Fitball exercises for pregnant women: indications and contraindications. Fitball for pregnant women in trimesters

Pregnancy time is very valuable for every woman. The expectant mother should lead a proper lifestyle: eat well, monitor her daily routine. And modern doctors also advise not to forget about physical exertion. Now I want to tell you what exercises on fitball for pregnant women will be useful and will bring not only pleasure, but also some relief.

To be or not to be?

Women who have always kept their body in good shape should not relax during pregnancy. However, the complex of loads should be completely different. So, gymnastics for pregnant women on a fitball is completely safe for both mom and baby. Moreover, properly selected exercises can help in stretching muscles (which is very useful during contractions and during childbirth), perfectly reduce back pain (which is very important for women, especially in the last trimester), normalize high blood pressure and generally give the body strength and energy. Modern doctors say that a pregnant woman, if she is all right, should not lie in bed like a sick person. She should move and lead a moderately active lifestyle.

About the ball

Before viewing the various exercises on the fitball for pregnant women, it is worth noting that such an interesting ball was invented in Switzerland and widely used to facilitate contractions and childbirth. Already a little later, it began to be used more widely as a sports equipment, without regretting it at all. Classes on such a ball will suit all women, there are no contraindications here. However, this applies only to those ladies whose pregnancy proceeds without complications. Otherwise, when starting any new activity, it is necessary to consult with a gynecologist and ask for permission to take classes from him. It is important to note that fitball classes will appeal to those ladies who want to avoid excessive physical exertion on the body. After all, the exercises themselves perfectly relax the muscles, while training an unborn baby!

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How to choose a ball?

Looking for a fitball for pregnant women, how to choose the ball correctly – that's what a woman should be interested in first of all. So, everyone knows that balls differ in size. Which one will suit a woman? If the fitballs are inflated in the store, the best option is to just sit on top of it and look at the position of the legs. If the knees are bent at right angles, the ball is created specifically for this woman. But what if the fitball is packed in a box on the retail shelves? To do this, you just need to find out its size and correlate it with your height. So, if a lady has a height below 152 cm, she needs a ball with a diameter of 45 cm. If the height is from 153 to 165 cm, so to speak, average, it is better to take a ball with a diameter of 55 cm. For tall women whose height is above 165 cm, fitball size 65 cm is suitable. It is also important to remind you that it is better to buy any sports equipment, including similar balls, in certified stores. This is the only way to protect yourself from counterfeiting, and your health from various injuries when using low-quality goods.

First trimester

What should be the loads in the first trimester of pregnancy? Since this period is considered by doctors to be the most dangerous: there is a great threat to such a fragile nascent life, and mom does not feel too well, it is better not to do any strength exercises, classes should be aimed at relaxing the body. No loads and exhausting workouts!

Second trimester

This period is characterized by the fact that the terrible condition of the mother associated with toxicosis is over. The baby is already felt in the tummy, but still does not cause any inconvenience at all. Here it is good to actively start practicing on a fitball, choosing a variety of exercises for yourself. However, only from the complex for pregnant women.

Third trimester

A woman should also spend the last trimester of pregnancy actively, even though the baby may cause certain inconveniences. However, this is not a reason to give up classes for pregnant women on fitball. On the contrary, during this period, exercises with a ball will help to reduce back pain, relax. In addition, such classes are an excellent preparation for the period of labor and even childbirth itself, when a woman herself will know what she should do to ease the pain.

Basic poses

So, what can be the main exercises (fitball for pregnant women)? The videos, which are actively offered to women by various coaches, show that there are not so many poses for practicing with the ball. First: lying on the ball (belly or back). This is necessary in order to strengthen the muscles of the back and abs. Second: sitting on a fitball. This is an excellent pose that helps to train the pelvis, and also works as a prevention of kidney problems and early uterine prolapse. Third: kneeling and lying on the fitball with the front part of the torso. This pose perfectly helps to remove back and lower back pain, and also improves blood circulation. It is also important to say that all fitball exercises for pregnant women can be divided into three main large groups: these are exercises for strengthening muscles and stretching, relaxation, as well as Kegel exercises (training the deep muscles of the perineum, which is very useful during childbirth).

Exercise block 1: stretching and strengthening muscles

You need to start with a simple one. So it is here. The first exercise, which, however, will perfectly help relieve pain and distract a woman during contractions: you need to sit on the ball, while resting your hands on it if desired. Now it is necessary to make small rocking back and forth, small rotational movements both clockwise and counterclockwise. This exercise in the future will help the uterus to open up more quickly, and childbirth will pass faster. We go further. Now you need to stretch your leg muscles properly, because it will be very necessary during childbirth. To do this, the woman sits on the floor, spreads her legs and places a fitball between them. Now, several times in a row, she has to squeeze it well with her feet. However, this should be done slowly. The exercise stops when the lady feels tired. At this stage, you can stretch your back and hip muscles a little. To do this, the pregnant woman needs to sit on the ball and rest her feet well on the floor. Now, with the hand opposite to the foot, you need to reach the foot. At first glance, this is easy to do, although in fact everything is different. This exercise is a great stretch for a woman. Fitball exercises for pregnant women can also train a woman's hands. This will be useful already for the postpartum period, when the baby will be constantly in mom's arms, while gaining weight. So, you need to take the ball at arm's length and gradually squeeze it. It is also good to train the spine. To do this, you need to put the ball in front of you, bend over to it, rest your hands on it and roll it to and from yourself. It is important not to run after the ball, but to roll it as far as possible while standing in one place. And, of course, you need to train your stomach during pregnancy. To do this, you need to lie back on the fitball (namely with the shoulder blades), the legs must be bent at the knees, creating a right angle with them. The hands are placed behind the head. A woman should lift her stomach up several times, while staying in the upper position for a couple of seconds. Exercises (fitball for pregnant women) on the video will help to understand this perfectly.

Exercise block 2: relaxation

It is also important for a woman to be able to correctly relax. To do this, the pregnant woman needs to sit on the floor and place the ball right in front of her. Now you need to hug the fitball and get as comfortable as possible on it. That's all. In this position, a woman can stay as long as she wants. So she's just resting. It is important to say that a lady needs to be able to relax in order to make it easier to transfer the period of contractions. Therefore, it is important to train this exercise from the very beginning of pregnancy.

Exercise block 3: Kegel exercises

How else can I use a fitball during pregnancy? To train the internal muscles of the pelvis. Kegel exercises, which are named after the doctor who first proposed them, will be excellent helpers in this. So, the bottom line is that a woman will train the multilayer muscles of the pelvic floor, constantly squeezing and unclenching them. Of course, you can do this without the ball, but otherwise it will be more useful. To do this, the pregnant woman must sit on the ball and begin to compress the internal muscles, while at the same time pressing into the ball. Now you need to stay in the most extreme state of the muscles for a few seconds and begin to gradually relax, as if rising up. You need to do this several times in one sitting, but it is better to repeat the approaches as often as possible. If, after all the above, a woman still doubts the usefulness of the ball, you can advise her to read various reviews. Fitball for pregnant women is used by a lot of expectant mothers who get not only great benefits from classes, but also pleasure, which is important during pregnancy.