ABDOMINAL SEPARATION – PART 2
The way women train is changing. More women are training through pregnancy and wanting to return to the gym as soon as possible post natal. Awareness is growing around the issues post natal women face and how this relates to their health and fitness goals. One of those areas is Diastasis Recti, otherwise known as Abdominal Separation. Abdominal separation is something that, until recently, unless you worked in the post natal space or had personally been diagnosed with it most people had no idea what this was. Worse…
WHAT IS ABDOMINAL SEPARATION?
Abdominal separation AKA Rectus Diastasis (Diastasis meaning separation and Rectus referring to the rectus abdominus) Abdominal separation is a very normal part of the child bearing process which a lot of women experience. Some women have little to no separation but it is very common to have 2 fingers, in more severe cases it can be four or more fingers wide. If you do have abdominal separation remember you are not alone in this journey. To help understand what abdominal separation is we need to understand the anatomy…
GENERAL DO’S AND DONT’S OF EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY
• Don’t exceed 70% of pre pregnancy ability This includes perceived rate of exertion or heart rate, Weights, Range of motion • Longer warm up and cool down periods, at least 5 mins each. • Avoid exercising in hot conditions and ensure your body temperature whilst exercising does not get too high. • After first trimester avoid lying flat on your back (especially if this feels uncomfortable) as the weight of the baby can obstruct blood flow to the heart via the venous return. • Don’t stand still for long periods…
A PREGNANT WOMAN’S GUIDE TO THE GYM
So you’ve just found out you’re pregnant; cue the excitement – and touch of anxiety! You know it’s best for both you and bump to keep active, but the last thing you need is added stress over not knowing what you should and should not be doing at the gym. If you’re new to exercise, it can be intimidating enough as it is, but even for seasoned gym-goers, pregnancy creates a whole new world of questions. Plus, the bout of morning sickness can be enough to place fitness…
BENEFITS OF TRAINING THROUGH PREGNANCY
If I was selling a herbal tonic that would help you • Sleep better • Feel less exhausted • Increase your energy levels and general sense of well being and self image. • Give you a more rapid physical and emotional recovery after birth • Decrease the likelihood of varicous veins, hemoroids, gestational diabetes and improves the growth and functional capacity of the placenta to name but a few Would you buy it? Exercising through pregnancy helps with all these things and many more. You need to think about…
MYTHBUSTING: EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY
To all the Mamas and soon-to-be-Mamas out there, how familiar does this sound: “You’re pregnant! Why are you exercising? Is it even safe?” or “Surely you shouldn’t be lifting weights while pregnant?” I’ve worked with many pregnant women over the years, and one thing’s for sure; when you’re pregnant, it seems your life and personal habits are suddenly open for discussion with anyone and everyone – even complete strangers. They mean well. But they may not be attuned to the health and safety guidelines that have advanced since their…