When you first get pregnant, you may be wondering about the direction your exercise routine should take. Is it even safe, or advised, to exercise in the early stages of pregnancy? What are the best exercises for the first trimester? What modifications, if any, should you make?
Because of the confusion and misinformation, we wanted to provide you with simple guidance for first trimester exercise so that you can feel confident and safe while benefitting you and your little one(s).
Read on to learn:
- General guidance for exercise in the first trimester
- Key physical changes that occur and implications for physical activity
- Best training strategies and exercises for the first trimester
- Additional resources for creating a first trimester workout plan
General Guidance for Exercise During First Trimester
First, it’s important to know that regular exercise throughout pregnancy is not just safe but incredibly beneficial for your health — and the health of your growing baby. To see just how substantial the research-backed benefits of prenatal exercise are, read The Surprising Benefits of Prenatal Exercise and How Prenatal Exercise Benefits Your Baby.
Because of how substantial the benefits of prenatal exercise are, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — the official medical body that provides exercise guidance for pregnancy and postpartum — encourages those with uncomplicated pregnancies to “engage in aerobic and strength-conditioning exercise before, during, and after pregnancy.” ACOG also recommends getting at least 20-30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity activity most, if not all, days of the week during pregnancy (ACOG 2020). This holds true for regular exercisers and those who may not have been active prior to pregnancy.
If you were involved in a fitness program prior to pregnancy, you can continue with the same intensity as you are used to unless medically advised to the contrary (i.e. IVF, high-risk pregnancy). In addition, you can continue any core exercises that you find comfortable, including crunches, leg lifts, and bicycles, as modifications aren’t necessary until the second trimester (or when you have a medium belly). Finally, if you are just getting started, you can begin at a low-moderate intensity and slowly ramp up as is comfortable.
Always keep in mind that you are the expert on your body and, as such, adopt the following recommendations based on your level of comfort and adapt the guidance to how you feel on a given day. There are many fluctuations in mood and energy level throughout the first trimester so do what’s best for you.
Key Physical Changes & Implications for Physical Activity
During the first trimester there can be a wide variety of bodily changes. Some people begin gaining weight right away while others may not gain any weight at all. In addition, some may lose weight because of nausea and vomiting. Many experience fatigue, which can limit the energy available to exercise, while others may feel perfectly normal and can continue with regular activities.
If you are feeling good and want to keep up your training, the only general modification would be to avoid exercising in high heat or humidity. In the early stages of fetal development, you want to stick to more moderate temperature environments, which can be aided by a focus on hydration and wearing breathable clothes. Avoid hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, and even hot yoga.
BOTTOM LINE: Allow your body to take what it needs — sleep, food, exercise, rest — and ride the waves as best as you can. The good news is that these symptoms typically dissipate after the first trimester.
Best Training Strategies & Exercises for the First Trimester
Regardless of whether you are well-trained or brand new to exercise, you want to make sure you incorporate the following strategies because they will become even more important as the weight gain and other physiological changes ramp up during pregnancy.
1. Get in “Neutral Alignment”
This concept may not seem like the sexiest topic when it comes to prenatal exercise, but it’s one of the most critical — especially when it comes to protecting your body from the aches, pains, and injuries that can come with the physiological changes of pregnancy that lie ahead. First trimester is the perfect time to engrain neutral alignment while your body is still able to move with ease. Learn how to Get in Neutral now so that your body is prepared to manage the increased stresses that will come later in pregnancy.
2. Master the #1 Most Effective Core Exercise
After getting your body in neutral alignment, optimizing your deep core function is the most important thing to focus on. Developing a strong, well-functioning core helps you mitigate pains and injuries, enables you to push more effectively, and even improves your overall health – and the health of your growing baby. Begin by mastering 360° Breathing. We refer to it as the #1 most effective core exercise because of the systemic impact it has across every system in your body. Every exercise we teach incorporates 360° Breathing as the foundation, so it’s important to master this movement first. Click here to Learn 360° Breathing and how to incorporate it into your movements (in and out of the gym).
3. Prepare Your Pelvic Floor
Because of the critical role the pelvic floor muscles play during pregnancy and childbirth it’s important to do targeted work on them to 1) develop the strength to withstand the stresses of pregnancy, 2) the ability to lengthen to help guide the baby out during childbirth. Learn how to accomplish this through specific exercises we refer to as Pelvic Floor Activations (PFAs).
4. Prioritize Strength Training
While physical activity, in general, is beneficial, strength training is one of the very best forms of physical activity that you can do (for you and your little one). It goes without saying that pregnancy and childbirth place very specific and high-stress demands on your body. Strength training is the key to preparing your body to successfully manage these stresses so you can continue to move with energy and ease throughout your pregnancy, and be prepared for the 24/7 (very physical) demands of parenthood. Of course, we realize there are lots of questions when it comes to strength training — including what the guidelines are, what exercises are safe & beneficial, and what should be avoided. So, we put together a comprehensive Guide to Strength Training During Pregnancy to answer all these questions and more.
5. Start Practicing Parenthood “ADLs”
When it comes to exercise during pregnancy, we often forget about preparing for the physically demanding tasks of new parenthood. Consider all the squatting, bending over, lifting, getting up and down from the ground, pushing, pulling, and carrying (and carrying, and carrying…) new parents do. Then, consider you’ll have to do all these things while you are exhausted and recovering from labor (then later with a heavier toddler). Start preparing your body now for the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) that you’ll be doing constantly as a new parent. The more you practice these patterns now, the easier it will be to execute them in the postpartum period with minimal stress to your body. This translates to fewer pains & injuries and a faster recovery.
Get a Safe & Effective First (& Second & Third) Workout Plan
Understanding what exercises and training strategies to do is one thing, but figuring out how to structure workouts — and evolve them as your pregnancy progresses — is another. We’ve done all the work for you with our self-guided Prenatal Workout Programs. Just select the program that’s right for you based on how far along you are in your pregnancy, and the app will guide you through a complete training program (with three total-body workouts per week) for the duration of your pregnancy. The workouts are strength-focused to prepare your body to successfully manage the stresses ahead, but you’ll also get in your cardio with our proprietary LIIT™ (Labor Intensity Interval Training) to help you physically and mentally prepare for the demands of Stage 1 Labor.
Are You A Health & Fitness Professional?
Are you a health & fitness professional interested in training pregnant and postpartum clients? Our Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist Certification gives you detailed guidance on program design — with programming templates, sample workouts, and a video exercise library to make it easy for you to design safe & effective programs for pregnant and postpartum clients of all stages and fitness levels.
Or, if you’re a Group Fitness Instructor interested in simply learning how to safely & effectively support the pre & postnatal members who attend your classes, check out our short (but powerful) course: Pre/Postnatal Education for Group Fitness Instructors.