What exercises can I do if I’m pregnant

During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes major changes, especially in the cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. Physical exercise and sport can have a positive impact on the health of the mother and baby, but precautions must be taken to avoid risks. Below, our physiotherapist David Peralta offers you some keys.

Benefits of sport during pregnancy

Physical exercise is essential to staying healthy throughout life, including during pregnancy. Some of the benefits that sport can bring are:

• Strengthens muscles and relieves back pain.
• It prevents the deterioration of the joints.
• It releases stress and anxiety.
• It prepares your body for childbirth and contributes to a faster recovery.
• You can avoid complications such as preeclampsia (high blood pressure that can lead to kidney damage) or gestational diabetes.

Some risks to avoid

Remember that pregnancy is a delicate stage for your body, so there are some risks and contraindicated activities that you should be aware of:

• When exercising, it reduces the maximum heart rate by 70%.
• Avoid balance exercises, static positions, abrupt changes and contact sports.
• Limits large-scale movements because they may increase the risk of dislocations and sprains.

Perform a full check-up

When you find out you’re pregnant, it’s critical to do a thorough checkup to determine your current physical condition. It’s important to tell your specialist if this is your first pregnancy and if you played any sports before.

If you haven’t had any kind of physical activity before, starting exercise can be a high risk for both you and your baby. In these cases, it is best to delay physical activity until the second semester.

If, on the other hand, you already had an exercise routine, it is advisable to maintain the level of activity. Even so, during the first and third quarters, impact activities should be reduced.

Design a personalized workout plan with a professional

When designing a sports plan for your pregnancy, it’s best to have the help of a coach or professional to tailor the exercises to your personal needs and goals and make sure they don’t pose any risk to you or your baby. Training should also be supervised.

Below, we share some ideas for routines so you can get inspired..

• Cardio Routine

In a cardio routine, priority should be given to exercises that activate the heart and the cardiorespiratory system, as this way more blood is distributed to the muscles. A good workout might have the following components:

• 5 minutes of rowing ergometer.
• 10 minutes of static bike.
• 15 minutes on the treadmill. During the first trimester, it’s best to just walk.

You can also do workouts in the pool, both swimming and aquafit.

• Strength Routine

A strength routine seeks greater muscle activation and strengthening of the whole body. During pregnancy, it is advisable to plan training on the strength machines, where it is easier to control the posture, the technique and that the load is appropriate. The most recommended exercises are:

• Leg press
• Remo
• Dorsal pitch
• Extension of quadriceps
• Chest press

You can also include TRX workouts based on your own body weight.

• Body Mind Routine



Body Mind routines aim to reduce stress levels and stabilize the back. Here are some exercises you can practice while pregnant:

With his back resting on a mat, he raises his legs. 

To move the spine, alternate between the positions of the cat (on all fours, arch his back and look up) and the camel (on all fours, arch his back and look down).

Practice the bird-dog postures: starting from a four-legged posture, stretch the right arm and the left leg at the same time; return to the initial posture, then stretch the left arm and the right leg.

Practice the side plates. If it gets hard, you can rest your lower knee on a mat.

Also, remember that you can attend Healthy Back, Pilates and Yoga classes. To do this, inform the instructor in advance so that he or she can adjust the training to your needs.

With this guide and the accompaniment of a professional you will be able to exercise while pregnant in a healthy and safe way for you and your baby.