Any other mamas here doing Crossfit? « Back to Group Discussions

[SunnyPerch]

I've been involved in this since Nov., so only about 5 months. I enjoy it a lot, but kind of debating whether to keep it up much longer. I had PROM with my son at 36 weeks following a physically/mentally strenuous work day, and it's very possible they were related. I don't want to continue an activity that may put me in that same situation, but at the same time, I am chasing and lifting my 3 yr old all day so what's the difference?

I recently bought some passes for prenatal yoga classes also at another facility. I loved yoga when I was pregnant with my son as it helped me with back pain and flexibility. But I'm hoping the CF will help me better maintain endurance and strength for (what I hope will be) a successful vbac and recovery. My trainer is aware of my pregnancy and helps me adjust my workouts, but in the end, I know that if something happens, I'm the only one responsible. It does leave me uneasy. Any other CF'ers here? What are your plans?

[zubeldia]

Sunny, what's crossfit?

I worked out when pregnant with DS throughout my pregnancy (actually the first trimester was a write-off!) but played tennis until a few weeks before I gave birth, and was at the gym everyday lifting weights and doing cardio. I'm back at it now with rowing, running, the elliptical, etc. I felt super throughout my last pregnancy and had no real aches and pains. I recovered really quickly, too.

I was going to start a fit-mamas check in so we could see what we're all doing and hopefully be encouraging. We did this in my last DDC and it was fantastic knowing that there were so many mamas keeping fit. It's pivotal for my mental health :)

[Jend1002]

Hi Sunnyperch!  I am in the Sept DDC but I'm due at the end of Sept. so I kind of check out what's going on in the Oct DDC because I feel like I am kind of in between.  I hope you don't mind my dropping in!

I have been doing Crossfit for about a year and am now 15 weeks along and haven't stopped.  I typically only get in 3 workouts a week and that was the same pre-pregnancy as well so I'd definitely say I am not an expert!  Have you discovered the site crossfitmom.com?  I LOVE it!  There is a daily WOD posted that is specifically modified for pregnancy.  There are also great suggestions on changes you need to make through each trimester to continue with crossfit.  I think this site has really given me the confidence to feel like I can stick with this through my entire pregnancy.  If you haven't already, you should really check it out to see what you think!

zubeldia - I have a terrible time trying to describe crossfit!  It's definitely high intensity exercise aimed at increasing strength and performance.  The workouts vary greatly - there are olympic lifts, rings, kettlebells, lots of bodyweight work.  It is by far the only fitness "program" that has ever kept me this interested!

[zubeldia]

Thanks, Jend1002, and feel free to gate crash! I think it sounds like a great way to stay in shape. I race triathlons and I'm hoping to not lose all shape during this pregnancy. I'm aiming to do a half ironman 9 months after this baby arrives - all being well! I am about to restart a group power class, which is a weights based class. A lot of my pregnant friends have done it through their pregnancies!

[SunnyPerch]

Zubeldia, CF is as Jen says: hard to describe! It's like having a personal trainer but with a smallish group (up to ten people). At my gym, the first 10-20 minutes are warmup and stretching, then an 8-30 minute (max) workout, followed by more stretching. The workouts vary each day and are planned ahead by my trainers. There is some running mixed in there along with the weightlifting. The other day, the workout was four 400 meter runs alternating with pushups, toes to bar, and lots of burpees. I like that we use very simple equipment if anything, like simple boxes, jump ropes, pull up bars, kettle bells, medicine balls, and of course weights. The variety keeps me interested and engaged, and the comraderie and coaching keeps folks coming to the gym. I used to do P90X at home but eventually the super long workouts and solitariness burned me out. As a triathlete you may very well enjoy CF. If there's a gym in your area, you may want to ask around and see if anyone you know belongs. At our place, they often have free "bring a friend" workouts on the weekend to introduce new people to CF!

