Introduction/ advice

[boycrazy]

Hi everyone- I wanted to introduce myself. I am 28 weeks pregnant with my 3rd son. My oldest 15 and youngest 5. There is nothing like raising a toddler and a teenager at the same time.
My workout routine is cardio 5-6 days a week, pilates 2x a week, and light lifting at the gym. I have never done Cathe tapes but they look great. Would appreciate any advice on beginner/Int tapes.I figure if I start now I won't be overwhelmed when #3 arrives. I would love to hear other pregnancy routines in 3rd trimester. I am having to modify due to killer back pain!
Thanks

 

[dshepperd]

Hi boycrazy,
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I'm 31 weeks pregnant and am doing very moderate workouts these days. My situation is a little different from some of the other women on the board who have kept up their advanced workouts. Because of a history of miscarriage, I've been keeping my workouts mostly at the intermediate level (lately sometimes even beginner), although I was fairly advanced before getting pregnant.

Depending on what kind of cardio you've been doing, you probably don't need a beginner tape, and Cathe really doesn't have any beginner tapes that are available anyway. Her Wedding tape though, would probably be considered more intermediate than her other tapes and that would be a great one to start with. It has 2 workouts on it - step and strength training.

The CTX series is great and has shorter workouts (cardio usually 20 to 30 minutes) based, I believe, on the techniques Cathe used to get back in shape after her first baby. Although the workouts are short they are intense, so this may be a better option for after the baby than for your 3rd trimester.

I contintued to do my Cathe tapes (on a 4 inch step and keeping the impact low) through the end of my 2nd trimester but don't feel up to them any more due to the fast pace, but that's just my experience.

Anyway, others may have different suggestions but that's my 2 cents. Good luck!

Dana

 

[tchersue]

Hi

I love your name... Having 2 little boys myself, I guess you could say that I'm boy crazy, too

I just wanted to add that, if you are having a lot of back pain, you may want to check yourself for diastasis recti (abdominal split)... very common during and after pregnancy, and often a cause of back pain because when the ab muscles are compromised, the back muscles have to take up the slack of supporting the spine & additional pregnancy weight. In the event that you do have a split, you can rehab the muscles after your pregnancy, but in the meantime, you shouldn't do any twisting oblique work (sort of like a broken zipper... if you twist, it'll make it worse).

In my 3rd trimester I taught prenatal/postpartum (low impact) classes until the last month and continued with my normal resistance activities, but I changed from cardio machines/classes to swimming. It was wonderful (except for the part about walking from the locker room to the pool LOL)... it took the pressure off of some sciatica I was having, and I found that I could do a 30-40 minute full body workout without putting any stress on my round ligaments, knees, or back.

Congratulations on your fit pregnancy!!
Susan

 

[boycrazy]

RE: Introduction/ Dana

Dear Dana,
Thanks so much for your input. I don't know how some women maintain advanced workouts in the last trimester. I just don't have it in me. I am a runner and I thought I would be able to make it through switching to light jogs but the back is killing me. Ellipticals and swimming are going to have to do.

I am looking forward to the Cathe tapes- I have been a cardio nut for my entire life. The weights I have done for years but really got into it last year.

You don't have much further to go- I'm right behind you. Do you know the sex? Congrats and wishing you well. Keep me posted!

Kim

 

[boycrazy]

Dear Susan,

Would my ob be able to tell if I got a split? The back was bad with my first but ok with #2. I have been swimming and am going to go to 4x a week starting next week. My gym just got a new elliptical that I have been using for 40 min without pain. I just have no idea when it is going to flare. I can only use 15lb dumbells without pain I guess that's better than nothing. I know one thing I feel much better when I do some form of exercise rather than blow it off. It helped me so much after my second and crossing my fingers for the third.

Thanks for all your input I am looking forward to trying them.
Have a great day!

Kim

 

[tchersue]

Your OB should be able to tell you... or you can check it yourself.

Lie on your back with your knees up, and place your fingertips of one hand (firmly) a couple of inches below your belly button and then do a crunch while reaching toward your knees with the other hand... repeat the same with your fingertips firmly above your belly button... if you have a split, you'll actually be able to feel the walls of the muscles on either side of your fingers as you push down. A finger or so is normal... any more than that, and you should avoid twisting oblique work until you can rehab the muscles postpartum.

BTW, one of the most common things I think that women w/ more than one child do to exacerbate their diastasis is to reach back to their children in the back seat of the car... twisting obliques!

I loved the elliptical trainer, too... it never really became uncomfortable for me, and it was nice because I didn't have to worry about my belly getting in the way... but the swimming was my favorite in the end.

If your back bothers you a bunch, you might ask your OB for a referral to a physical trainer. The practice I went to w/ #1 had one that worked right on site.
Susan

 

[dshepperd]

RE: Introduction/ Dana

Hi Kim,
I love the elliptical trainer too! It seems almost as if it was designed with pregnant women in mind. It's just so much easier to modify the workout to my needs - when I'm feeling more energetic I pick up the pace and when I'm not I just keep it slow.

As for sex...we're having a girl. My husband had his heart set on a daddy's girl so we're really excited.

If you are a cardio nut you will definitely love Cathe's tapes, but her strength tapes are also better than pretty much anything else available on tape/DVD (IMHO!).

Thanks for the good wishes - sending them right back at ya!

Take care,
Dana