Pilates is the ideal exercise system to use in the months leading up to your baby's birth and in the weeks following to get your body back in shape
In Pilates for Pregnancy Anna Selby has carefully selected exercises for each trimester to help maintain strength and flexibility.
The principles
Before you begin the exercises, it is important to understand the theory that underlines the Pilates method. These are the essential principles to bear in mind whenever you exercise:
1. Concentration: Concentration is fundamental to this way of exercising. This is not only because it is important that every part of your body is moving or positioned correctly - a part of a synchronised whole. It is also because when you concentrate on your body in this way, it actually leads your mind away from any immediate concerns or anxieties, and is profoundly relaxing.
2. The breath: The way you breathe is vitally important within the Pilates method. In Pilates exercises, you breathe out with the effort. This helps you to relax into a movement. If you breathe in for the effort of an exercise, you will automatically tense up.
3. The 'girdle of strength': This incorporates three main areas - the back, the abdomen and the buttocks. The upper back can be a major seat of tension but when you learn to move the arms correctly (from the middle of the back rather than the shoulders), this tension will disappear. Nearly every Pilates exercise begins by drawing the navel gently towards the spine. This both strengthens the traverse abdominal muscles so that you will - eventually! - regain a flat stomach, and protects the back against undue strain during the exercise. The third element in this girdle of strength is the buttock muscles. By engaging and squeezing these during the exercises, you not only tone the muscles themselves, you also bring the body into perfect alignment, improving the posture and protecting the back from strain or injury.
4. Flowing movements: Pilates is not based on sudden, jerky movements. Instead, one position flows as slowly and naturally as possible into the next. You move rhythmically, your pace set by your own breathing and this warms the muscles and makes them lengthen out rather than bunch and bulk up. Moving slowly also gives you time to become aware of each part of your body so that you perform all the exercises with precision.
5. Relaxation: This is an important element of the method at any time but none more so than during pregnancy. The warm-up exercises that you should do before all of your exercise sessions - both during and after pregnancy - help to reduce and remove the most common areas of tension in the body, slow down the breathing and focus the mind. The relaxation exercises at the end of the session are also important. During pregnancy, you are often overwhelmed with feelings of tiredness. This final relaxation will help to restore flagging energy levels and, just as crucially, to induce a more tranquil state of mind.
Roll down against wall
This warm-up exercise mobilises and places the spine in its correct alignment.
If you feel dizzy at any point during this exercise, stop immediately.
1. Stand 6-8 inches away from a wall with your knees slightly bent and feet hip-width apart, toes facing forwards. Measure out the length of your spine against the wall, with the head held high on a long neck and the shoulders relaxed. Your arms hang comfortably at your sides. Draw your navel gently to the spine.
2. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, pull up the muscles of the pelvic floor and drop your chin to your chest, feeling the stretch all the way through the neck and upper back. As you begin to mobilise the spine, the arms will move naturally - just let them hang, don't try to place them.
3. Let the curve deepen so that your back peels away from the wall in a long curve, head and arms hanging down until only the buttocks are touching the wall. Breathe naturally for a few moments as your body hangs upside down and relaxes into the stretch.
4. On the next out-breath, check that your navel is still drawn towards the spine and the pelvic floor muscles are pulled up and rotate from the pelvis to bring yourself back to a standing position, feeling your back touch the wall vertebra by vertebra. As your back unrolls, feel your shoulders drop down naturally. The head comes in line with the spine, last of all. Check that your back is long, your neck and shoulders are relaxed and your 'girdle of strength' is working. Repeat the whole exercise three times.
Arm stretches
These stretches have a double function. They both tone the arms and bring awareness of how you should move them, particularly where the movement originates. When you move your arms from the shoulder blades rather that by lifting the shoulders themselves, your posture improves and you are much less likely to experience tension in the back and neck. The best way to check you are moving correctly is to do this exercise in front of a mirror.
If you find the first exercise too easy, hold a food can in each hand as a homemade weight.
1. Sit on a ball or chair with your feet flat on the floor with a long, straight back. Draw the navel gently to the spine and pull up the pelvic floor. Check there is no tension in the shoulders, neck or face - particularly the jaw, forehead and around the eyes. Take a few long, deep breaths and let yourself relax.
2. Drop your arms down to your sides and loosely clench your fists. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, slowly lift the arms straight up to the sides so they are just below shoulder level. The arms should feel both a lift and a stretch and the shoulders should remain completely still. Repeat 5-10 times slowly.
3. Drop your arms down to your sides and stretch your fingers. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, slowly take the arms behind you, keeping the palms uppermost and feeling a downward stretch. Go as far as you can without straining, moving the shoulders or letting the small of your back hollow out. Repeat 5-10 times slowly.
4. Sit with the arms bent at the elbows and your fingers pointing straight ahead of you. Breathe in and open the hands out to the sides, keeping the elbows tucked in to your sides. Breathe out and return to the starting position. Repeat 5-10 times, checking there is no tension in the neck or shoulders.
Forward bend
This exercise is adapted from yoga and contemporary dance and it is an ideal way to stretch out and release the spine. It is important that whatever you use as your support is steady enough to hold your weight without moving as you relax into the position.
If you feel dizzy at any point during this exercise, stop immediately.
1. Stand facing a window ledge, heavy table or chair at an arm's length away. Your feet should be firmly planted on the floor, hip-width apart. Your spine should be long and straight with no tension in the neck or shoulders. Draw the navel gently to the spine and pull up the pelvic floor. Raise your arms above your head without raising your shoulders.
2. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, slowly bend forwards in one piece without letting the spine curve or arch. Feel as if you are rotating from the hips with your back long and flat. Let your fingers rest on the support and feel a long stretch through the arms, neck and back. Hold this position for up to a minute and breathe naturally.
3. Continue the bend forwards, dropping your head down towards the floor as far as is comfortable. If this feels a strain, bend your knees slightly.
4. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, roll up slowly feeling as if you are placing each vertebra of the spine on top of the one below until you are standing with a long, straight back. Check there is no tension in the neck, jaw or shoulders and take a few long, slow breaths, Repeat up to 5 times.
Pillow squeeze
This is a famous Pilates exercise that combines a number of benefits. It works the pelvic floor muscles and the inner thighs, as well as helping posture awareness and relaxing the lower back. You will need a pillow or cushion for this exercise - the firmer it is, the harder you will have to work.
1. Lie on your back with your knees raised up and your feet on the floor. Gently hold the cushion or pillow between your knees. Place your arms by your sides, palms down. Check the shoulders and neck are relaxed and, if you are at all uncomfortable or the neck feels arched away from the floor, place a small pillow underneath your head. Breathe in, pulling up the pelvic floor muscles.
2. As you breathe out, draw the navel to the spine and squeeze the pillow with your knees, taking care not to let your back arch or tension to creep into your back, neck or shoulders. The only part of your body that should be moving is the knees.
3. Breathe in to release the cushion and repeat up to 10 times.
Curl-ups
This exercise builds on the pelvic floor exercises and the breathing exercises from the first trimester that help to relax the back. Here the back moves with the breath to increase mobility in the spine, at the same time as strengthening the pelvic and abdominal muscles.
1. Lie on your back with your knees raised, the feet slightly apart and flat on the floor. Place a rolled up towel between your knees and lengthen out the spine along the floor, with the chin tucked in a little to release and lengthen the back of the neck. Check that your shoulders and neck are relaxed, arms by your sides.
2. Take a long, slow breath in and, as you breathe out, draw the navel gently towards the spine. Squeeze the low buttock and pelvic floor muscles and allow the back to curl up from the floor, very slowly. You don't need to lift off all of your back and you should always keep your shoulder blades in contact with the floor. If you lift too high, it will put a strain on your back and the aim of this exercise is to feel the mobility of the spine. Check that your shoulders and neck are relaxed.
3. When you have lifted up as much as is comfortable for your back, breathe in and, as you breathe out, lower the back down in exactly the same way, trying to feel each vertebra as you place it on the floor. Repeat 5-10 times according to what feels comfortable.
Leg stretches
This is one of the famous original Pilates exercises, adapted for pregnancy.
1. Lie on your back with your feet together flat on the floor and your knees raised. Now take your feet off the floor, keeping the knees apart to make a V-shape towards your toes, Check that your back is flat on the floor and your neck and shoulders are relaxed.
2. Breathe in and bring one knee up towards your chest. Then, as you breathe out, draw the navel to the spine, making sure the whole spine is on the floor and stretch up the second leg, pointing the toe. Check that the spine is still elongated along the floor and there is no tension in the neck or shoulders.
3. Take another long full breath and, as your breathe out, change the legs so the second leg is drawn in towards the chest and the first is stretched up. Always keep the whole back on the floor. If you feel any discomfort stop immediately. Alternate 5-10 times on each side.
The cat
Being on all fours is a comfortable position in pregnancy and becomes even more so as the months pass. Simply holding the first 'table top' position, below, is an excellent exercise as you start to get bigger and takes the weight of the baby off your back for a while.
This exercise stretches and releases the back and the best way of doing it is as slowly and smoothly as possible, allowing one position to blend into the next. If you have any back problems, however, only do the first two positions.
1. If possible, do this exercise next to a mirror so you can check that your back is completely flat. Position yourself on your hands and knees, with your knees hip-width apart, and check that your shoulders, hips and knees are all in alignment. Try to make your back perfectly flat with no tension in the neck and your head relaxed and in line with the spine.
2. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, gently draw the navel back towards the spine so that your back arches upwards and your head drops down between your arms, keeping them straight as you do so. Breathe in and return to the position above.
3. Breathe out and arch your back the other way so that it hollows out with your head and your bottom the highest points of your body. Breathe in and return to position 1. Repeat 5-10 times.
Ankle exercise
This is another good exercise for soothing tired, swollen feet.
1. Sit with your back against the wall and your feet raised, your lower legs supported on a cushion. Making sure that your feet are in line with your legs (no pigeon toes!), stretch your feet as far as you can without your legs coming off the cushion. Point and stretch your toes and hold for a count of five.
2. Bring your feet back to the starting position but continue the movement so that the feet flex - the toes point up to the ceiling and the heels pushing away. Hold for a count of five. Repeat both steps five times.
3. Now circle the ankle five times clockwise, then five times anti-clockwise.
Arm raises
This exercise helps to improve posture, as well as loosening tense necks and shoulders. You need a long scarf for this one.
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a long straight back and neck. Draw the navel gently towards the spine to eliminate any overarching and keep that feeling there throughout the exercise.
2. Hold the scarf lightly taut in front of you with your hands about a metre apart. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, raise the scarf until it is above your head, without allowing a hollow to appear in your lower back. Don't lift your shoulders as you raise your arms. Instead feel the movement coming from your shoulder blades. Keep the neck and shoulders soft and relaxed throughout.
3. At the top, breathe in then, as you breathe out, lower the scarf again. Repeat five times.