How much of an incline?

[jaxgirl]

Hi everyone-
I'm 16 weeks pregnant and just getting back into my Cathe workouts after a long battle with morning sickness. I was able to keep up with short run/walks (1 mile) with the dog several days a week with the morning sickness but that's all. I started doing some of Cathe's endurance weight workouts last week (ME and PH) but I'm not sure how much of an incline I need to use with the chest and ab portions. I've heard 45 degrees before but can't find that anywhere. Any information on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Kathy

 

[Sheila Watkins]

Hi Kathy,

This question is a very popular one on this forum so here is the scoop... If your goal is to remove all the potential forces of gravity (i.e. potential weight of the baby, uterus, etc.) off the vena cava (blood vessel that brings blood from the lower extremities back to the heart)the incline position is not going to totally do that for you. If you look at different inclines you will find some surprising things. At a 30 degree angle, which is not really much, you only remove 13 % of the potential weight. At a 45 degree angle you only remove 29% of the weight and even at a 60 degree angle you can only remove 50% of the total weight.

Sheila

Sheila S. Watkins, MLSci.
Founder and National Program Director
Healthy Moms(R) Fitness
www.healthymomsfitness.com

 

[melanalyus]

Kathy--
I"m about 16 weeks along too! I know all about the nausea/tiredness of pregnancy. I'm just now beginning to feel like myself again, but now my belly's beginning to grow. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm not going to feel like myself again for a while...
Anyways, I've read conflicting data on the incline. Some say that you should not lie on your back at all after your second trimester. With my first pregnancy, I was ignorant to this theory and slept primarily on my back (for a typical 7-9 hrs each night). Currently, I am doing all ab/upper body work directly on my back (except for plank work). I'm not convinced that their is indeed lower blood flow to the baby when your lieing on your back. It's all theory. You should do what feels right to you.

Melanie
Due 1/25/04

" Take care of your body like it will last a lifetime. Take care of your soul like it will last for eternity"

 

[MSJ]

Kathy,
I have been working out on an incline since my first trimester ended--two risers on one end of my step and one on the other, so the incline is slight and according to what Sheila posted, not very effective, which scares me a little. Anyway, I am 36 weeks and only now am I not feeling quite right when I lift on my back at this incline. Before I felt fine. I have found that I need to sit up between sets, even if this means pausing the tape, so that I have a little more time to breath and recover. I might try putting a third riser on to get the incline a bit steeper.

I hope you find the information you need.

Maggie
4 weeks, 1 day and counting

 

[Sheila Watkins]

MSJ,

You might be more comfortable doing your abs in the incline position on a Resistaball. You could easily vary your degree of incline depending on how you feel that day.

Keep us posted. You'll have that baby in your arms before you know it.

Take care,

Sheila

Sheila S. Watkins, MLSci.
Founder and National Program Director
Healthy Moms(R) Fitness
www.healthymomsfitness.com

 

[jaxgirl]

Thanks for the information Sheila - I had never heard the complete explanation about how much pressure relief you get from the incline. But I'm still a little confused - so is it safe to do chest presses and ab work from just a 30 degree incline? Unfortunately, I don't have a resistaball (maybe a good excuse to go get one ) but I found a very comfortable set up this morning using two sofa pillows that put me at about a 30 degree incline. I'll talk to my doctor about this more next week when I go for my post amnio appt. but wanted to get some insight on this now.

Melanie - we are due just a few days apart! Glad to hear your morning sickness is pretty much over too. I'm counting on that "muscle memory" to kick in with my weight workouts soon cuz it almost seems like I'm starting over.

Maggie - good luck on the home stretch there. It's great to hear you are still working out that far along - it gives me hope I can do the same.

Take care everyone and thanks for the info!

Kathy
Due 1/22/04

 

[MSJ]

Actually, Sheila, I quit doing abs very early on in this pregancy I am ashamed to say. I do chest and triceps work on the incline. I am curious about how people accomplish ab work during pregnancy. I will have to research this better before next time. But thank you for the advice.

Maggie