Maintaining good physical shape throughout the nine months of carrying a baby is very important for every pregnant woman. However, being in this position, it is necessary to choose a complex of exercises very carefully, taking into account all the physiological characteristics of the future mother’s health and only after consulting a gynecologist, who conducts pregnancy.
Gymnastics for pregnant women on a fitball is very popular with doctors and trainers, as it has an extremely positive effect on the woman’s body. These exercises provide pregnant women with the opportunity to keep their bodies toned in a gentle way and safely prepare them for the upcoming birth, ensuring a good mood and well-being.
What is a fitball
Fitball is a sports tool that has the form of a large ball, which is used to perform special gymnastic exercises. In its manufacture, the material used is polyvinyl chloride and special high-strength latex. Fitball for pregnant women is made by a special technology with Anti-Burst System, which allows it to simply deflate without exploding if damaged. The second name of the fitball – Swiss ball, because this sports tool was invented in Switzerland.
Swiss balls are classified according to species, size and shape. Externally, quality sports projectiles should look ribbed and porous on top. This allows not only to effectively perform exercises on the projectile, but also prevents the accumulation of dirt and sweat on its surface. In addition, such gymnastic balls are useful created a slight massage effect.
What are the benefits of exercises on a fitball
Recently, gymnastics with balls has become very popular due to the fact that exercises on a fitball for pregnant women bring undoubted benefits, as:
- Stabilizes the heartbeat and helps strengthen blood vessels;
- provide a decrease in muscle tone around the spine;
- helps prepare the perineal muscle tissue, thus ensuring that the risk of trauma during delivery is minimal;
- allow you to form a correct posture, while unloading the spine;
- Activate the circulatory system, thus ensuring both the pregnant woman and her unborn child a full oxygen supply to all internal organs;
- prevent the development of pathologies of the kidneys, urogenital system, hemorrhoids;
- Serves to prevent violations of the natural support of the small pelvic organs, particularly – the uterus.
When are shown exercises on a fitball
Fitball for pregnant women will undoubtedly benefit in cases where a woman needs to:
- Strengthen the muscles of the hips, crotch, abdomen, back;
- Reduce pain in the back and lower back, to relieve tension;
- Normalize blood circulation in the pelvic area;
- Improve a sense of balance;
- perform Kegel exercises to develop the vaginal muscles, which play an important role in the childbirth process;
- speed up the recovery of the genitals after childbirth;
- improve mobility of the hip joints and pelvic ligaments;
- ease labor contractions.
In addition, fitness-ball exercises for pregnant women help you learn to relax, alternating between relaxation and muscle work for the upcoming labor. Many pregnant labor labor prefer to endure it on a fitball. This greatly eases the overall condition of the laboring woman, reducing the load on the spine and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles.
When you should not work out on a fitball
There are not many contraindications to exercise on a fitnessball for pregnant women, but they still exist. Therefore, before you use for physical activity
fitball, it is necessary to consult with a gynecologist, who conducts pregnancy. With the threat of miscarriage, cervical insufficiency, increased uterine tonus, certain abnormalities in the development and course of pregnancy, gymnastics on a ball is generally contraindicated.
Exercise on a fitnessball for pregnant women is undesirable in the presence of diagnosed chronic diseases of internal organs and musculoskeletal system. Thus, if a woman has no serious health problems that are reasons to exclude physical activity, and the doctor does not object to such exercises, you can start classes on the fitball for pregnant women.
Complex of gymnastic exercises on a fitball for pregnant women
Exercise with a fitball for pregnant women can begin in the 1st trimester, increase the intensity in the 2nd trimester and continue exercising until the end of the 3rd trimester.
- Yoga and cardio after labor and childbirth
- Consultation with experts
- Nutrition program
- Psychological support
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- Life Hacks and Podcasts
The recommended complexes may include exercises for different muscle groups.
These include exercises for the lumbar, back in a sitting position on the ball:
- with the hands resting on the fitness ball, movements forward-backward, right-left, circular movements of the pelvis clockwise and counter-clockwise – to relax the pelvic and lumbar muscles in the 3rd trimester, reducing pain during contractions, contributing to the elasticity of the cervix;
- Spreading the legs wide apart, turning the body to the left and right with an attempt to reach the toes of the opposite foot to stretch the lumbar muscles.
The muscles of the chest, arms and legs are strengthened by repeating the exercise several times with intervals of rest – standing, squeezing the ball in front of you in outstretched hands; sitting on the floor, squeezing the ball as hard as possible with your knees.
Exercises for other muscle groups
At the end of the 1st trimester, as well as during the 2nd trimester, you can also successfully exercise the fitness ball for pregnant women, strengthening the shoulder muscles and the spine. To do this, you need to stand in front of the ball, without taking your feet off the floor, bend over and roll the fitbol from yourself and then back, while stretching the maximum muscles of the shoulder girdle, back, spine.
To improve stretching of the thighs and strengthen the gluteal muscles and joint mobility, you can do the following exercises for pregnant women on a fitball.
Resting your chest on the fitball, place your hands there and put your chin on them. Then, standing on your knees, you should perform upward swings alternately with the right and left leg. The amplitude of the swings should be the maximum possible.
Exercises for relaxation
For relaxation in the complex of exercises on a fitnessball for pregnant women include the position of sitting on your knees on the floor and leaning your chest on the ball. To perform the exercise, you need to put your arms around the fitball, while relaxing the muscles of the back as much as possible and arching your back. Full relaxation serves to deepen breathing, thus contributing to the flow of oxygen to the placenta and improving blood circulation.
This situation has a positive effect on the fetus. This posture helps relaxation between labor contractions and provides a short rest for tense muscles. Such relaxation skills are very useful during labor, because learning to relax is no less important than learning how to push correctly and in time.
How to choose a fitball
The key to successful workouts on a fitball for pregnant women will be the right choice of a sports projectile. The main criteria for selection – the diameter of the ball and the woman’s height. The diameter of the fitness ball for pregnant women under 150 cm should not be more than 45 cm, if the height in the range 150-160 cm – 55 cm, women over 165 cm fitball diameter of 65 cm. The fitnessball is considered to be the optimal size if, sitting on it with knees bent at a right angle, a woman fully places her feet on the floor.
An important parameter is also the degree of elasticity of the Swiss ball, which can be determined by jumping on it. It should be pumped up only to the size indicated on the package, so as not to reduce the effectiveness of exercise on a fitness ball for pregnant women. Convenience when exercising provides special “horns”, thanks to which the ball is also easy to carry. The color of the fitball should appeal to a woman.
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