Pregnancy and Powerlifting

mlmattox

I power lift (not competitive) or I did until I got pregnant. I stopped until I was able to speak with my doctor about. He said I should be fine just stay with the weights I was currently using. I'm a 350 lb squatter & a 300 pound deadlifter. Now, I'm 13 weeks and find myself not able to use those weights because of the belly I'm developing and the inability to wear a belt for back support now. How are the other strong mama's dealing? It was a major hit to my ego and just made me feel so terrible because my powerlifting is winding away and of course, my Thai boxing is also completely out of the question. I find myself so miserable and upset because I can't do the thing that makes me happiest and I just don't know if there is a way to work around it or how to just take a breath and realize I will just have to make that hard climb again.

TheThornBird

Woo-hoo, another lifter!

An old coach of mine used to train many pregnant women; he said usually they have to scale back the weight and widen their stance, but treat it like any other re-set and just slowly build the weight back up. I've heard of women PR-ing while pregnant, even though they have to take a ton of weight off at first. 

But yes, it is frustrating. I had my entire year planned out with goals I wanted to hit and events I wanted to do. Even though I won't be able to do a lot of what I wanted, I'm trying to not put my life on hold for the next 7 months, even if it means slower progress. Plus, I figure with lighter weights, I can really work on my form. 

How about bodyweight exercises? I'm doing a ton of pull-ups and push-ups. I figure my weight gain will be a great opportunity to practice "weighted" pull-ups, ha. 

mindaa

So, I'm not a lifter, but have been into other sports for 10-15 years that are a major part of my lifestyle/identity/marriage.

Anyway, during the first trimester especially, you're processing a major life change under the influence of lots of hormones. So you're going to deal with a lot of these emotions, and it's totally normal. (so don't get down on yourself for having feelings, that just makes it worse). I'm well into the 3rd trimester now and working out is uncomfortable and not very enjoyable, and I've just resigned myself to that fact, but I'm in a much better place emotionally, so it's not as big a deal..

A couple things I've tried to focus on:

1. Stay in the moment. There is literally a miracle going on in my body right now. That's really cool. I want to savor and enjoy this experience, not resent it or take it for granted, just because of the limitations it puts on me.This is a different phase in my life where I'm going to slow down, be kind to myself and maybe do some new things.

2. This change is temporary, I'm not suffering from a chronic illness or injury (knowing friends who are, ensures I don't get whiny). Once this passes (and it will, even if it takes time and effort), I'm blessed with a body that will still be healthy, strong and capable of returning to it's previously athletic state.

m6tonner

I'm in my first trimester, and struggling with the ego of my working sets now being lighter than my warm up sets used to be. We aren't ready to tell people (other than my gym owner) yet, and I'm dodging a lottttt of "hey put some weight on that bar!" comments daily. But the way I see it, is this is by far the most challenging thing I will ever ask my body to perform, and I've got to make the changes elsewhere to ensure the success of this pregnancy, and being able to hold this baby in my arms. It's all about prioritizing.

vintagevice

I'm only 7 weeks pregnant after 7 years TTC. I completely stopped powerlifting until a Dr. tells me it's ok. I know my ego will get in the way if I step in that gym. So hard to not do the thing I love, but it's worth it to protect the miracle growing inside of me.

That being said, I can't wait to get the ok to workout!

KadzoKimbia

I'm not s powerlifter but do know that there are belts out there that should accommodate your belly. I'm not certain if it will provide all the support you are needing, but I needed one with my last pregnancy to run bc I had to per ever 19 steps!

sdnyc99

I'm not a lifter, but I am a marathon runner. And I know how you're feeling. I feel the same in a lot of ways. I love running and it's a huge part of my identity. So many of my friendships come from my running community. My marathon times were getting faster and I was ready to attempt to Boston qualify because my speed was really coming together. It makes me so happy and is a huge stress relief. And then...BAM! Pregnancy.

Even though it was planned and we're thrilled about it, I'm so pissed off and slightly depressed about the loss of this part of my life, even temporarily. I'm still running, but slower and less. My doctor is very supportive of my running but I just can't run fast right now.

I think all the points one of the previous posters made are valid. And of course the outcome will all be worth it in the end. But I'm still angry and annoyed about it all! And I'm allowed to be.

katiegaribay

I do crossfit and I find that it helps me keep my energy up. It is hard to not PR when I feel good doing my workouts. I noticed that so far my weights have barely decreased but the intensity in the WODs has slowed down because I get very short of breath. I am currently 14 weeks along. Hoping to maintain activity throughout my pregnancy because I am very weight conscious. Good luck

jmomof4

I don't power lift but I lift and run. I'm also a spin junkie and I love yoga. I've noticed that at 17 weeks my energy has finally picked up a bit and while I've backed off weights by about 10%, I'm not feeling so sluggish. My goal is just to maintain workout frequency regardless of the weight I can lift that day. I'm finally getting over the "not lifting for PR and the adrenaline rush" blues... Focusing on lifting for a healthy delivery! Hugs! You aren't alone..

SquirrelGiggles83

I've only been lifting for a few months. I participate in a semi-cross fit program at my local gym. Having never been a very fit person in the past, I've loved being able to prove to myself the things that I can do. Now, I have to scale back on my conditioning intensity/times... And I've gone with lighter weight/more reps on my strength moves to try use the opportunity to tone muscles before the baby "pops". The only problem is that my arms get tired so quickly these days - I'm only 6w and in the midst of the initial exhaustion - but swear it took me almost 7 minutes to do 100 push ups the other day. Oy!