Hi, Debra! Actually, if exercise isn't contraindicated for your friend for other pregnancy-related reasons, then water classes (both impact-oriented and deep-water zero-impact) would be perfect for her!
Just a few suggestions:
1. She should invest in a good pair of aqua athletic shoes, either by Ryka (
www.ryka.com; Aquafit model) or Avia (
www.avia.com I think) if she wants to do vertical shallow-water classes; they absorb impact, take away abrasion to the sole of the foot, stabilize on landing movements and overall make the workout more comfortable;
2. Just like on land, she should not do any supine (face/body-up) abdominal work;
3. For long-legged movements like forward kicks, she should not try to kick too high;
4. She should pay attention to a range of motion that feels comfortable, given the redistributed weightload of the baby as well as the destabilizing effect the hormone relaxin has on the joints;
5. She should work out in water that feels cool to chilly going in; a lot of therapeutic pools have much warmer temperatures, and overheating is a real possibility;
6. She should check with her facility and see if they have any Aquajoggers to lend; this is cummerbund-like float vest around the trunk, and she can wear this and do zero-impact "jogging" or "running" in the deep end. (A woman I knew at a club where I used to teach aquajogged religiously up until the day before she delivered, and said it really made a difference; it was great to have the weightload of the baby taken away by the buoyancy of the water for awhile!);
7. She can also do simple water-walking, to keep her stride going and her range of motion up there until delivery and post-natal recovery;
8. She should pay extra attention to maintaining good trunk form during aqua classes. It's really easy to flake out when you're in the water and don't have to constantly work against gravity, and far too many instructors do not cue very well for this particular issue, pregnancy or not.
Glad you asked! Let me know if you have any other questions! And congrats to your friend!
Annette
