
his style of body
conditioning used today.
In many ways, Pilates
equipment today is not
much different than it was
back then. The use of spring
tension, straps, supports
for back, neck and shoulders
are the same uses for the
equipment today. The nature
of the equipment is to both
challenge and support the
body as it learns to move
more efficiently.
With the determination to
help others achieve better
health, Pilates opened
his first studio in New York
in 1926 where he used his
exercise apparatuses and
more than 500 movement
therapy exercises to help
rehabilitate athletes and
dancers. For over 60 years
this form of exercise was a
well kept secret - but
dancers, athletes, physical
therapy patients and fitness
enthusiasts have relied on
this Pilates method to
attain and stay in top
physical form.
The benefit of Pilates’
movement therapy exercises
for women thru pregnancy
and post-partum is mostly
misunderstood. Simply put,
Pilates is a safe and
effective approach to
exercise for pregnant women
to assist with breathing,
body alignment and to
recover body shape and tone
after birth.
Pilates focuses on
breathing, which
promotes relaxation and
helps activate the
transversus abdominus. The
transversus abdominus is the
deepest of the abdominal
muscles and is responsible
for supporting the lumbar
spine and pelvic area at a
time when ligaments are lax
due to the natural hormone
relaxin excreted by the body
during the pregnancy and
nursing stages. Lateral
breathing also inherent in
Pilates fitness, which
improves rib cage mobility
when the range of motion in
the diaphragm is limited due
to the high position of the
baby in the third trimester.
Back pain is a common
side effect of pregnancy.
Unless the abdominal
muscles, pelvis and spine
are strengthened, problems
with the back can occur.
Strengthening the
transversus abdominus (“abs)
through guided Pilates
movements will not only
improve back pain and
postural alignment, but will
aid women during labor for a
much quicker & safer
delivery. Research has shown
that activation of the
transverses abdominus also
activates the pelvic floor,
keeping these muscles strong
and supple for the birthing
process. This can also help
with any incontinence that
you may experience during
and after pregnancy.
The nature of movement in
Pilates exercise is low
impact and allows
pregnant women to exercise
effectively without
experiencing any undue
stress on the now lax
joints, or an increased
heart rate. Pilates also
involves many stretching and
toning exercises that helps
to maintain hip flexibility
and stamina, which is
essential for well-being and
preparation for childbirth.
These exercises are aided
and supported by Pilates
apparatuses such as the
reformer: a moving carriage
on a bed; the wunda chair
with springs to create
resistance and the trapeze
table to hang from. Pilates
exercises also can be
performed on a mat with
small props such as pillows
or cushions which supports
the head, the magic circle,
foam rollers and therabands
for extra resistance.
Most exercise
modifications happen during
the second and third
trimester due to the
ever-increasing belly.
All Pilates movements, at
this point are best done
seated up right or side
lying. However, you can work
supine as long as the head
is elevated with pillows at
30 degrees above the heart
for no longer than 5
minutes, turning to the side
for a break. This ensures
natural blood flow and
oxygen to the A popular
exercise among pregnant
Pilates enthusiasts is
legwork on the wunda chair.
It involves sitting on a
small stool with springs
attached to a lever and
pushing the lever down with
your feet. This Pilates
movement provides
conditioning for the legs
and activation of the
abdominal muscles, which
stabilize the pelvis.
Remember it’s very
important that your
Pilates instructor is
certified and has experience
in working with pregnant
women.
Author
Tracey Mallet is a certified
Master Pilates Instructor,
certified personal trainer,
fitness instructor and
lifestyle / weight
management counselor through
the Aerobics and Fitness
Association of American
(AFAA). She is also a Level
One certified Gyrotonic®
Instructor with an award
winning 3-in-1 Patented
Pregnancy System that is
only found at
http://www.traceymallett.com.
Some additional Pilates info
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