Pregnancy workouts: Experts say yes to core strength, no to heavy lifting & unsafe moves
Celebrities like Masaba Gupta, Anushka Sharma, and Deepika Padukone have shared their pregnancy fitness routines, inspiring many. But experts warn that workouts should be customised, beginners must avoid intense exercises, always consult doctors, and focus on core strength.
Social media often paints an inspiring picture of pregnancy fitness. Masaba Gupta¡¯s recent post about working out during pregnancy, showing her on a treadmill, stretching, and doing sit-ups showcases her strength and self-care. But she¡¯s not the first to do so. In 2020, Anushka Sharma shared a picture of herself doing a headstand with Virat Kohli¡¯s support, proving that pregnancy doesn¡¯t have to mean giving up fitness. More recently, Deepika Padukone¡¯s trainer revealed that the actress stayed committed to yoga and exercise during her pregnancy, ensuring both her body and mind remained strong. These posts make fitness during pregnancy look effortless. But, every pregnancy is different, and what works for one person may not be safe for another.
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While working out during pregnancy can boost energy, improve mood, and aid in postpartum recovery, it must be done with proper guidance.
Indiatimes speaks to fitness experts and doctors across the country and here¡¯s what they said.
¡°I think it is very important to start with proper nutrition and it also depends on if they are doing it for the first time. A pregnant woman can do a lot of exercises keeping the core in focus and not putting a lot of pressure on the belly. They can do plank and hip thrusters. They should avoid lifting heavy weights and focus on getting their legs stronger. The major focus should be on strengthening their body so that when they deliver the baby they can start their workout and come back in good shape¡± Prashant Sawant, a bollywood fitness trainer who has trained celebrities like: Srk, Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan in Mumbai told Indiatimes.
He said that expected ladies must be eating the amount of calories suggested by their gynecologist and they must not do a lot of bending forward exercises.
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Why beginners must be extra careful
¡°It is very usual and normal whatever your body is used to one can do and keep on doing it till nine months like running, jogging, lunging, playing tennis or doing shirshasana everything is absolutely fine if one is used to it. The guidance of a professional trainer throughout the nine months is extremely important¡± said Ruju Desai another fitness expert from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
¡°Shirshasana, headstand, yoga, headstand was done by Anushka Sharma while she was expecting, but it is important to note that her body was used to it and she was not a beginner¡± added Desai.
The type and intensity of workouts depend on an individual¡¯s medical history, fitness levels, and pregnancy complications. Over-exertion, incorrect postures, or high-impact exercises can be risky. Stretching and walking may be safe for most, but activities like headstands or weight training need supervision.
Pregnancy workouts should be doctor-approved
¡°Just because you see someone doing it doesn't mean that you can go ahead and do it because you may have complications. Only your doctor knows the history and the complications, especially the first trimester. So it's extremely important to be under supervision if you're an absolute beginner¡± said Sonali Swami, an international athlete and coach and an Asian bronze medalist from Bengaluru.
¡°If somebody has been training for quite some time then they can very well go ahead and continue as long as again there are no complications and they have a thorough knowledge or they're training under a knowledgeable trainer. If it's their first trimester they have to be extremely careful and ensure that they keep to low intensity workouts. Warm-up is extremely crucial and hence they must thoroughly ensure warming up their body before proceeding further with exercises. These exercises can include simple shoulder rotations to a gentle stretching, depending upon the kind of pregnancy. ¡± added Swami.
Pregnancy workouts should never be about keeping up with celebrities but about what feels right for the body.
¡°It is ok for women to exercise during pregnancy as it makes their joints stronger, improves their blood circulation and works on one¡¯s backache making the woman feel happy. The exercise of a non pregnant woman is different from that of a pregnant woman, these instructions must only be followed if it is a safer pregnancy and does not have any complications¡± said Dr Chandrima Dasgupta, a gynaecologist who practices in private hospitals of Kolkata.
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¡°The exercises must be allowed by the gynecologist. One must refrain from doing exercises which involve lying on their back for a long period of time after 16 weeks of pregnancy as a pregnant uterus puts pressure on the blood vessels which can compromise with the circulation towards the baby¡± added Dr Dasgupta.
¡°Every woman's body is totally different and hence the results would differ from person to person. However exercising during pregnancy can help with weight check, mood swings besides giving women the strength to push during delivery¡± said Yash Agarwal, a fitness consultant from Kolkata who has in the past trained Karanvir Bohra, Neha Bijlani and others.
Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
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