18.2 Pregnancy and Postpartum Recommendations
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 reps of time of:
Dumbbell squats
Bar-facing Burpees
35lb or 20lb
Workout 18.2a
1 rep max clean
Time cap: 12 minutes
Hooray DB squats! No matter where you are in your motherhood adventure, please choose weight that is sustainable for you and your body. Also move at a pace that allows enough time for adequate breathing and bringing your heart rate down.
This 12-minute time cap is impossible for a woman in her 3rd and a fresh new mom. If you’re going to complete the entire workout in these stages of motherhood, know that you will take longer than 12 minutes so prep yourself and your coaches for this! Get it woman!
Burpee recommendations:
*If you lose your core stability, modify as necessary.
1st Trimester:
- the change of elevation in the burpee is intense and can cause women in the first trimester to feel light headed, or even faint. Modify to hands on 2 side by side stacks of plates or a box with the feet jumping or stepping depending on how you feel.
2nd Trimester:
- hands on 2 side by side stacks of plates or a box because as your belly grows it puts more pressure on your linea alba, the connective tissue separating the left and right of your abdominals. Your parallel body to the ground in the burpee puts pressure on the already stressed connective tissue via your intra-abdominal pressure and the pressure of all your organs and baby!
- it’s also difficult to fully engage the transverse abdominis (TA) to fully protect the spine and reduce risk of injury during the burpee. The TA is something that always needs to be engaged for pregnant women and mommas to reduce risks on all fronts.
- opt for a more vertical option by using plates, a box or the wall.
3rd Trimester:
- modify to hands on 2 side by side stacks of plates or a box
Postpartum:
- modify burpees for the same reasons as above in 1st and 2nd trimesters. Modify to hands on 2 side by side stacked plates, a box or wall with stepping legs (jumping legs if you’re 20+ weeks postpartum and feel great, no gap).
- take breathers often, remember to pace yourself because you’re just getting back into the swing of things, don’t push it.
- your body is still doing many internal things postpartum such as healing from birth and producing breast milk. Be kind to yourself and enjoy the moments of being present with your community vs. competing with yourself or others.
1 Rep Max Cleans recommendations:
Form before anything else here. Don’t break good mechanics to fling the bar around your belly bump. Use dumb bells. If your core is unstable during pregnancy and postpartum, do not push to make these happen. Use dumb bells or a lighter bar to practice great mechanics!
1st Trimester
- some women may feel completely fine working with heavy load but we recommend you steer on the side of caution by stopping at 3-5 rep max weight. We just don’t have the evidence to say this is 100% safe.
- work your way up to a weight that doesn’t make you feel faint or dizzy. If one does, stop at that weight.
2nd Trimester
- work your way up to a weight that doesn’t make you feel faint or dizzy. If one does, stop at that weight.
- pace yourself because you probably feel great but this is a sprint with heavy weight. Take breaks often to catch your breath and set your own pace.
3rd Trimester
- We don’t recommend a barbell for cleans in the 3rd as it puts a strain on your awesome mechanics. Use a set of dumb bells!
- put a few plates under your dumbbells to raise it up off the ground during
- choose a lighter weight in your dumbbell
- take a pause to catch your breath as much as possible to avoid hyperventilating or passing out
Postpartum
- lighter dumbbell weight for cleans for new mommas. Take your time working on proper mechanics!
- use weight that is appropriate for your stage of recovery postpartum. Do not push it momma!