Pregnancy exercises

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Updated: January 20, 2011 6:10AM

For exercise, pregnant women sure can get some seemingly confusing advice.

Mamas-to-be are encouraged to stay active, but not do too much. So what does that mean, and what’s OK and what isn’t?

A great chunk of that answer lies in your fitness level at the time you got pregnant — if you were a regular runner, for example, and your doctor clears you to keep running, then you can run.

Before undertaking any exercise, however, always get some guidance from your obstetrician.

There are a number of workout DVDs aimed toward pregnant women, fortunately, that offer exercise programs created just for pregnant women. But even these can vary widely — some are very conservative with how much exertion a pregnant woman should make, others more challenging — and it’s hard to know which one is right for you.

I’m just starting the third trimester of my pregnancy, my third child. I’ve found four great DVDs that have come out in the last few years that are worth the money and the burn — you’ll get a great workout but one geared for your blossoming body!

Strength & cardio

“Complete Pregnancy Fitness with Erin O’Brien” ($13.99, amazon.com )

A very pregnant O’Brien offers a 40-minute workout that will leave you sweating and your muscles burning — but at very doable levels for pregnancy.

O’Brien’s no-frills, easy to follow workout is split into sections that include heartrate-raising cardio, strength using body resistance and floor work.

Since I still run and do yoga every week, I found this DVD a good option for a pregnant woman who already has a good fitness level, though it certainly could be done by women of multiple fitness levels.

Pilates

“10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates” ($8.99, amazon.com)

Prenatal Pilates closely follows a lot of classic Pilates mat exercises you’ll find in Pilates mat classics, but with modifications.

Instructor Lizbeth Garcia, who is hugely pregnant in this DVD, takes you through five 10-minute segments for buns & thighs; core work, flexibility; “standing” Pilates with weights, and an overall body segment.

It was refreshing to get good core work in that also is safe for pregnant ladies, since we get a lot of mixed advice on this: we’re told we can’t do a lot of traditional core work, and yet we need to keep our core muscles strong for delivery and beyond.

This was by far the best pregnancy workout I’ve found for the core, outside of pre-natal yoga classes. And holy cow, this DVD is a workout!

I got warmed up pretty quickly and felt my muscles burn from lots of squats as well as working with weights, even just three-pound weights. The DVD sometimes moves a bit fast, so keep your DVD remote close by to pause it as you need to set up for the next set of exercises. Prenatal Pilates also offers a post-natal workout.

Yoga

“Element: Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga” ($9.99, target.com)

Element’s pre-natal yoga is great for both women new to yoga as well as those who practice it already. It makes you work and doesn’t baby you just because you’re pregnant, which I respect in a good yoga practice!

Basically, instructor Elena Brower takes classic yoga poses that pregnant ladies can do during a 30-minute segment and puts them together with little need for pregnancy-related modification. There are a lot of standing poses, such as warrior, triangle, lunges, squats, that will have your core, tush and legs working hard, helping you strengthen and firm that bottom half.

The top half of the body works, too, with downward-facing dog and plank poses. I liked that this DVD is challenging but also contains a lot of poses that allow you to gently stretch out your body — so necessary as we get bigger through pregnancy.

In addition to this 30-minute pre-natal segment, “Element” offers a post-natal yoga workout that will be helpful in rebuilding strength and flexibility after baby arrives.

“Prenatal Yoga with Shiva Rea” ($15.98, gaiam.com)

Shiva Rea is a flowing, breathy yoga goddess who is kind of intimidating in her non-pregnancy DVDs, but in a good way.

Her prenatal yoga DVD was a workout staple during my last pregnancy and is one of my go-to DVDs during my current pregnancy. She does a great job with two co-instructors in each stage of pregnancy to provide recommended poses and modifications.

My back always aches less after an hour with Shiva Rea. You’ll do standing poses, seated poses and get a nice “final relaxation” at the end that will leave you feeling less tired and tense and more relaxed yet energetic.