I'm not pregnant but I was looking for a class that would be easy on the tummy area, so I decided to give this a try. It certainly was not easy on the tummy, it focuses on the tummy! It was pleasently challenging/relaxing. I will recommend it to my pregnant friends. Thanks!
Sorry for the late response. No, this class is not so easy on the abdominals, but it does give exercises to work and even challenge the abdominal muscles without going into the ranges of motion that are unsafe for pregnant women. I am glad that you enjoyed it though!!
Hi Leah, I really enjoyed your class and am currently 21 weeks pregnant. I also teach pilates, but admittedly have little experience with pre-natal pilates, so I was wondering if you can reiterate for me what abdominal muscles (or specific movements) are not safe to work during pregnancy. Thank you for a great class and for your feedback.
It is generally recommended that during pregnancy abdominal exercises should focus on the TA (transverse abdominus) and the obliques with a de-emphasis on the rectus abdominus. Now, will you use the rectus in some exercises? Of course, but it is how we are using the rectus that matters.
During pregnancy the abdominal muscles are stretched to their maximum, and at the center of it all is the rectus abdominus. There is a connective tissue called the linea alba that connects the rectus from either side of the trunk and runs down the midline of the abdomen.
When we perform abdominal exercises as they are traditionally done in Pilates (trunk flexion in the Hundred or Chest Lift), the expanded uterus, which is already placing pressure on the abdominals, in combination with "weighted" forward flexion can exacerbate that pressure causing more stress on the rectus and linea alba, which can lead to a complete or severe separation of the rectus muscle from the linea alba. This is called a diastasis recti. Although a mild case of diastasis recti is normal during pregnancy - a severe case can not only lead to undesired aesthetics, but more importantly it may disrupt the functionality of the muscles post-partum.
In my classes, I show some safe ways to perform abdominal exercises. For example, instead of doing the Chest Lift - you can perform a seated Pelvic tuck/roll back. This was one of favorite exercises during my pregnancy because it helped to stretch out my lower back and it safely worked my abdominals and pelvic floor muscles with an emphasis on the TA. I would recommend that you avoid flexion in the traditional sense. You however continue to enjoy rotation (Spine Twist Sitting), lateral flexion (Side Leg Lifts) and stabilization exercises (Planks, Cat Stretch).
I hope that this helps. If you have anymore questions do not hesitate to ask.
Hi Lea. Great class. I am 16 weeks pregnant and really felt the benefit of this workout. May I ask why do you concentrate on working the obliques during pregnancy? Is it because they stabilize the pelvis?
Yes, the internal obliques along with the TA are deep stabilizers of the trunk and pelvis. We emphasis TA and oblique work during pregnancy not only because they are safe muscles to use during pregnancy - meaning that there are no contraindications - but also because they will help immensely during labor and recovery. I hope that you enjoy the series of classes during your pregnancy and congratulations!