Question about second trimester workouts

luckyholly

 I am 21 weeks and I have a bump, but its not huge, I have always pushed and worked out hard, butr am trying to tone in down a bit. I"ve found my self nervouse while working out latley. I have been doing crunches and sit-ups (as usual). But a friend told me and I read that I shouldn't be lying on my back. I read that this is b/c our uterus block O2 flow to our lil babies. I have a trainer, but she is a friend and has always trained athletes, never prenatal workouts. Thoughts on intensity during working out, and being on your back.

AmandaP678

yea your 2nd and 3rd tri you shouldnt lay on your back for long and I've always been told no abs when pregnant too. i forget why,

blu-eyedwife

I feel like your body lets you know when you need to cut back on intensity- I know mine did! (and sine days are better than others). As far as lying on your back, I use a couple pillows to prop me up at an angle and do core with that way. I also do standing core work and side planks for less back stress. I think it's good to keep up the core strength so you have less back problems as you start carrying more in your front.

blushingbride_08

That's right..no lying flat on your back after the 1st trimester.  If your trainer didn't tell you this, I would change trainers. 

BostonGayGal

blushingbride_08:

That's right..no lying flat on your back after the 1st trimester.  If your trainer didn't tell you this, I would change trainers. 

My midwives have said that you should stop lying on your back when you feel uncomfortable. When the weight of your uterus affects your blood supply, you will know it. You might get pins and needles, or a tingling, or just a weird feeling in your legs. 

I stopped doing crunches @15 weeks, but still do other ab workouts - planks, side planks, oblique work, and such. 

Karmalife

Without a doubt you do not want to be doing supine exercises while pregnant and your trainer should know that.

As for intensity, I would use your body as a guide. In my 2nd trimester I was doing from 1 hour 15min, to 1 hour and 45 minutes of cardio and weights. I never pushed myself to the limit and I felt comfortable 100% of the time, otherwise I wouldn't have done it. I didn't lift as much weight as before and tweaked each exercise according to how I felt (lighter weights or lower reps).

Oh, and I stopped doing crunches as well as I found them uncomfortable. You can find alternative core exercises like planks..

hikerbeth

I did abs on an inclined bench or a ball after I hit about 17 weeks.