Ok guys, 18.3 has been announced wow its a good one.. here are my play by play considerations for pregnant and postpartum athletes.
Pregnant Athletes
*Steady pace is the name of the game on this workout. Piston breathing strategy is going to be important here. (check out Julie Wiebe if you haven’t heard of this yet! Scroll to the bottom of this page for her course on piston breathing https://gracefitnessandnutrition.com/pregnancy%2Fpostpartum).
*Double Unders: Ok I’m going to start with something that you may not like. Single unders are not a modification for double unders when you are pregnant. It is the same movement pattern, and put so much pressure on the pelvic floor. I do not recommend jump roping at all after the first trimester. Please consider the risk vs. reward here.
Consider the bike/rower for 90 secs as an option here. (When rowing, ensure there is no coning as you lean back. If there is try to keep your torso upright through the movement and see if that alleviates it.
*Overhead Squats – Consider using a weight you are very comfortable with, can breathe through, and have good form and alignment (think ribs over hips, ribs not flaring out). Some scaling option here are to scale:
-the weight
-the depth of the squat, you can squat to a box where you can complete the movement with good form
-type of squat. If OH squat is not working for you, consider front squats or goblet squats as a sub.
*Ring Muscle Ups/Pullups – If you are further along than your first trimester, please consider not kipping these. Kipping puts an enormous amount of stretch on your already very stretched abdomen. Also, watch for coning. I have a photo and link below to a post from @christyphillipsadkins regarding this.
Scaling options:
-If you can perform strict reps, this is an option as long as there is no coning. Do fewer reps when subbing in strict.
-Ring row/ring dip or combo: Consider doing the reps as ring rows followed by any version of a ring dip (that you can complete with no coning). Full ring dip, scaled with a box under feet etc.
-Simulating the muscle up movement with rings attached to rig with bands. Bonus here is you never have to leave the ground. Again watch for coning.
-Lat pull downs with band attached to rig.
-Check out my fellow PPA coach @aprilwheeler1 on instagram for some video scaling options!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bek0XIBAHzB/
*DB Snatches: Please choose a weight in which you can breathe through the entire movement. I highly recommend the piston breathing strategy. Focus on your alignment, ribs stacked over the pelvis.
*Bar Muscle Ups – please no bar muscle ups past 12 weeks, maybe even sooner if you are showing. This movement is so dynamic and the possibility of hitting your belly on the bar is pretty good. Also, kipping and the tension it places on the abdomen as discussed above is at play here.
Postpartum Athletes
*Steady pace is the name of the game on this workout. Make sure you are breathing through every movement. Piston breathing strategy is going to be important here. (check out Julie Wiebe if you haven’t heard of this yet! Scroll to the bottom of this page for her course on piston breathing https://gracefitnessandnutrition.com/pregnancy%2Fpostpartum).
*Double/Single Unders: Ok I’m going to start with something that you may not like. Single unders are not a modification for double unders when you are postpartum. It is the same movement pattern and puts so much stress on the pelvic floor. If you are able to jump rope with no symptoms (incontinence, have prolapse, and overall comfort) go for it. Focus on your alignment, ribs stacked over the pelvis. Keep in mind this is a LOT of reps. If at any time you experience discomfort or any symptoms, please stop. Focus on your alignment, ribs stacked over the pelvis. Keep in mind that incontinence while jump roping is a common symptom, BUT NOT NORMAL. Utilize piston breathing here- you should never be holding your breath!
If you are unable to jump rope without symptoms, consider subbing the bike/rower for 90 secs as an option here. (When rowing, ensure there is no coning as you lean back. If there is try to keep your torso upright through the movement and see if that alleviates it).
*Overhead Squats – Consider using a weight you are very comfortable with, can breathe through, and have good form and alignment (think ribs over hips, ribs not flaring out). Some scaling option here are to scale:
-the weight
-the depth of the squat, you can squat to a box where you can complete the movement with good form
-type of squat. If OH squat is not working for you, consider front squats or goblet squats as a sub.
*Muscle Ups/Pullups – I am grouping the muscle up together for postpartum athletes as there is no baby in the belly to consider for bar muscle ups. If you are newly postpartum (under 3 months) and had a c-section, please use this as an extra consideration with how your section scar area feels.
If you are less than 3 months postpartum OR have a dialysis to consider, please do not kip these. Kipping puts an enormous amount of stretch on your already very stretched abdomen from pregnancy. Also, watch for coning. I have a photo and link below to a post from @christyphillipsadkins regarding this.
Scaling options:
-If you can perform strict reps on the rings, this is an option as long as there is no coning. Do fewer reps when subbing in strict.
-Ring row/ring dip or combo: Consider doing the reps as ring rows followed by any version of a ring dip (that you can complete with no coning). Full unassisted ring dip, scaled with a box under feet etc.
-Simulating the muscle up movement with rings attached to rig with bands. Bonus here is you never have to leave the ground. Again watch for coning.
-Lat pull downs with band attached to rig.
-Check out my fellow PPA coach @aprilwheeler1 on instagram for some video scaling options!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bek0XIBAHzB/
*DB Snatches – Please choose a weight in which you can breathe through the entire movement. I highly recommend the piston breathing strategy. Focus on your alignment, ribs stacked over the pelvis.
[Please do not work out if you do not have clearance from your Doctor, and follow any restrictions they may have in place for you]
I hope this helps! Comment your questions below or contact me directly. I will do my best to help you, but please keep in mind that an in person assessment is the best way to give recommendations. If you are interested in meeting in person, please contact me.
More information available at https://gracefitnessandnutrition.com/pregnancy%2Fpostpartum and I also have a free facebook group for pregnant and postpartum athletes you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/215304372351919/
Good luck everyone, I would love to hear how you do and you used as your scaling options in the comments!
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