STAGES AND BENEFITS OF PRENATAL PERSONAL TRAINING

STAGES AND BENEFITS OF PRENATAL Personal TRAINING

CONCEPTION

Your body typically responds better to conception when you are healthier, this is why exercise can help. Exercise helps improve fertility, especially if you are overweight or have (PCOS), an ovarian syndrome. During this stage, we focus on cardiovascular and total body strength training to prepare you for pregnancy. If possible, it is best to begin training during this stage.

1ST TRIMESTER PRENATAL Personal TRAINING

Once you become pregnant, prenatal personal training during the first trimester can help ease the effects of morning sickness, elevate your mood and keep you and your foetus healthy. We focus on total body strength training, targeting the core, pelvic and gluteal region. This gives your body the strength it needs to stay healthy and pain free. Light to moderate cardiovascular exercises are performed during this stage.

2ND TRIMESTER OF PRENATAL Personal TRAINING

During the 2nd trimester of prenatal personal training, we focus on strengthening and stabilizing the hips, pelvic floor, and gluteal region. A solid training frequency of 2-3 times per week will help keep weight gain to a healthy limit. As your body produces relaxin in preparation for labor, the ligaments in the pelvic region begin to loosen. Keeping the pelvic region strong and healthy will help eliminate pain and potential injury while the relaxin fills your body. During this stage, we will avoid exercises where you are lying on your back for long periods of time, since the growing fetus may constrict blood flow through the vena cava vein in this position.

3RD TRIMESTER OF PRENATAL Personal TRAINING

During the 3rd trimester of prenatal personal training, you are less mobile due to the size of your belly. Traditional strength training exercises like squats, elevated bridges, and bird dogs are continued during this period, but ab exercises are limited based on comfort levels. Breathing and stabilizing exercises will help give you the stamina and strength you need for labor. If you feel lethargic during this stage, exercise will help increase your mood, give you energy and help you have a better night’s rest.

POSTPARTUM Persoanl TRAINING

After delivery, allow your body 6 weeks minimum before easing back into exercise. If you’ve had a C-section, it typically takes 6-8 weeks to heal before your body is ready for normal physical activity. Once you’re ready, we begin total body strength training. It may seem like your core has atrophied after giving birth, so it is important to build back your abdominal strength. Once you are feeling strong and stable, it’s ready to amp up and introduce circuit-style strength training into your regimen. This will help shred off the extra body fat and get you back to your desired body weight.

Prenatal and postnatal personal training is not a one size fits all program, every woman is so unique. That’s why I take so much pride in my specialised programs. My goal is to provide you with the coaching, guidance and motivation you need to tackle you and your baby’s health through fitness. Personal Training is not just about a few private sessions each week, but a lifestyle change and a solid plan to keep you active and consistent. The typical training frequency is 2-3 times per week before, during and 6 weeks after giving birth. Always consult with your doctor before starting an exercise plan. Click here for more information on pregnancy personal training.

4 Moves Every New Mum Should Master Before Jumping Back Into Fitness

When it comes to the incredible things our bodies can do, giving birth takes it to a whole new level. It's a monumental feat! But here's the thing, even though pregnancy and labor can have a big impact on your body, most of the talk about post-baby fitness is all about getting back to your pre-pregnancy self, rather than appreciating and celebrating the amazing new you.

Doctors often give the green light to resume activity after six weeks, but they don't usually provide clear recommendations on what kind of activity to choose. Personally, I believe that focusing on a fitness routine geared towards strengthening the pelvic floor is a hidden gem when it comes to getting back into your pre-pregnancy workouts while also respecting your postpartum body.

As a pre and postnatal corrective exercise specialist its important women concentrate on strengthening their cores after pregnancy to avoid issues like leaky bladder, chronic lower back pain, and pelvic floor dysfunction.

These issues can stem from a lack of pelvic floor activation. The good news is your pelvic floor can be strengthened and these issues can go away. If you’re a new mum you can start strengthening yours online or in person in South West London with one of our pre and post natal specialist personal trainers. The baby friendly sessions will help you get back in touch with your core and learn how to stabilize your new body to prevent injury.

