With Sarah Smith’s Pregnancy and Post-Pregnancy programs now part of YogaFokus’s lineup of pre and postnatal fitness programs, we caught up with her to chat about all things workout wisdom when it comes to pregnancy.
Staying active during pregnancy offers so many health benefits both for you and your baby, but we know that it can also feel overwhelming navigating all the changes your body is going through and figuring out what movement will serve you best. That’s exactly why each trimester of Pregnancy with Sarah has been uniquely tailored to the changes your body is going through, taking the confusion and guesswork out of your prenatal fitness journey.
First trimester
“Listen to your body and just focus on moving when you feel up to it,” Sarah recommends first and foremost, as many women tend to find this is a time when they lack energy and feel nauseous.
“During this time I encourage my clients to focus on the small wins like going for a short walk, a 10-minute stretch or opting for a light session until you reach your second trimester. Whether you’re walking or still doing light workouts, remember to keep yourself hydrated and maintain a stable heart rate so you’re not overexerting yourself.”
The first trimester of Sarah’s 40-week pregnancy program includes a strong focus on mobility with movements designed to strengthen your posterior chain (the back of your body) and stabilise your hips to support and prepare your growing body for the remainder of your pregnancy.
Second trimester
Having welcomed two children of her own to the world, Sarah is still amazed at how much your body changes in each trimester, and remembers being surprised by just how good she felt during her second trimester.
“As women, trimester two is generally when we have the most energy. We have passed the weeks in the early stages where we should be cautious and the nausea has usually passed. Focus on following a pregnancy-specific program to support all the changes your body goes through and enjoy feeling strong and staying active if you feel up to it.”
From this point onwards, your training should no longer involve any direct core exercises or supine exercises where you’re lying on your back, but many movements can be adapted by using an incline bench or doing movements lying on your side instead.
“In the second trimester, you can also widen your squat and deadlift stance to account for the changes and downward pressure on the pelvis,” explains Sarah.
In her pregnancy program, the second trimester continues to focus on hip stabilisation and mobility, but from this point onwards you won’t find any exercises that require you to lie on your back. She also included an increased focus on pulling movements to strengthen your back and support your posture as your bump grows.
Third trimester
You’re on the home stretch! “We have hit the peak of the mountain and now we start to taper back on the load we are lifting. Keep up the walking, just lighten the weights a little bit,” says Sarah.
“If you’re still feeling good working out, you can start squatting to a bench to assist with the extra downward pressure on your pelvis. For any unstable exercises, use a wall to support you and your balance.”
The third trimester in her program includes increased rest periods, reduced load and more wall-supported movements as you move towards the final weeks of your pregnancy and prepare for your new arrival.
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Growing strong and moving with confidence from bump to birth doesn’t have to be some complicated math equation, and Sarah Smith has made it simpler than ever with her easy-to-follow 40-week program. She’s so excited for this chapter of your life and can’t wait to support you to stay active every step of the way.