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While pregnancy is not the time to start a vigorous new exercise regime, exercising is highly recommended for the duration of pregnancy and new routines may be started so long as the exerciser is monitored by a professional and begins slowly. There are, however, a few guidelines to take into consideration:
- Always obtain your physician’s, midwife’s or prenatal caretaker’s approval with any pre/postnatal exercises.
- If you have been exercising regularly, it is OK to continue exercising while you are pregnant as long as you have your physician’s approval and the program follows ACOG guidelines. (www.acog.org)
- If you have not been exercising, get your physician’s clearance and seek out an instructor or trainer to help you find the appropriate work out.
Trimester One (0-12 weeks)
Pregnancy hormones affect women immediately. Symptoms such as fatigue, light-headedness, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia (increased heart rate) and breathlessness in this trimester may cause some women to temporarily opt out of exercise while others may need to change the intensity and duration of their training. The really lucky ones feel comfortable to carry on exercising ‘as normal’ which is fine as long as their pregnancy caregivers agree. For most, these symptoms pass and they are able to rejoin class, starting with a low intensity and gradually building up to mainstream intensity again.*
*This advice is consistent with the recommendations of the ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Trimester Two (13-28 weeks)
During this trimester some women experience a new set of challenges during their exercise routine. Common problems and our suggestions to overcome them are listed here: 
- Supine Hypotensive Syndrome - The weight of the uterus (womb) on the main abdominal blood vessel can often lead to fainting or a feeling of faintness when pregnant women are lying on their backs. Lying supine after the 20th gestational week can potentially decrease blood flow to the placenta and baby in utero. If this happens you should turn onto your side and rest. You should also modify exercises to lie on your side, kneel or be on all fours.
- Balance - The increased size of the uterus and increased weight often affects a pregnant woman’s center of gravity. You may need to modify balance work by using walls, beams or bars for support or by placing both feet on the floor for increased balance. You should also stand with feet slightly apart rather than together.
- Postural Hypotension - Standing still for long periods or suddenly changing positions from floor to standing can cause a drop in blood pressure and a feeling of faintness or dizziness. To stop this happening, avoid quick changes in position, especially from lying to standing, and keep your feet moving in standing work.
- Heartburn - The relaxation of the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach causes stomach acid to increase and the feeling of heartburn. To avoid this keep your head and shoulders above your abdomen throughout class and relax in a seated position.
- Diastasis recti - Intense rectus abdominis training (ie core abdominal work when the head is off the ground) after 20 weeks of pregnancy can exaggerate the separation of the linea alba (ie the sheet of fibrous tissues in between the rectus abdominis muscles). While you need to be aware of this it is still important to train the deep abdominal muscles (transversus abdominis and obliques), especially in a slow controlled way, to provide core stability, enhanced posture and pelvic floor strength (ie drawing navel to spine).
Trimester Three (29 weeks – end of pregnancy)
Common difficulties encountered by pregnant women in their final trimester include:
- Joint mobility - The hormone relaxin can be the cause of joint pain at this time. It causes increased laxity in the ligaments, increasing pelvic diameters and the mobility of the symphysis pubis (at the front of the pelvis) and sacroiliac joints (on either side of the sacrum). If you are suffering from symphysis pubis dysfunction you should avoid wide squatting positions and try to keep your pelvis level during exercise.
- Lower back pain - Changes in the center of gravity, increased spinal curves and raised relaxin levels often result in lower back pain. To avoid this try not to put any extra load on the lower back by leaning back. You should also try to keep your pelvis upright and your tail bone tucked under while keeping your deep abdominals engaged, especially in moves like lunges.
Recommendations for pre-natal exercise
BODYVIVE® and BODYFLOW® are excellent exercise options for pregnant women cleared to exercise who have not been active. For those who have been exercising, all the Les Mills programs have options appropriate to your condition that will facilitate continued heart training, muscular endurance, flexibility, and weight maintenance. Consult your instructor for the options you should take as your pregnancy progresses.
Pre-natal tips
- Keep hydrated with frequent sips of water before, during and after class.
- Have small complex carbohydrate snacks before class.
- Stay cool.
- Rest when you need to.
- Hold stretches at a ‘maintenance’ level.
- Choose options for any prone positions, twisting or bending forward.
Recommendations for post-natal exercise
You should get the advice of your physician or qualified caregiver before returning to exercise and then gradually build-up to pre-pregnancy fitness levels. If you have had a caesarian delivery you will probably need a longer recovery period before returning to exercise.
Post-natal tips
- Wear a good supporting bra.
- If you are breastfeeding, feed before class.
- Minimize impact – keep one foot on the ground.
- Choose the options that feel comfortable and achievable.
- Modify exercises if you need to.