First and foremost, our primary aim is to help you learn proper breathing techniques and activate the inner core unit, which includes the diaphragm, transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, and multifidus muscles. This, in my opinion, is the absolute crucial exercise that every postpartum woman should focus on mastering before jumping back into her pre-pregnancy workouts.

Try this core and pelvic floor centric workout before exerting any kind of force such as lifting weights and continue to incorporate it into your practice once you return to your fitness routine. You want to try and incorporate these four exercises as often as possible throughout your day.

1. Diaphragm breathing

Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe. Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out against your hand. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible. Tighten your stomach muscles, so that your stomach moves back in, as you exhale through pursed lips. The hand on your upper chest must remain as still as possible.

2. TVA engagement (AKA: pump)

Imagine your transverse abdominus (TVA) as a deep corset-like muscle that starts in the middle of your back, wraps around your side body and under the six pack muscles. On your diaphragm-breath exhale, focus on wrapping the TVA around your side body and hugging your entire core in toward your midline. Every inhale should release the TVA and muscles of the core, while every exhale fully activates, wraps, or pumps the muscles closer to your body.

3. Pelvic floor activation (AKA: Kegel)

The pelvic floor is a complex grid of muscles that runs front to back and side to side. To activate it, imagine the pubic bone, tailbone, and both sit bones all drawing closer together and up through the centre of the body. It’s important to activate the entire pelvic floor (front to back and side to side) and not just one section. And to allow the muscles to fully release and relax on your inhale—this release is just as important as the activation.

4. Pump-and-kegel combo

Once you can perform the above three steps separately, practice integrating all of them together continuously. On your inhale, breath into the diaphragm, relax the TVA, and release the pelvic floor. On your exhale, the TVA wraps around to hug your abdominal wall closer to your midline and the pelvic floor lifts and performs a kegel.

For more help with post natal fitness click here.

25 Cardio Exercises For The Best Total Body Workout

25 Cardio Exercises For The Best Total Body Workout: The Ultimate Guide For Training At Home Without A Gym

We might be on lockdown but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your sweat on! Below is a collection of my favourite 25 cardio exercises. You can whizz through them all in 25-minutes or pick a few to do as and when you feel up to it.

Get fit and feel happy now…

1. SIT OUT’S

   Keep going for 45secs

2. Jumping Split Squats

Hang in there for 20-30secs

3. Fast Feet Drop

Let’s go hard for 45secs

4. Banded Vertical Jacks

You’ve got this 45 secs

5. Skaters

Power through for 45secs

6. Beast Shoulder Taps

30 secs & keep those hips still as you tap your shoulder!

7. Broad Jumps

Leap like a frog for 45secs!

8. Jump Rope

Get fancy with those feet for 45secs

9. Bench Runs

Get those legs up high & give me 45secs

10. Mountain Climber Push Ups

Just when you thought push ups couldn’t get more fun! 30-45secs here please

11. Burpee 180

You never realised how long 30secs was until you had to burpee!

12. lateral Toe Taps

Get tapping for 45secs

13. Squat Thrust Split Jumps

30secs here

14. Mini Banded Frog Jumps

Jump like a frog for 30secs

15. Lateral Shuffles

Get moving 30secs

16. Plank Jacks

Let’s go 30secs

17. Plyometric Wood Chops

20secs each side

18. Devil’s Press

Pressing for 45secs

19. Split Squat Snatch

Complete 8 reps each side

20. DM Thrusters

Hit these up for 30secs

21. DB Squat Cleans

1 minute here

22. DB Sea-saw

Beast it for 30secs

23. Push Up Bent Over Row

45secs of these bad boys

24. Forward Lunges

Burn those legs for 45secs

25. Rollbacks

Last one you’ve totally got this for 30secs

Battersea Park Workout

Good evening all, 

Check out my Battersea Park workout - no gym membership required! 

Enjoy! Lots of love Zaza X x x x