Can you bench press while pregnant

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weight Gain During Pregnancy. Reviewed May 26, Clapp J. Exercise during pregnancy. A clinical update. Clinics in sports medicine. Published online Resistance training during pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. A meta-analysis of the effects of resistance training on blood sugar and pregnancy outcomes.

Bhardwaj A, Nagandla K. Musculoskeletal symptoms and orthopaedic complications in pregnancy: pathophysiology, diagnostic approaches and modern management. Postgrad Med J.

Beginning regular exercise in early pregnancy: effect on fetoplacental growth. Am J Obstet Gynecol. Newton ER, May L. Adaptation of maternal-fetal physiology to exercise in pregnancy: the basis of guidelines for physical activity in pregnancy. Stress incontinence during different high-impact exercises in women: a pilot survey. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFamily.

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We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Lifting Weights While Pregnant. Weight Training Routine During Pregnancy. When to Call a Doctor. This is considered a safe range for most healthy pregnant women. Practice movements that can be done safely. Work out your complete body versus targeting specific muscle groups.

This helps reduce pain in one area after a workout. Focus on higher repetitions with lighter weights than you are used to. Maintain a strong upper back and proper breathing during the exercise. Focus on exercises that help with postural alignment. If done incorrectly, exercise can worsen or exacerbate low back pain. If you have medical clearance from your healthcare provider, and you have no contraindication to exercise, there is no need for you to stop exercising at a specific time period.

However, you may notice that in the 3rd trimester, exercise will become more difficult. You will experience less mobility, increased shortness of breath, and increased fatigue.

Your body is amazing at non-verbal communication. Now, if you have never exercised prior to pregnancy, make sure to speak with your doctor to ensure you are cleared to exercise.

To learn more, check out my post explaining everything you need to know about Squatting in Pregnancy. In general you should avoid any ab exercise that requires you to be flat on your back, especially in the second and third trimester. If you want to strengthen your core during pregnancy, check out my post on 21 Best Core Exercises for Pregnancy.

She holds a Masters of Public Health degree in maternal health with a special interest in exercise and nutrition. She is also the co-author of The White Coat Trainer. Learn more about her here. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Skip to content Are you currently exercising during your pregnancy and want to know what exercises you should be avoiding? After reading this post, you are going to learn: Specific exercises you should avoid during each trimester of your pregnancy, The activities you should not participate in during pregnancy, and Other contraindications to exercise in pregnancy.

You might want to enlist a personal trainer who has experience working with mothers-to-be. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals.

We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Committee opinion Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period: Practical recommendations. Join now to personalize. Yes, if you stay within certain limits and your healthcare provider gives you the go-ahead.

Take these precautions: Check in with your healthcare provider. Go over your exercise regimen with your doctor or midwife first to make sure it's okay for you to continue at your current pace while you're pregnant. Use lighter weights, more reps. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps Reverse Dumbbell Lunges Choose reverse lunges over forward lunges.

Hold your Dumbbells by your hips and make sure your posture is straight with shoulders slightly pulled back. Keep your head up and your neck in a neutral position. Take a big step back and aim to make a degree bend with both the front and back leg. Barely tap your back knee to the ground, OR if you are new to lunging, just lunge halfway down, then return to the standing position. Hold the dumbbell by one end, tight to your body, with both hands right underneath your chin.

Keeping the dumbbell where it is, squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground. I recommend you keep your feet in a wide stance, as this will help later in pregnancy as your belly starts to grow. Pause when you reach the bottom, then press your heels into the ground to return to your standing position. Make sure that your heels do not lift off the ground, especially at the bottom position.

Flex all your leg and butt muscles at the top and repeat. Complete 3 sets of 15 reps Single Arm Rows Single arm rows are one of the best ways to work your back muscles during pregnancy.

Strengthening your back will ultimately help your posture, which is being compromised by your growing breasts and belly. Using a bench to support you means less stress on your core, and by focusing on one side at a time you can really concentrate on your back muscles stretching and contracting. Come into an all fours position on the bench, then stick one leg out with your foot securely on the floor. Use that same side hand to grab your dumbbell.

Row the weight up towards your armpit with your elbow coming up above your back. Flex your back muscles on that side while keeping the standing elbow in a strong and active stance.