Fitness Weight Lifting Mamas Question

jenanns · December 2014

So I had a total hormonal breakdown when my Doc advised agains me squating. There is no specific medical condition for her advising this just that they in general advise all their patients not to squat, lung or deadlift. I LOVE squating it is my joy at the gym and everything I can find online says it is good for helping with labor and delivery, of course online isn't the most reliable source so I am curious what have your doctors/midwives been telling you. I really want to keep squatting, at minimum body weight but more ideally still with some weight but I am also nervous and don't want to risk a healthy baby in any way.

Also just for refrence I used to squat 135 for 8-10 reps at least a set of 3. I have already taken it down to about 95 lbs for 12-15 reps instead...

Lalalady54 · December 2014

You should listen to your doctor. I am high risk so I had to skip lifting for the first tri and now I am allowed to resume normal exercise but I was told I can't lift anything heavier than my toddler (she's 25#s). This is a total bummer when I'm at bodypump at the gym and everyone else is squatting with heavy weight bars but I don't want to harm myself or my baby. I haven't been told no squatting yet this pregnancy but if I can remember correctly from my last pregnancy I wasn't allowed to in third tri but otherwise my doc was ok with it.

melhubbell83 · December 2014

I think that you should be ok. I still work out with weights and do Squats, lung, and deadlift. My doctor told me not to change anything I was doing before I got PG. She also told me that I might want to drop the weight down but keep it up.

Good luck and do what you feel like you can do.

SassyPants150 · December 2014

That's a tough situation for sure since we obviously trust our doctors to make the best decisions for our health.

I have been given the go ahead by my OB and MFM to continue as I have been but I'm also a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. I've taken down a lot especially being twins this time.

The ACOG updates their fitness recommendations pretty often so it's always possible that your doctor is holding onto old information. Similar to doctors continuing to recommend staying at 140bpm heart rate or lower.

I did a prenatal fitness continuing education course about two months ago that was the last updated info from the ACOG and they actually encouraged body weight squats especially the "wrong" ones (think knees in front of toes, butt almost touching the ground) as it's a good position to strengthen for labor.

However, as a personal trainer I require a medical release from each client and especially while pregnant. I'm in the camp of it's always best to listen to your doctor.

There's also plenty of non super fitness moves that you can do too. If you look up modifications for squats and lunges you will find lots of options. With the loosening of our joints at this time it is very easy to overdo it on squats and lunges since we suddenly have more flexibility even though our joints and muscles aren't ready for it. I have been doing much less lunges because it aggravates my hip joints from the motion these days.

Good luck!

DawnLilly · December 2014

UO doctors aren't always right. They have their own personal preferences that may not match up with the other doctors in the practice. Some doctors are still stuck in the pregnant women should only walk and swim era.

One of the doctors in my office is older and not VBAC friendly. The other three are very pro VBAC. I also know he recommends very low activity while one of the other doctors is cross fitter and worked out her entire pregnancy.

Listen to your body. Modify and drop weight when you need to and do squat variations that are difficult enough with out weight like pistol squats. Also, see if you can make an appointment with a different doctor for your next regular and see where they stand.

jenanns · December 2014

Thanks ladies

I am not high risk and have no reason for concern yet they advise not to regardless of the individual circumstances.

I will be asking the next doctor I see in the practice for sure.

I have been doing this type of weight lifting for years and have always been cautions of form etc since DH is a personal trainer (though he doesn't train pregnant ladies). I was also once certified as a body pump instructor so I am not new at it.

Snapdragon750 · December 2014

My sister is a personal trainer, and she told me several times that I should start lifting before I got pregnant, because then I could continue after I became pregnant, whereas a women inexperienced with those exercises should not start while pregnant. I'm going to throw out a guess that your doctor gives this recommendation to all of his patients without considering their activity level pre-pregnancy.

That said, I'd be hesitant to go against my doctor's orders, especially in a "better safe than sorry" scenario like this one. I really can't see any possible problem with body weight squats, though! I remember trying to squat during labor because it was supposed to be a really good way to push, and I just didn't have the strength to do it. I'd expect squats would be an amazing pregnancy workout (and the pregnancy books say so!). So this advice is weird to me. I'll ask my sister what she thinks.

lgsdesigner · December 2014

I still do the same lifting routine, except I cut my weight down by 75% and don't do any exercises that require you to lay on your back, and no ab workouts.

I do squats, Romanian deadlifts only, lunges, leg extensions, leg presses (not the incline kind), calve raises, etc.

I used to do 200lb squats, and now I do 50lbs.

For any arm-related exercised, I used to do 100lbs, and now I do 30lbs.