- Recognize when your body has had enough.
- STOP if you are in pain and seek advice.
Remember to consult a doctor or qualified caregiver before continuing exercise during pregnancy and/or returning to it afterwards.
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Millennium Park is a beautiful park in downtown Chicago that frequently offers fitness opportunities! This initiative to meet the people in an unintimidating outdoor environment is sheer genius! Relax, try something new, and enjoy the summer weather before you begin your busy weekend.
 This year, Les Mills Midwest is happy to provide the best of the best in presenters to deliver life changing Les Mills experiences to park attendees. The National Trainer Team from North America will lend some outstanding talent. In addition, Les Mills has a team of CHAMPION instructors all our own who will be taking the stage.
Come out to support fitness, SCW and Les Mills Midwest as we endeavor to reach more people through outstanding group fitness opportunities. The talent is world class, the material is life changing, the timing is perfect, the venue is incredible, the reason is compelling, and the motivation should be easy to come by: free fitness in the park!
We look forward to making memories and new fitness disciples as we get our sweat on in this amazing park. There are classes every single Saturday in June at 10 am. And if it dares to rain, we move over to Lakeshore Athletic Club at Illinois Center for an indoor party class! We rock no matter what the Weather Gods permit!
June 6th is for warriors who need to UNLEASH! BODYCOMBAT®
(with Steve Koebcke and Pipere Smith)
June 13th is dedicated to the mind/body connection with BODYFLOW®
(with Jenn Seifert and Rennee Schwartz)
June 20th targets cardio animals in need of BODYATTACK®
(with Laura Wilson and Becca Case)
June 27th will wrap our outdoor adventure with the class that feels like a party: BODYJAM®
(with Laura Wilson and Joey Berman)
Join us once, twice or challenge yourself to make all four AMAZING park classes.
Stay with the fight! |
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Is something holding up your launch? Want to help, but don’t know where to start? Keep reading to discover some strategies to help your club get on the pathway to LIFT OFF!
 Once the program is selected and agreement signed, many owners simply step away from the new program launch. After all, he/she likely will not be teaching it. Do you have enough instructors? Are you having a hard time finding a training? In a region of 11 large states, there are trainings every weekend, but not always close by. So, what’s a licensee to do? Recruit.
The Les Mills Midwest training coordinator can facilitate a training, but then it must “fill” sufficiently in order to come to fruition. Go to existing instructors who have shown interest in expanding their group fitness repertoire. Still not full? Approach free-style instructors who may want to add classes, but not more choreography hours. Personal trainers, other staff members, and even facility patrons are all good places to look for potential instructors. Make your “pitch” simple. “Hey, we have a great training opportunity coming to our own house! You want in?”
It is reasonable to expect any given instructor to only teach 2 classes per week. Carefully consider how you will add the program to your current timetable to ascertain how many instructors you need to train. Generally speaking….80% of trainees will actually become contributing instructors. Therefore, if you think you need 8, then you need to train 10.
Need more help? Contact your Club Coach:
Meg Smith (NE, KS, MN, WI) 402.884.4080 meg.smith@mw.lesmillsusa.com
Laura Wilson (IN, OH, MI) 765.714.6674 laura.wilson@mw.lesmillsusa.com
Jenn Seifert, (IL, MO, ND, SD) 563.386.5633 jenn.seifert@mw.lesmillsusa.com
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NEW TRIBE MEMBERS: MARCH
BRAND NEW CLUBS: Great Lakes Athletic Club Lake Orion, MI joins the tribe by introducing BODYPUMP®!
BODYATTACK®: Lakeshore Sports Club East Lake, OH
BODYCOMBAT®: Endurance Fitness Center Downtown Grand Rapids, MI
 BODYFLOW®: Aspen Athletic-Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids, IA and YMCA North Family Davenport, IA
RPM®: Health Pointe Plaza Cape Girardo, MO and Ozark Fitness-Poplar Bluff Poplar Bluff, MO
BODYSTEP®: Endurance Fitness Center of Holland Holland, MI
CONGRATULATIONS ONE AND ALL….WELCOME TO THE TRIBE!
NEW TRIBE MEMBERS: APRIL
ALL APRIL LAUNCHES WERE FOR BRAND NEW CLUBS! WELCOME!
BODYFLOW®: Generations Yoga Wilmette, IL
BODYPUMP®: Go Workout locations in South and West Lansing, MI; InFIT (Inspiration Fitness) in Albertville, MN; and Gruber Gym in Fort Leavenworth, KS!
RPM® and BODYSTEP®: Go Workout South Lansing and Go Workout West Lansing in Lansing MI
BODYVIVE®: Go Workout South Lansing Lansing, MI
WELCOME NEW LICENSEES... STAY IN THE FIGHT! |
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