Pregnancy & Baby Index: Pregnancy - Fitness: Pilates and pregnancy
Pilates and pregnancy
Combining the benefits of yoga and strength training, Pilates is a very popular and extremely focused method of physical fitness. There is an emphasis on building your body's "core" by stretching and strengthening the body. Used by celebrity moms like Catherine Bell, Melina Kanakaredes, Carey Lowell, Lisa Rinna and Kate Winslet, this powerful conditioning program can even be used during pregnancy. Expert trainer Julian Littleford of J L Body Conditioning in Del Mar, California, offers these tips!
What muscles does Pilates focus on?
The Pilates method focuses on the body as a whole. The system strengthens
and lengthens the intrinsic muscles that hold the body in correct alignment.
When the client is able to engage those muscles we make the exercises harder
and more compilcated by engaging more muscle groups during the same
exercise.
Is this a cardio, fat-burning or other exercise?
You can approach this system in a variety of ways. We first educate
the client as to the required muscles needed for the exercise, then you can
increase the tempo making the system cardiovascular. You will burn fat by
working the muscles correctly within the system.
How similar is Pilates to yoga?
Pilates incorporates a lot of the Yoga philosopies, but they are not
really alike. I think there is a lot more emphasis on correct alignment with
Pilates, and we do not extend the abdominal wall to breathe.
How can Pilates help overcome back pain?
During pregnancy, as the baby grows, it stretches and pulls the body
out of correct alignment. When the lumber lordosis is increased during
pregnancy due to the abdominal wall expanding, it can cause back pain. The
psoas and quadratus lumbrum become very tight at this point, and the arches of the feet often tend to drop, causing pronation. By stretching those
muscles that are tight and placing the body back into its correct
alignment, then doing a few simple exercises in that position can allow the body time to release the tension and allow the back to release.
How can Pilates help a mom-to-be prepare for labor?
We educate the mother as to which muscles are required to work during labor and how to access them. Then we strengthen those and increase the muscle stamina so she can pace herself during labor.
Will Pilates help avoid a postpartum flabby belly?
Not always, but by getting the abdominal wall back in shape, it will help to
reduce it.
How often should a mom-to-be have a Pilates workout?
I think the system is taken best two to three times per week. As the
mom-to-be progresses through the pregnancy however I think the individual
will determine how often they want to workout. I have had clients that came
to the studio three times a week up till the delivery day and then I have
had others who have only come for a few months.
Can a mom new to working out start Pilates?
Yes, of course, but I suggest that they find a teacher that has had a lot
of experience with pregnancy and new moms. I would recommend that they have been teaching for more than five years in a studio enviroment, because in a studio enviroment, I feel that they will have seen a lot of
different bodies and had to deal with a wide variety of physical issues.