Five Fun Exercises for Pregnant Women

Five Fun Exercises for Pregnant Women
Regular exercise has a number of benefits, especially for
pregnant women. In particular it can help prepare and
condition your body for the additional stress that
pregnancy will cause. In this article I outline 5 exercise
suggestions for pregnant women.

Before you begin exercising you should calculate your
target heart rate. To do this you first need to determine
your maximum heart rate. One way to do this is using the
formula:

- MHR = 220 - Age

Your target heart rate will then be 60%-65% of your maximum
heart rate. So if you are 40 your maximum heart rate will
be around 180 beats per minute (BPM) and your target heart
rate will be between 109 BPM and 117 BPM. Once you have
determined your target heart rate, try to stay within it.
This will ensure that you don't over exert yourself.

After you have performed the above heart rate calculations
you can move onto the actual exercise. As promised here
are the 5 exercises for pregnant women:

1) TAKE A DAILY BRISK WALK:- Walking is a good exercise
which can be performed within your comfort zone. Make sure
you wear comfortable shoes and monitor the distance you
have covered.

2) YOGA:- Yoga allow you to relieve the stress, anxiety and
worries associated with pregnancy. If you feel at any time
you have overdone it when practicing yoga consult your
doctor.

3) SWIMMING:- Swimming is another great way to exercise
without placing undue strain on your body. It can help
reduce the pain and pressure associated with pregnancy and
is one of the best possible exercises during the third
trimester.

4) PILATES:- Pilates can help strengthen the abdominal,
back and pelvic muscles which in turn supports more
comfortable pregnancies. Pilates is also a popular
exercise with new mothers because it helps them get their
figure back.

5) WEIGHT TRAINING:- Weight training is a good exercise for
pregnant women provided it is performed in moderation and
light weights are used. The benefits can include more
energy and reduced leg cramps.

If you decide to continue exercising when pregnant also
make sure to take the following into account so that you do
not over exert yourself:

- Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of rest.

- Try not to exercise when it is hot and humid as it will
increase your core temperature.

- Do not exercise when you are sick.

- Make sure that you warm up five minutes before you
exercise.

I hope this article gives you some ideas if you want to
carry on exercising when pregnant. Keeping up your
exercise routine will make you feel better, maintain your
existing fitness levels and prepare your body for the
additional strains and stress caused by pregnancy. Before
beginning any exercise routine you are advised to consult
your obstetrician and/or gynaecologist to determine which
exercises are safest at each point of your pregnancy.
However, as long as you follow the advice given you can
formulate a fun, fitness routine to keep you active whilst
pregnant.

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