I M TRYING TO CONCEIVE, CAN I DO THE PROGRAM? If you re trying to conceive (how exciting!) we suggest you exercise at a level that is comfortable for you. If you re already a 28er, stick to the level you re currently on if you are comfortable with it. Newbie 28ers- it s ideal to start at one of our beginner levels. We suggest either Rookie or Player as these have a longer rest period. I m doing IVF, can I do the program? Everyone is different so we must advise that you talk to your doctor about what s right for you. There are actually a number of benefits of going into IVF feeling your best and your fittest, however check in with your specialist to ensure you get the most accurate advice that is best suited to you. Whenever you re having a procedure, use this a day off and avoid exercising. Your doctor will give you more information on this. I M PREGNANT, CAN I DO THE PROGRAM? You bet! No matter what stage you are up to in your pregnancy, we suggest starting on the lowest level (Rookie). However, if you are pretty fit before starting or prepregnancy you can start on/move to Player. It s safe to stay on your current level for your first trimester. Once you get to trimester 2, it s time to ease up. When completing the workouts you don t want to elevate your heart rate too much and should try to work out at a medium intensity. From your second trimester onwards, it s time to avoid high-impact jumping. If you re not sure if you re working too hard, remember that you should still be able to hold a conversation. If you couldn t chat with a friend, you re working too hard. Try not too become too fixated on your fitness during this time. You are busy making a human- that should be your focus (which we re sure it is!). Remember- it s really important not to overheat and to remain hydrated. Ensure you work out in a well ventilated area and do your best to keep cool. Abdominal exercises will get harder around 20 weeks. This is when it s time to stop all crunches and sit-up exercises. Substitute all of these with modified planks or toe taps to tighten your core without the extra strain on your tummy.
PELVIC FLOOR WHAT SHOULD I BE DOING TO STRENGTHEN MY PELVIC FLOOR? The time it takes to regain strength in your pelvic floor muscles is individual for each person. Pelvic floor strength is important for all women but particularly when pregnant or postnatal. The most important thing is to that you should be able to identify that you re squeezing the correct muscles. The best and easiest way to do this is to try and imagine that you re holding in gas. Focus on the internal feeling of squeezing. Try to isolate the muscle group and hold for 5 seconds. Don t be disheartened if you can t do 5 seconds yet- progress, not perfection! HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU DO YOUR PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES? You should do your pelvic floor excises at least once a day- 3 x per day is ideal. Do 5 squeezes and hold each squeeze for 5 seconds each. Add it to the end of your daily 28 workout and make it part of your daily habit. WHAT SHOULD I AVOID/I CAN T JUMP If you re 3 months or less post pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles are still weaker than normal and will be stretched. Jumping places a huge force on your pelvic floor. This might be a complete no go and you ll want to do low impact versions. In these instances: Step out the cardio movements or simply do the low-impact alternatives. Eg. Jump squats can be standard squats or wall squats Star jumps can be stepped out as opposed to jumped. If you ve got a weak pelvic floor, you need to avoid high-impact exercises, crunches, sit-ups and deep squats. Anything with your head up off the floor also needs to be avoided.
STOMACH SEPERATION Stomach separation happens in almost all cases of pregnancy. In fact, it s quite unusual to get through pregnancy without any stomach separation. The sixpack muscles are normally joined together by really fine tissue. These are divided into two halves which stretch and separate to make room for a baby. You don t want to encourage it to stretch more than it needs to. HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE STOMACH SEPARATION? WILL MY STOMACH SEPARATION HEAL? Have it assessed by your physio, midwife or doctor. It is too easy to incorrectly evaluate this so please seek an expert opinion so we can give you the most accurate advice. WHAT SHOULD I AVOID? All kinds of crunches and sit-ups. WHAT CAN I DO INSTEAD? Do a modified plank (do this from your hands & knees or on elbows) You want to feel that you can pull in through your lower tummy and activate those deeper tummy muscles to protect the stretching that s going on in the more superficial muscles. Alternating leg lowers (toe taps) https://28bysamwood.com/exercises/alternating-leg-lowers/ It will naturally knit back together over time for most people. If the separation is quite large, it might not, but that is quite unusual. If you re worried please book in with a professional to have it checked out further. HOW LONG DOES IT TYPICALLY TAKE TO REPAIR? 6-12 months. I WANT TO GET BACK INTO RUNNING BUT I DON T WANT TO PEE MYSELF.. WHAT CAN I DO? You need to start by doing your pelvic floor exercises 2-3 times a day. Alternate between walking and running so there s not continual pressure on your pelvic floor.
PREGNANCY MODIFICATIONS Whilst most of the exercises you ll see in our daily workouts are safe to do when you are pregnant, there are a few times where there is a better choice. Below we have described the modifications that would be great to substitute once you reach 16 weeks of pregnancy. SWAP THIS: FOR THIS: Supine lumbar rotation / Lying on your back with legs up in the air Once again, lying on your back after about 16 weeks can potentially put too much pressure on your blood vessels due to the weight of your baby compressing your inferior vena cava. To avoid this, we can achieve a lovely spine stretch while standing instead, with an exercise called Spine Twist. Spine Twist Stand up, arms wide, and rotate to one side, keeping your arms the same distance apart, growing tall through your spine as you rotate. Keep your hips facing the front, and enjoy the stretch through your upper and middle back. You still receive all the benefits of stretching and mobilising your upper and lower back, from a safe seated starting position. Supine Bridge / Lying on your back and lifting your hips (Also known as Butt Lift As it may become uncomfortable for you to lie on your back after about 16 weeks of pregnancy, it is great to substitute this with a modified seated spine twist. Sit up tall with your legs crossed, arms out wide, and slowly breathe out as you rotate around, imagining that your are lifting up and lengthening your spine. Breathe in and hold, then breathe out and rotate the other way. Push Ups Regular push ups can put too much pressure on your tummy muscles as your baby grows. Modified Push-Ups So instead, start in your hands and knees position, but keep your hips and knees at a 90 degree angle, and bring your hands back in line with your shoulders. Then as you lower into your push up, you will feel your arms and chest muscles working, without the extra pressure on your tummy muscles.
SWAP THIS: FOR THIS: Prone (any exercises on your tummy) Regular push ups can put too much pressure on your tummy muscles as your baby grows. Instead, work on posture and shoulder strength in hands and knees position, with the Superman exercise. Balance your knees over your hips, and shoulders over your wrists, and then keep your spine long as you reach opposite arm and leg away. Return to the middle, then repeat on the opposite side. This is a great exercise for building your core strength and stability around your shoulders and hips. If you have any pain in your pelvis, just do the arms component. Abdominal exercises in supine (lying on your back) Curl ups, Sit Ups, Oblique Twists Again, as your tummy starts to grow and it feels uncomfortable to lie flat on your back, prop yourself up onto your elbows into supported supine. Then slowly raise one leg up to coffee table position, then bring the other leg up to match. From here, slowly lower one foot to touch the floor, then alternate. This safely works your abdominal muscles without extra strain. Jumping / High Impact activities As your second trimester progresses, and your baby grows and puts more pressure on your tummy muscles and pelvic floor muscles, it is best to avoid high impact activities which cause extra pressure on these already compromised structures. Instead of jumping, jogging or running, choose a low impact option, or keep one foot on the ground at all times so you can share the load through more easily. For exercises like burpees, instead of jumping your legs out, step them out one at a time, and you will still get all the great strength benefits without the impact.