Jen, I'm glad you visited this board! (As an aside, my due date is Oct. 5th and my last one arrived a month early so I have a strong suspicion I will have this pup in September!). I'm starting my 14th week. Like you, I go about three days a week...don't think I could handle any more than that although I do have an unlimited pass. :) I found and checked out that CFmom site a while back, and sort of forgot about it since. Thanks for the reminder! Now that I'm in my second trimester I def need to check it out again...it was super helpful. Have you been modifying your workouts much yet? Do you wear a heart rate monitor>? What does your OB say about it, if you've mentioned it? I noticed today doing pushups that my belly is definitely hitting the floor before the rest of me. lol I am reducing my lifts and shortening the runs on longer workouts, but not much else. It's hard to not let my competitiveness get the best of me and overdo it. I don't wear a HR monitor but I'm considering it. I've read somewhere that it shouldn't go above 140 but that seems ridiculously low to me. I mean, I probably hit that climbing my stairs at home. I only had one meeting with my OB so far and I didn't mention CF...he didn't ask about such things either.

[Jend1002]

Sunnyperch- So I haven't been modifying a lot of workouts but just this week we had a workout with a lot of box jumps.  They started giving me heart palpitations (which I have been having a problem with recently...) so I went to step ups. I've definitely made changes to keep my intensity down.  I don't wear a HR monitor and find that keeping the intensity down is the key.  I am sure I am far over 140 though!  It is tough - I want to push harder but I am trying to go with the "talk test" as my gauge.  I feel like as long as I can talk, I have good oxygen flow going on! 

My OB gave me a booklet that still had the 140 beats per minute guideline in it.  I think that is pretty dated thinking.  She and I discussed exercise and I told her I was doing Crossfit - I think she was vaguely familiar and she didn't seem concerned.  She stressed to me the importance of only doing what feels right.  I did a little research about the 140 limit because it does make me a little paranoid.  I found out that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists updated their position on exercise during pregnancy in 2002.  I found this article which has lots of good info, but this paragraph definitely stood out as useful for us:

Given the variability in maternal heart rate responses to exercise, target heart rates cannot be used to monitor exercise intensity in pregnancy.

Ratings of perceived exertion have been found to be useful during pregnancy as an alternative to heart rate monitoring of exercise intensity.⁵⁴ For moderate exercise, ratings of perceived exertion should be 12–14 (somewhat hard) on the 6–20 scale. Evidence of the efficacy of this approach is that, when exercise is self paced, most pregnant women will voluntarily reduce their exercise intensity as pregnancy progresses.⁵⁵ Although an upper level of safe exercise intensity has not been established, women who were regular exercisers before pregnancy and who have uncomplicated, healthy pregnancies should be able to engage in high intensity exercise programmes, such as jogging and aerobics, with no adverse effects.

Here's a link to the whole article: http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/1/6.full

I hope this helps you like it helped me!  I'd love to hear about your workouts and how things are going for you.  I am definitely the only pregnant person at my gym but there is actually a woman on the Sept DDC that is a trainer! 

[zubeldia]

Check out James Clapp's book on Exercising through Pregnancy. It was my bible last time around. The 140 rule is really outdated. The things to watch out for are overheating (which is why pylometrics can be hard because body temp rises quickly) and exercising to exhaustion. I tend to be fairly cautious when it comes to intensity, but I think the benefits of vigorous exercise outweigh the dangers in an otherwise healthy pregnancy.

[SunnyPerch]

Jen, thanks for the link. This is VERY informative. I'm glad they include the "Warning Signs to terminate exercise" section.

Zubeldia, thanks for the suggestion! My library doesn't own that book but I just put in a purchase request on their website. They're usually very good about honoring those requests, so I look forward to getting it in the next couple of weeks...

[alevagon]

My OB said not to go over 160 beats per minute, but I read elsewhere that even that is outdated.  I did CrossFit for a little while after my first, but it was really tough!!  Now I just run, but I should do weights, too.

[Hockeygrrl]

I had been doing crossfit for about 1 year prior to getting pregnantI love crossfit:) I found it hard to not want to go all out, but I was/am so tired it wasn't really possible for me to do the weights/intensity I was doing.  I prob stopped around 8 weeks, because I was spotting and couldn't get through a workout without worrying I was going to hurt the baby.  I know a girl that did pretty high intensity CF workouts her whole pregnancy, so I think it depends how you feel.  My first pregnancy I did yoga and pilates the whole time as well as some weights/cardio. I just started prenatal yoga and  have been trying to get back into a routine of pilates and yoga at home.