My “Fit” Pregnancy Week 29 - Getting bigger and slowing down
It’s week 29 and I’m still trying to keep up training regime. Although, I debated to start scaling back more this month. This pregnancy is wearing me out more than my first. And I have more aches and pains than I did the first time around. Mentally, it has been difficult to scale back from my usual training methods. But it makes me excited for my post-pregnancy training & nutrition plan. Scary that I’m already thinking about it!
I pretty much keep with the basics when it comes to weight training, and am primarily using weight that keeps me in the 12-15 rep range. I may also start using bands more. I lead a small boot camp group every Saturday morning. I have to do a lot of modifications and substitutions, but I can still beat many of them in up hill sprints. I plan to incorporate more stretching and flexibility training this month. Since my schedule is overbooked as it is, I may find a good pregnancy yoga DVD that I can do at home. I find that I need to do longer warm-ups too, and that seems to help. I’ll just take it week-by-week, day-by-day and not worry so much about scaling back.
Here’s a workout I created for my October program. I did it every other week since stripping sets are pretty intense and should only be done every once in a while (pregnant or not).
HIIT Cardio
I used my elliptical for this and the resistance levels are 1-10.
· Warm-up – 7 minutes
· 1 min max effort/30 sec recovery – Level 8
· 2 min max effort/30 sec recovery – Level 8
· 3 min max effort/30 sec recover– Level 8
· Repeat this same interval sequence on Levels 9 and 10
· Total ~30 minutes
Weight Training
I did this routine using stripping sets, which works like this:
1. Start each exercise with a warm-up set of 25 reps
2. Go heavy and do 10-15 reps, no rest
3. Strip off some weight and immediately do 10-15 more, no rest
4. Strip off more weight and do a third set of 10-15 reps
5. If you want to do a fourth set, go for it. But 3 is good.
Here’s the upper body routine I did using the stripping set method:
1. DB Shoulder Press
2. DB Chest Flies (you can also do chest press)
3. DB Lateral Raises
4. DB Tricep Overhead Press
My arms were hosed after doing this routine. And were still a bit fatigued even a few hours later. With the HIIT cardio and weight training, I got this workout done in about 1 hour and burned 420 calories. Not bad! I like the stripping set method because the warm-up is part of the set. I normally don’t do that extensive of a warm-up. It is also quick because there is no rest in between sets. I’m always on a schedule so this is an efficient, yet effective workout. Maybe it will work for you too. Enjoy!
November 5, 2008 at 7:26 am
I am in awe. My wife is also pregnant. Both times now she talks through the first couple weeks of keeping up a routine and then it slowly disappears. I sure as hell can’t call her on it. I see how tired she is w/ work and an 18 month old plus being pregnant. All I can say is that you are a true warrior.