Pregnancy exercise Hobart – want to exercise in water? Here are Jo’s top 3 tips
In Hobart we have regular ante natal aqua classes on offer but if attending a class does not suit here are 3 ideas to get you moving. If you are pregnant you will really benefit from exercise in water because it is low impact, keeps your body temperature cool and your heart rate lower than equivalent exercise on land. These are all important factors during the pregnancy for mother and baby alike. Frequently I get ladies that attend my ante natal classes at Hobart Aquatic Centre who want to do more than 1 class a week so here are my top 3 tips for exercising in the pool at all stages of pregnancy.
- Lunge walking – keep your torso upright and use breastroke arms, heels down and lunge walk the same as you do on land. Try this forwards and backwards, dropping your shoulders under the water as you lunge walk.
- Swimming – generally freestyle and backstroke are fine, and sidestroke. I highly recommend you mix up the strokes and not do too much on your front, as the weight of the belly can often lead to a sway back posture. Breastroke is often not recommended if there is any issues with pelvic pain. Be mindful of how you enter and exit the pool as getting up a vertical ladder can be harder than expected.
- Deep or shallow water running – both are safe and effective for maintaining fitness during your pregnancy. If you are not comfortable using a deep water belt use a noodle to sit on like a horse – you will need additional buoyancy to maintain correct body alignment – don’t tip forward from the hips – this not only switches off the abs but it is not a functional posture to exercise with. In the shallow remember to run heels down to the bottom of the pool.
There are other reasons for heading to the pool to exercise while pregnant such as:
- the deepness of the water will help to eliminate a build up of fluid in the body,
- it will help generally with circulation and blood pressure as well as
- all the wonderful mental health benefits that exercise offers.
- It’s inexpensive, flexible and effective!
So I hope to see you at the pool during your pregnancy exercising in a range of ways.
Jo Cordell-Cooper runs the double award winning Jo CC Holistic PT in Hobart, Tasmania. She specialised in women, and has many clients who have had difficult birth experiences.
