Returning to the norm after giving birth is the first item in the wish list of any young mother. A very small percentage of women are not able to fully restore their best form in full. Basically, it can be done by everyone with the right approach to business. And the first thing to think about beforehand is how to strengthen the abdominal muscles during pregnancy. After all, this is the first condition for acquiring an ideal figure shortly after birth.
The rigid belief that women should not move and engage in active sports during pregnancy has long been a thing of the past. If there are no special contraindications and congenital malformations, the mother has no reason not to be active during the entire pregnancy. Moderate and healthy sports for her - the key to easy recovery after delivery, and for the child, he is also not useless. The most direct involvement in the course and development of pregnancy is taken by the abdominal muscles. And, unfortunately, this is the most problematic area of so many women.
Gymnastics during pregnancy can strengthen the abdominal muscles, maintain a good posture, improve blood circulation in the mother's body and reduce the risk of swelling in the extremities and obtaining varicose veins.
Also, such exercises increase a woman's self-esteem, help her maintain her tone, quickly and easily prepare for childbirth and, mainly, facilitate faster return to form in the postpartum period.
It is desirable that a woman before the beginning of the training consulted with a doctor, when you can start or continue training on certain programs. You also need to know that there are certain conditions during pregnancy that are incompatible with certain sports.
When are the exercises not useful?
You should not do any work if there are the following factors:
- High blood pressure caused by pregnancy;
- Placental abruption;
- Premature contractions of the uterus (increased tone);
- Persistent bleeding after 12 weeks;
- Excessive expansion of the cervix;
- Delays in fetal growth;
- Multiple pregnancy;
- Presence of miscarriages or premature births in the past.
If none of these conditions apply to you, if your doctor agrees, then it is recommended to start classes with small walks for 30 minutes and more than 4-5 days a week.
To prevent injuries during pregnancy, certain training is necessary - proper warm-up, performance of stretching exercises, and after strength exercises or dances. Loads during pregnancy should be consistent with the load before it. This means that if a woman has never before engaged in physical education, then pregnancy is not the best time to "jerk" forward. It is necessary to start practicing a little bit, moderately and slowly, without overexerting in the process of classes. If you were in good physical condition before pregnancy, then you can only slightly modify the program of training, correcting the exercises for your new figure. In general, the load can not be reduced much - your body is quite ready for them ..
Strong abdominal pressure and pregnancy
An interesting question: will the inflated and strong abdominal press affect the growth of the abdomen during pregnancy? There is an opinion that with a strong press the stomach will grow less or it will not be seen at all. Is it true? The answer to this question is categorically not. Pumped up muscle groups of the press can in no case be an "insurmountable obstacle" for the growing uterus and the subsequent increase in the abdomen. Muscle tissue stretches, repeatedly exceeding its original size. The abdominal muscles adjust and adapt to the current proportions of the body. Until now, science has not known a case in which an over-developed abdominal press was a problem for the normal course of pregnancy.
Do not forget that many active athletes become pregnant, bear and easily give birth to children without the negative influence of strong abdominal muscles. On the contrary, their good physical form only helps them, bearing a positive character, as trained muscles make the body flexible and durable, and changes in the abdominal wall are problem-free and easy. That is why the issue of strengthening the abdominal muscles during pregnancy for any woman is important, so that even during pregnancy the muscle tone of the abdominal press is maintained at a level. Of course, taking into account the specific circumstances and characteristics of the mother's body.
Exercises for abdominal muscles
In the first four months, do the following exercises:
- Lie on your back and straighten your legs.
- Raise your head and try to touch your chest with your chin.
- Hold on for 3 seconds and return to the starting position.
- Repeat 5 times. Do this exercise twice a day.
Then do the same movement, but standing with your back and leaning against the wall. Keep tight belly muscles. Repeat the exercise 5 times twice a day.
In the period after the first quarter of pregnancy the following exercises are recommended:
- Stand on your knees in the pose "kitty", the spine should be parallel to the floor.
- Breathe deeply and try to relax your stomach, and then exhale and draw your stomach in and up.
- Hold for 10 seconds, breathe normally.
- Make a quick set of contractions directed inwards. With each breath, the muscles of the press become stronger.
- Do not let the muscles completely relax between exercises.
- Relax when you feel that you "pierced" not where you should. During the exercise, do not hold your breath - this can stop the access of oxygen to the fetus.
Do exercises slowly and concentrated. Listen carefully to your body - even if you feel minimal discomfort, stop exercising.
Long walks are perhaps the most suitable for pregnant aerobic sports, which is highly recommended. Most of the yoga exercise, it turns out, is also suitable for expectant mothers. Postures sitting or standing, moderate and controlled tension and deep breathing - all will entail the growth of abdominal muscles. If a woman is engaged in active sports before pregnancy, it can only be in her favor.