Strength Training During Pregnancy

As a movement practitioner, I often come across a lot of myths and misinformation about exercise, especially when it comes to pregnant women. The latest issue I’ve run into is about strength training during pregnancy. I felt the need to write this blog after hearing a frustrating story from a new client. Her GP told her to stop weight training after eight weeks of pregnancy, without giving her any explanation or guidance, which left her feeling unsure and worried about how to keep up her fitness routine safely. On top of that, the gym she regularly went to gave her a list of machines they said she couldn’t use and suggested she shouldn’t lift more than 15kg. When she talked to the gym staff about it, they just assumed she would cancel her membership now that she’s pregnant, thinking she wouldn’t be using the gym anymore. My client went from working out 4-5 times a week to feeling confused and thinking that exercise is harmful during pregnancy. 

This experience really shows a big problem: many pregnant women aren’t getting the right advice on how to keep exercising safely. We need to challenge these old-fashioned ideas and give expectant moms the right information and support they need. Exercising during pregnancy, including strength training, can have a lot of benefits when done safely. By making sure women get good advice, we can help them to continue to move throughout their pregnancy and beyond. 

So, is lifting weights during pregnancy safe…?

Absolutely! Just remember, every pregnancy is different, so it’s important to get guidance from a movement professional. For some moms-to-be with complicated or high-risk pregnancies, strength training might not be the best choice. But for most, it’s perfectly safe, and it won’t “harm your pelvic floor” as long as you’re mindful of pelvic floor function, breathing strategies, and proper movement patterns. In fact, it’s actually recommended that you maintain your pre-pregnancy physical activity levels, so long as you feel comfortable, the exercise is achievable for your needs, and there is low risk of injury (i.e. injury risk coming from contact sports, potential to fall from heights, etc). 

As Women’s Health Exercise Physiologists, we focus not only on teaching you how to lift safely during this time, we also provide you exercise that is beneficial for pregnancy, labour/delivery and postpartum recovery. We’ll help you understand what your pelvic floor is, its role during pregnancy, and how it connects with your breathing and pelvis position.