Callanetics for pregnant women: pros and cons

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If you lead an active lifestyle, regularly expose your body to physical activity and at the same time plan the birth of a baby, you should not give up the usual rhythm. For such women, there is a special type of gymnastics - callanetics for pregnant women.

What is this?

This set of exercises was developed by American Callan Pinckney, a fitness instructor, and is based on stretching and contracting almost all the muscles of the body. It is worth noting that this sport during pregnancy is only suitable for those who have at least an initial degree of physical fitness. Starting from scratch is not recommended. Therefore, if you have not been an adherent of an active lifestyle before, you will have to go through about 30 preparatory classes. And only then will it be possible to move on to full-fledged gymnastic sessions.

Frequency and duration of classes

Callanetics for pregnant women is attractive because during training there is no sharp increase in heart rate, and after that there is no feeling of fatigue and prolonged shortness of breath. Onea session of such exercises can replace several hours of regular gymnastics. In order for classes to have a positive impact, you need to devote at least one hour per session to them. The inventor of this technique recommends starting with 3 times a week. As the fetus grows and the result from callanetics for pregnant women is noticeable, you can limit training to 2.

It is worth remembering that the longer the pregnancy of the expectant mother, the less active the exercises should be. From this it follows that callanetics for pregnant women in the 1st trimester will give more load than with the subsequent development of the fetus.

This is also due to the fact that in the last terms it becomes more difficult for women to do anything at all. A quick set of kilograms and fear for the child also play a role. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully study all the pros and cons of callanetics for pregnant women. This will make it easier to decide what sport you want to do to prepare for childbirth.

Pros

1. During one exercise, several muscle groups are tensed and worked out at once.
2. You don't need a special uniform or equipment to practice callanetics.
3. The muscles of the back and spine are strengthened. With regular exercise, you are guaranteed to get the right posture and get rid of pain in the neck and lower back.
4. After gymnastics sessions, the heart rate does not increase and there is no prolonged shortness of breath.
5. Callanetics is relevant not only during pregnancy, but also for weight loss, prevention of osteochondrosis.
6. The risk of self-injury is reduced to a minimum.

Cons

1. It is difficult for women with a lack of physical fitness to withstand the entire load at once.
2. Before you start training in full, you need to take a preparatory course.
3. This type of gymnastics is contraindicated in the presence of certain he alth problems.

Precautions and recommendations

It is strongly not recommended to start classes on an empty stomach. But it is worth noting that you should not eat in front of them either. The optimal time for a meal is 1 hour before the start of class.

Clothes during callanetics should not hinder movement. Give preference to a specialized form designed for physical education. The fabric should be breathable, allowing the skin to breathe. Cotton tracksuits are perfect for this purpose.

Keep track of where you do your exercises. Do not exercise in socks on a slippery floor, be sure to use soft sports mats. If you plan to exercise outdoors, a lawn or grassy area is best.

Avoid overworking. If you feel tired, in pain, or have a racing heart, don't be afraid to slow down or take a break. Classes should be fulfilling, not stressful.

If you decide that you will do exactly callanetics for pregnant women, carefully consider which part of the day it is most convenient to do. Authorrecommends doing exercises regularly, after a certain interval and at the same time of day. For example, if you did a workout in the morning at 9, then the next group of exercises should be done exactly at these hours, with a difference of one or two days.

Prevent overheating. To do this, do not exercise at elevated body temperature, as well as on too hot days. Even slight temperature fluctuations can cause distressing symptoms.

During pregnancy, especially in the last stages, you should approach any activity with extreme caution. In women in an interesting position, the center of gravity changes, which increases the risk of falls. This, in turn, creates the risk of injuring yourself while playing sports. Therefore, you should not try to do those exercises that you think you cannot do.

As the fetus grows, the expectant mother should gradually reduce physical activity. In this regard, callanetics for pregnant women in the 3rd trimester can be not only beneficial, so it is better to minimize training. Before making any decision, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Contraindications

Callanetics for pregnant women is somewhat reminiscent of yoga. Uses the same postures, has a similar effect, soothes and keeps the muscles in good shape. However, such gymnastics contains some contraindications to classes. These include:

• diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• bronchial asthma;
• diseases of the back andspine;
• residual effects after infections, postoperative period;
• presence of hemorrhoids, with it all squat exercises are prohibited;
• varicose veins, limit the load on the legs.

Special exercises for pregnant women

Any kind of physical activity should start with a warm-up to warm up the muscles. A woman for women has developed a special set of exercises for pregnant women (callanetics), which promotes relaxation. For example, for the muscles of the cervical region, simple head turns can be performed. Having chosen a comfortable sitting position, you need to turn your head to the side, and slowly lower it as you exhale. Do the same on the other side.

You can try some Kegel exercises. They are aimed at preparing the muscles of the vagina and perineum for childbirth, gradually strengthening them. To do this, you need to take the starting position - lie on your back, and put your head on a small roller. Bending your knees, put your feet on the floor, stretch your arms along the body. The essence of the exercise is to strain the muscle tissue in the vagina and anus, fixing this position for 10 seconds. After a short rest, repeat again. Several approaches are recommended. Training these muscles is designed to greatly facilitate the birth process.

Beginning in the second trimester of pregnancy, it is recommended to do pelvic lift exercises. As the fetus grows, it puts more and more pressure on the organs. Suchcallanetics for pregnant women in the 2nd trimester will help you relieve tension in the pelvic area and feel comfortable. To do this, take the starting position - bend your knees, lying on the floor. Then take a deep breath, and as you exhale, lift your pelvis up. Please note that the back should be firmly pressed to the floor. On the subsequent exhalation, lowering the pelvis, relax all the muscles. Several approaches are needed to achieve the effect.

If you're having back pain, it's because your uterus is pressing against your spine. In order to remove discomfort, you need to perform the following set of exercises. The starting position will be as follows - sit on the floor on all fours, keeping your head in line with the spine. The back muscles should be relaxed. Then you need to “cat-like” bend the spine, lowering your head. In this case, the buttocks and stomach should be tense. After a few seconds, begin to gradually relax. After a short rest, repeat the exercise again, and so on for several approaches.

Conclusion

It should be remembered that the choice of load of any kind must be treated wisely, especially during pregnancy. Do not exhaust yourself with constant exercises and diets, do not overexert yourself and do not bring the body to stress. It is enough just to keep the body in good shape and prepare it for childbirth with the help of regular exercises. It is these properties that callanetics for pregnant women have. Therefore, if your doctor has not identified any contraindications,boldly continue to play sports, even being in an interesting position.