Squats in pregnancy: how and when to do them healthily

Squats in pregnancy: how and when to do them healthily
Source: Shutterstock

Giving up physical exercise can be difficult, especially if you are a real addicted to wellness, so the question of the day is: can you doing squats while pregnant?



The immediate answer is yes, if there is pregnancy is physiological and the doctor has no objection to their execution. These exercises really are popular and very effective: They firm and increase the strength of the lower body and can be useful during this special phase of our life. Let's find out more.


In this article

Also read: 23 good reasons to exercise during pregnancy

Is It Safe To Do Squats During Pregnancy?

As we have already said, if the doctor / gynecologist does not advise them or consider them dangerous and if the pregnancy is not pathological, squatting is safe. You can train safely free body and, to be honest, these exercises can offer several benefits both to the mother and to the baby not only during pregnancy, but also in the moment of labor and delivery.



To be more specific, keep the crouched position it contributes to a fluid labor because it helps widen the pelvis, favoring the descent of the unborn child. Clearly, like everything during this delicate phase of life, care must be taken and the intensity of the exercise adjusted to the three months of gestation.

First trimester squat, early pregnancy

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The first trimester of pregnancy is the one in which you might feel "free" to make more movements, but in reality it is an extremely delicate period, during which you need to be very careful.


It is therefore necessary avoid doing squats with rebounds excessive or accompanied by jumps and it is advisable to avoid loosening of resistance, in order to avoid injuries and collateral damage. To perform the perfect squats for the first trimester must:

  • Spread the feet without exceeding the width of the hips;
  • Shift your weight backwards, as if sitting on a chair, until your hips are perfectly parallel to the ground;
  • Gently return to the starting position.

In this phase you can perform 3 series of 15 repetitions, but as a rule it is always good to pay attention to the signals that the body sends, interrupting if something is not in "harmony".

Squats in pregnancy: second trimester

The tummy is noticeable, the body changes and the hormonal values ​​also change: in this trimester the relaxin hormone begins to be secreted more conspicuously, which triggers spontaneous contractions of the uterus. This hormone "loosens" the tightness of the ligaments, making the body more flexible.

However, even if you feel more supple, you should avoid overstretching which can lead to tears and injuries. The perfect squats for the second trimester they are nicknamed "sumo" due to the similarity with the starting position of the well-known Japanese wrestling and to make them you need:

  • Spread the legs by placing the feet so that they are slightly beyond the line of the shoulders and with the toes pointing inwards;
  • Squat down to where you feel comfortable, without the muscles pulling and keeping your back straight and your weight on your heels;
  • Keep the legs stretched out making sure that the knees bend in a soft and non-traumatic way;
  • Return to the starting position by contracting the buttocks.

Even in this phase of pregnancy, if the belly allows it and we feel comfortable, 3 sets of 15 repetitions can be performed.

Squats for the third trimester of pregnancy

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The belly fills you with joy, but in this phase you also discover its clutter and you realize that the balance is no longer the same: you find yourself unbalanced and a little more limited in your movements.

Does this imply giving up the exercise? Not at all: there are gods great squats for the third quarter. You can choose between two types of exercise, that one at the wall and the one performed with theaid of a chair. The wall variant includes:

  • Stand upright with your head and back against the wall;
  • Squat down slowly until your legs are parallel to the floor;
  • Stay in this position for 30 seconds and then repeat.

For the variant with the chair, however, it is necessary:

  • Stand about 30 centimeters away from a stable, non-moving chair;
  • Position your feet so that they are shoulder-width apart;
  • Getting to touch the chair with the butt and maintain this position for a couple of seconds;
  • Get up and repeat.

In this phase of pregnancy 3 series of 10 repetitions are recommended, to be decreased in case of difficulties.

Plank in pregnancy: yes or no?

Squat calls for plank, at least for those following a full training circuit. The plank is, in fact, one of the few exercises that allows you to train the core (center of the body) even in pregnancy. The glutes, back, thighs and posture benefit from this exercise.

Also in this case, therefore, if the pregnancy is physiological and as long as the doctor allows it, go ahead. THE benefits of the plank for pregnant womenMoreover, there are many: it helps to keep the pelvic floor muscles in training (preventing problems such as frequent urination), relieves back pain and makes labor easier.

However, as pregnancy progresses, the baby bump may become a bit bulky. You can therefore opt for an inclined plank, performed standing with the elbows positioned on a firm table.

Exercises not to do in pregnancy

What are, however, the exercises that should never be done during pregnancy? First of all the excessive weight lifting, which can be absolutely dangerous.

They are also not recommended exercises with a strong load on the abdomen or that are performed on the stomach with particular pressures. Equally not recommended are exercises with machinery / tools to be tied around the waist or hips.

They are then to be set aside i high intensity circuits and high "impact" sports, such as skating, soccer, skiing or horse riding. Jumping, running and activities that can excessively increase heart rate are also to be eliminated and replaced with gentle gymnastics, yoga or pilates.

Finally, it is good do not train to exhaustion and practice in cool environments to avoid overheating. The work out, of any kind, is then to be interrupted if by chance you feel dizziness, pain in the chest or belly, uterine contractions, muscle cramps or if vaginal discharge occurs.

Sources for this article

  • Articolo scientifico: The effects of squatting while pregnant on pelvic dimensions
  • Scientific article: Exercise in pregnancy: a clinical review

TAG:
  • allenamenti
  • esercizi
  • pregnancy exercises
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