CrossFitting Mommy- Is it safe?

Pregnancy and CrossFit

WOD like Heather Bergeron

By Angela Rose

I am pregnant. Speak those three little words and the people around you—friends, family, doctors, even total strangers—are guaranteed to release a flood of opinions. Some will tell you to give up your “dangerous” exercise routine. Others will suggest you abandon your “insensible” diet and gorge on carbs “for the baby.” This is not easy advice for a CrossFit enthusiast to stomach.

What these well-meaning individuals fail to recognize is that CrossFit is not just a sport, a workout, or a way to kill 20 minutes on a Saturday morning—it’s a way of life. Giving it up would feel unnatural. And if you’ve been working out regularly, may even be unnecessary.

A number of medical studies suggest that exercise during pregnancy delivers significant benefits. These include a reduction in weight gain, less pregnancy-associated discomfort, prevention of pregnancy-induced complications, shorter labor, and even a quicker recovery.

Heather Bergeron, a coach at CrossFit New England, has firsthand experience in WODing while waddling. She participated in CrossFit throughout her pregnancy, even completing a workout in the early stages of labor.

“I really believe that pregnancy is the MOST important time in a woman’s life to be fit and healthy; it’s your ONLY chance to take advantage of the fact that the way you live your life directly affects the health and development of your baby,” she says. “While nine months can feel like 59 months sometimes, it’s really a very short period of time that you have to completely dial it all in. And the prize, a healthy baby that is born that far ahead of the curve, is worth gold.”

That’s a pretty strong endorsement from the eighth place finisher at the 2010 CrossFit Games. If you’d like to follow in her footsteps, consider these tips to CrossFit safely while expecting

1. Listen to Your Body

If you’re new to CrossFit, you shouldn’t push your PRs as hard during pregnancy as a woman who has been battling Fran and her cohorts for years. If an exercise feels painful or even uncomfortable, don’t do it. Says Bergeron, “Don’t get hung up on losing all the gains you’ve made. Instead, stay committed to building up the strongest, healthiest vessel for your growing baby.”

2. Scale and Slow Down

To CrossFit safely—and comfortably—you’ll eventually need to dial down your intensity. Scale or substitute repetitions and exercises as needed. Don’t do any workouts for time. “Short and intense training turned into long and steady for me,” says Bergeron. “An easy way of modifying most workouts was just turning whatever the class was doing into an AMRAP 20 or more.”

3. Avoid Dangerous Movements

Your center of gravity will change as your baby grows, which may cause stability challenges. Limit potential falls and injuries by eliminating box jumps, rope climbs, handstand push-ups, GHD sit-ups and max effort lifts immediately. After the first trimester, avoid all exercises that require lying on your back. Says Bergeron, “I was able to feel safe keeping my loads prescribed for almost every workout but had a handful of movements that I omitted at different points during my pregnancy.”

The pregnancy experience is different for every woman. Remember that what is safe for one CrossFitter may be too intense for another. Consult your doctor before continuing your WODs or beginning any new exercise program.