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 Pregnancy
Which exercises are good/bad?

All exercise is good, however, one should avoid any explosive exercises when pregnant. Your exercises should offer the maximum opportunity to exercise the whole body in a safe routine and you should go through a complete routine that puts all the muscle groups through their full range of functions. Place particular emphasis on the back and pelvic regions.

 
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After the exercise routines are completed, follow a cooling down procedure, which is just as important as the warm-up. This will gently stretch all muscle groups and maintain gentle tension to eliminate spasm. After exercise in a hot climate, one should sit quietly for a few minutes without putting on a tracksuit or other covering until your body temperature returns to normal. However, if the climate is cold, you should immediately put on warm clothes to avoid excessive loss of body heat.

Your exercise routine should cover your abdominal muscles, pelvic floor control, back strengthening and leg work resulting in increased circulation. Always start with a good warm-up of all the muscle groups and equally important, finish with a cool down stretch. Strengthening your abdominals will not only support your baby while pregnant, but will also assist you in recovering faster after the delivery.

Pelvic floor exercises will ensure that you are more in control of the muscles that come into play during labour.

Backache in pregnancy is often due to loss of tone in the muscular support of the spine, hence back-strengthening exercises will not only minimise this problem, but also aid in improving you postural support.

Water retention can be improved with various leg exercises, thereby increasing you circulation and mobilising excess fluid. Stepping up your fluid intake will help limit puffiness and the discomfort that goes with it.

There are four types of exercise that can be useful during pregnancy: aerobics, callisthenics specifically designed for pregnancy, relaxation techniques and Kegel exercises.


 
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 OTHER ARTICLES
Benefits outweigh risks
How exercise can help
Which exercises are good/bad?
Choosing the right exercise
Guidelines for moms-to-be
When to stop exercising
Postpartum exercise
Pregnancy exercise FAQ
 

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