Is there a special medical reason as to why your doc is telling you no squats or deads??

lgsdesigner · December 2014

jenanns said:

I have been doing this type of weight lifting for years

In that case-- I am not understanding the issue here. If your body is already used to lifting, then it won't harm your child or you.

jenanns · December 2014

lgsdesigner said:

I still do the same lifting routine, except I cut my weight down by 75% and don't do any exercises that require you to lay on your back, and no ab workouts.

I do squats, Romanian deadlifts only, lunges, leg extensions, leg presses (not the incline kind), calve raises, etc.

I used to do 200lb squats, and now I do 50lbs.
For any arm-related exercised, I used to do 100lbs, and now I do 30lbs.

Is there a special medical reason as to why your doc is telling you no squats or deads??

Nope no medical reason just they tell all pregnant women not to. She said that research shows that your putting pressure on your pelvic floor and that is bad but squating also strengthens your pelvic floor so that doesn't really make sense to me. I have read not to squat after 30 wks if baby is breach but everything else suggests its fine I just hate to go against reccomendations of my doctor even if I don't agree...

lgsdesigner · December 2014

jerica14 said:

lgsdesigner said:

I still do the same lifting routine, except I cut my weight down by 75% and don't do any exercises that require you to lay on your back, and no ab workouts.

I do squats, Romanian deadlifts only, lunges, leg extensions, leg presses (not the incline kind), calve raises, etc.

I used to do 200lb squats, and now I do 50lbs.
For any arm-related exercised, I used to do 100lbs, and now I do 30lbs.

Is there a special medical reason as to why your doc is telling you no squats or deads??

That is a big drop.... My doctor said that her motto when it comes to this is "maintain, don't gain". I haven't cut back my weight that much (did so only because I didn't make the gym for a while so lost some strength) and I still do exercises on my back (but I make sure as soon as I'm done, I'm back up) and do abs.

What arm exercises were doing with 100 pounds?? Holy crap woman!! I guess I need to take lessons from you! ) The heaviest I got on the smith machine with bicep curls was 90 pds for about 6 reps.

I was specifically advised no more than 50lbs. But...I had two children preterm (was on bedrest) so I have a bit of restriction on me.

100 lb- Bent over rows, curls with a barbell and overhead presses. I don't mess around!

Oh-- and I don't do ab exercises because a while back I did them, and had a miscarriage. I blame it partially on that, but who knows if that was the real reason it happened.

jenanns · December 2014

@sassypants150 I looked some things up related to the ACOG reccomendations and that makes me feel a lot better as it is a more reputable source.

I feel like since other doctors and midwives are not telling you all not to quit squatting etc and that the ACOG does not say anything against it that I should probably be ok. I think I will just lower my weight a bit more and listen to my body.

Thanks everyone for the input.

awoo22 · December 2014

I told my doctor that I wanted to continue lifting heavy and she said not to... that I should be doing weight training but nothing more than 30 pounds. I'm assuming she meant total weight?? It seems kind of nuts because I told her I was working out with weights well before I found out I was pregnant. Maybe my doctor is old school...

bscurt · December 2014

Hi! I'm a pregnant Olympic weightlifter and had one doctor tell me to do nothing but brisk walking. Even though I'm complety fine and baby is healthy. I felt so odd and like the doctor wasn't answering my questions or giving me straight answers so I sought the advice of two different doctors...all which said to continue my normal routine at a modified pace and weight. Maybe see a different doctor? If you're not getting straight answers, it may be best. I hated feeling left in the dark by my first OB.

MyBell524 · December 2014

I'll be 19weeks on saturday and ive been squating and deadlifting throughout my entire pregnancy. I did go lighter, but my midwife said it was fine if I was doing it before pregnancy. Squating was actually a move listed in the reccomended workouts section of the health packet the midwifery clinic gave me! Its great in preparing ur body for labor

ptalati007 · December 2014

Hi! Weight lifting is fine. So is squatting. My doc told me I can squat but can't go all the way down. And don't use more than 25lbs. Less weight but more rep. Hope this helped!

michell282 · December 2014

I pretty much agree with most of these posts. I would continue what you were doing pre-preggo just modify weights and movements as needed. I'm a certified CrossFit trainer and cross fitted thru my entire first pregnancy, squats, deadlifts and all. I did go into labor 3 weeks early so will probably scale back around 32 weeks this time. For this pregnancy I've cut my weights back pretty significantly depending on the exercise. I don't deadlift or squat more than 115 lbs, and most of the time stick somewhere between 65 and 95lb for a workout. My previous deadlift 1rm was 265 and back squat was 220. Listen to your body (and maybe see another doctor)! Happy exercising!

Nbordenca · December 2014

As long as you have been squatting before you are able to during! I have had a bunch of clients and myself squat through the whole pregnancy. Weights can get scaled back but some women even PRd! If you feel more comfortable with it just switch to box squats to make sure your not going to deep. But it's completely safe! Don't listen to people who don't know what they are talking about!

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