Happy Friday Everyone,
I hope you are having a wonderful Friday so far. Mine has been pretty rocking so far since I started it off with two AMAZING barre classes at 6:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Everyone always seems to have a little extra energy on Friday.
While scrolling through my news feed this morning, I came across this quote one of my cousins posted. It was such a good reminder to focus on the positive! I need to put this somewhere where I can see it every day. :) So much to be thankful for!
In true pregnant lady fashion, I ate the exact same thing for lunch every day this week - a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on gluten free bread with a big bowl of watermelon. I know it's no salad, but it sure was delicious!
Last week, I shared with you the
benefits of Pilates during pregnancy and some precautions you should keep in mind throughout your each trimester. Today, I want to go into a little more detail on modifications for some of the most common Pilates exercises. Again, always consult your physician before performing any new types of physical activity while pregnant, and inform your Pilates instructor before class if you are expecting.
These modifications are here to serve as a guide, but ALWAYS listen to your body. If anything doesn't feel right, just leave it out.
Common Exercise modifications:
Using blankets or pillows to create a wedge underneath you will help you continue doing many
exercises without having to lie flat on your back.
●
100 beats-
Use blankets to create an incline. Leave feet on the floor or in table top
position. If lying supine becomes uncomfortable, come to kneeling hundred
beats.
●
Single leg
stretch - Take legs higher to the sky and leave head down on blankets.
●
Double leg
stretch - Hold onto legs for additional support or keep arms extended by
side instead of reaching overhead. Decrease your range of motion.
●
Scissors -
Keep head down on the blankets or curl up just the head and shoulders if
comfortable. Avoid pulling the leg in too far towards your chest. Feel free to
bend your knees if you need to.
●
Lower Lift -
Place your hands underneath your glutes for support. Leave head on the mat or
curl up slightly if you are still comfortable. Limit your range of motion and
focus more on utilizing your pelvic floor and transverse abdominals to scoop
the belly and lift the legs back up.
●
Criss Cross
- Keep the legs reaching higher to the sky to minimize pull on the lower back
or set your feet down on the mat. Decrease your range of motion in the twist.
●
Roll Ups -
Utilize the Pilates ball for support and take it to a half roll up. Always feel
free to hold onto your hamstrings for additional support.
●
Side Leg Series
- Bend bottom leg for additional support and lower head down on arm or blanket.
●
All Four
Position - Really focus on engaging your abdominals to support your uterus
and back. If you have any wrist discomfort, make fists for wrists, fold mat
over for additional support, or lower on to forearms.
●
Plank - Take
a modified position on hands and knees. Press hips forward until you have a straight line from crown of head to tailbone. Focus on engaging your abdominal
muscles to support your uterus. If lower back becomes uncomfortable switch to
an all fours position and move into cat pose or place your hands on the barre
for incline plank.
● Bridge - Remove blanket from under head so you can
maintain a straight spine. Focus on engaging the abdominals while you lift and
lower hips to protect your lower back. Limit your range of motion.
For more information on Prenatal Pilates and a more detailed explanation of exercise modifications, I highly recommend "
The Pilates Pregnancy" by Mari Windsor. It's a great book and can help you keep up with your Pilates exercises throughout your pregnancy.
I hope this helps my future mommies out there feel more comfortable in their Pilates classes and my fellow instructors help guide their pregnant clients through class. Always feel free to email me with specific questions at
[email protected].
What kind of exercise did you enjoy during pregnancy?
In health,
Posted by
Lauren George
at
2:16 PM
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