Are Pilates Classes Safe If You Are Pregnant?

1. Are Pilates Classes Safe If You Are Pregnant? One of the things women ask their doctors when they find out they are pregnant is if they can still continue doing exercise. Generally speaking, the answer is yes, and one of the exercises often recommended by doctors are Pilates classes. Pilates is low-impact, movements are done in a controlled manner, and the exercises can be modified to meet the needs of pregnant women, provided that their doctor has given the go-signal for doing exercise. Benefits pregnant women get from doing Pilates As your baby grows, the muscles in your stomach and pelvic floor experience increasing strain over the course of your pregnancy. The stomach muscles also gets weak from being stretched, causing the muscles on the back to get overworked. Meanwhile, the pelvic floor muscles moves lower and lower into the pelvis because of the baby's weight, further weakening these muscles and making them harder to squeeze. Pregnant women notice that they experience incontinence especially when they sneeze because of this. Pilates exercises targets exactly these areas of the body - stomach muscles, back muscles, and pelvic floor - without causing strain on the joints, which is why it is one of the exercises recommended for pregnant women. Doing Pilates regularly will develop the strength in the stomach needed to stabilise the back muscles. In addition, the Pilates exercises that are performed when you are on your hands and knees takes

2. further relieves your back and pelvis. Exercises performed in this position also helps ease the baby into the proper position prior to birth. Things to consider when doing Pilates while pregnant As mentioned, Pilates is generally safe to perform during pregnancy but there are things to bear in mind because your body is changing. One of these things is that your ligaments are more pliable due to relaxin, a hormone your body produces in increased amounts during pregnancy. As a result, there is a risk of getting injured from overstretching. It is also possible to put too much strain on your stomach muscles when you overdo the exercises. As in all things, moderation is key. Another piece of advice when doing Pilates classes Melbourne instructors want pregnant women to take note of is that their sense of balance will definitely not be the same as the stomach gets bigger and bigger. Thus, be extra mindful and move really carefully especially when getting up or down on the mat or when using a balance ball. Group classes vs private classes Even if you have already been doing Pilates for years prior to getting pregnant, you will find that as your pregnancy progresses, the pace of your regular group class might be too much for you. Some of the positions should also be avoided such as those that require you to lie on your stomach or balancing on one leg. For safety concerns, it is best then to look into Pilates classes or instructors that cater specifically to pregnant women. You can look for instructors who have had further training on handling pregnant clients on top of their Pilates instructor course Melbourne studios will most likely have one. If none is available in your area, another option would be to take a beginner class and inform the instructor of your pregnancy so that they can give you modifications as you do the exercises.