How are we already in week 4?! You are in the right place if you are pregnant, postpartum, have any pelvic floor considerations (leaking urine at anytime including jumping and lifting, diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse), or if you are a coach.
20.4 has been announced and here is what’s on the whiteboard:
For time:
30 box jumps, 20 in.
15 clean and jerks, 65 lb.
30 box jumps, 20 in.
15 clean and jerks, 85 lb.
30 box jumps, 20 in.
10 clean and jerks, 115 lb.
30 single-leg squats/Medball step ups
10 clean and jerks, 145 lb.
30 single-leg squats
5 clean and jerks, 175 lb.
30 single-leg squats
5 clean and jerks, 205 lb.
Time cap: 20 minutes
Notes on mindset and overall considerations. There is a lot of work here. Go into this with your plan in place. Pace is going to be key! Start out at a very reasonable pace, you don’t want to start out too fast and burn out quickly. Try to stick to a pace that you can easily maintain for the 20 minutes. Stick with a pace that you can talk through and breathe through your movements. If 20 minutes is feeling too long, cut down the time cap.
This brings me to breathing strategy. Breathing through the movements is going to be very important. Try to exhale on the exertion or the difficult part of the movement. For this workout, that would mean exhaling on the step up, cleaning the weight up, pressing overhead and coming-out of your squat (if you choose that mod), and inhaling as you go back down from the step/clean/squat or in between reps.
As always, if you experience any symptoms of pain, pelvic pain or discomfort, incontinence, pressure or feeling of something falling out or your vagina, or pressure/discomfort in your abdomen/midline please stop. Try one of the alternatives for that movement, or, if the symptoms do not dissipate stop the workout. Your long term health and athleticsm is much more important than this workout.
Pregnant and Postpartum Athletes:
Box Jumps
Ok I’m going to start with something that you may not like. I do not recommend that pregnant athletes or athletes 6 months or less box jump. There is a risk of falling while jumping on the box and the impact can put so much pressure on the pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor is already under so much pressure from carrying baby/giving birth. I do not recommend box jumping at all after the first trimester. Please consider the risk vs. reward here. If you are leaking at all, this is a sign from your body to do something different or stop.
Alternatives:
Box Step-ups – Love me some step ups! Really think risk vs. reward here where thinking about the height of the box. I would not recommend stepping to a box that when stepped on causes your knee to be higher then hip height. This is to prevent added pressure and tension on your hips.
Clean and Jerks
For my pregnant athletes that are showing: I would recommend dumbbells so as not to impede your bar path. You have worked so hard on these lifts and keeping that bar close – a few months deviating from it could have an impact.
I would recommend everyone keep weight in mind here. Keep it to a weight you are very comfortable with and can breathe through the entire movement.
If going overhead is causing discomfort in the abdomen whether you are pregnant or postpartum, consider taking that movement out.
Pistols
I’m not sure a pregnant belly allows for pistols lol but either way it is very demanding on the joints and can cause discomfort both during pregnancy and postpartum.
Alternatives:
Weighted Box Step-ups – Love me some step ups! Really think risk vs. reward here where thinking about the weight and height of the box. If a medball is awkward to carry, grab a dumbbell instead. I would not recommend stepping to a box that when stepped on causes your knee to be higher then hip height. This is to prevent added pressure and tension on your hips.
Air Squats- Air squats, squats to a box, or squats with a dumbbell are another option if you’re tired of doing step ups 🙂
Good luck everyone, I would love to hear how you do in the comments! Sorry I won’t have videos for some of these..I’m catching a plane at 4am 🙂
[Please do not participate in the 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. You can reach me on Instagram, or email me at kerri@gracefitnessandnutrition.com. I am here to do my best for you!
Want some ideas on what to substitute movements for?
I have created this free resource for YOU!
If you are pregnant, postpartum, or have pelvic floor considerations and want the confusion taken out of how to modify the most commonly asked about CrossFit movements, you need this.
I go through what, when, how, and also provide video demonstrations for modifications of the following movements:
– Sit-ups
– Burpees
– Pull-ups
– Toes-to-bar
– Muscle-ups
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Stay strong, stay beautiful!
Coach Kerri
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