Whether you are an expectant mother or already have little ones at home, you’ve probably experienced the challenges of maintaining a regular exercise routine. Here are 3 reasons why it is imperative to prioritize your gym time, and how it will benefit the well-being of you and your family.
Offset back pain
If you have been pregnant you’ve experienced the constant back ache that is the result of compression to the lower spine. With the growth of your belly, your spine endures quite a change in alignment under load. Between constant nursing and cradling, the demands of new motherhood can also lead to painful misalignment of the spine, specifically affecting the rounding of the shoulders and forward head posture. With strength training you have the opportunity to engage in those underused postural muscles, offsetting tight musculature, and allowing you to attend to your bundle of joy with less pain and more strength.
Keeping a strong core and pelvic floor is essential
You’ve all heard it, “do your kegels!” The unfortunate reality is that most women don’t physically understand how to do a proper kegel, and could be engaging the abdominals in a way that does more harm than good. By working with a professional who has experience teaching pre and postnatal exercise, you can properly exercise your kegel muscles and so much more every time you step into the gym. Not to mention, by engaging your core in the right way you will be addressing the back issues mentioned above by providing more support to the spine.
Prioritize your health
A primary reason new moms skip their exercise time is because they feel guilty for leaving their kids. It is imperative that you schedule a little “me time,” especially when it comes to maintaining a healthy body. Your child relies on you and your physical health to care for them. As little as 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week provides physical health benefits, as well as an influx of feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters to the brain. Your workout can improve your mental and physical stamina, so you can bring your A-Game to the mommy table.
If you are interested in pre or postnatal personal training please email Lexy Rose at lexy.rose@stretch.works. Lexy Rose holds a Masters in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University, with an emphasis in pre and postnatal adaptations to exercise.
StretchWorks 