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Pregnancy Training: What I Didn’t Know
An Athlete’s Perspective
It’s a common misconception that you have to stop exercising when you’re pregnant. This is not the case! Here are some of the things I’ve learned from my own personal pregnancy training journey.
The Truth About "Morning Sickness" and Pregnancy Training
The first thing I realized is that "morning sickness" is a misnomer. It can last the whole day and night for the first 2-3 months of your pregnancy. Why do they even call it morning sickness? It should be renamed "All day sickness".
Luckily, I figured out some tricks that helped me feel better and maintain my pregnancy training routine. The more frequently I ate, the better I felt. It was challenging to shift from three big main meals to smaller amounts every 90-120 minutes. Mentally, it was tough to eat even when I wasn't that hungry, but it helped me stay on track with my pregnancy training.
A New Level of Fatigue During Pregnancy Training
The fatigue you experience during pregnancy training is unlike anything I've ever felt before. I've completed several long endurance challenges in my life, but never have I encountered this kind of tiredness. I'd close my eyes for what felt like a few minutes, only to find that two hours had passed.
My "Ultrahuman Ring," which records sleep data, revealed shockingly little deep sleep. Normally, I would average 90 minutes of deep sleep per night, compared to just 10-15 minutes during my first months of pregnancy. No wonder I was knocked out on the sofa all afternoon, making pregnancy training sessions a real challenge.
Balancing Training Intensity and Pregnancy
As an athlete, figuring out training intensity during pregnancy was a real challenge. How hard is too hard when it comes to pregnancy training? I've spent my whole life setting athletic goals and working towards them, so it was difficult to shift my mindset from training with a purpose to just exercising.
But that's not entirely accurate – the purpose of my pregnancy training has simply changed to delivering a healthy baby. Still, that mental shift wasn't easy to make. I love training and pushing myself hard in sessions, and I didn't want to give it all up. It's what I enjoy about pregnancy training, after all.
So, I did some research to set guidelines on what intensity would be okay for my pregnancy training routine. A study on elite athletes who trained during pregnancy suggests that exercise intensity over 90% of maximal heart rate might negatively impact fetal well-being. This became my ceiling – if I get close to 180BPM (which is 90% for me), I ease off and give my body time to calm down.
Final Thoughts
I want to emphasize that this is my personal pregnancy training story, not advice for other mothers-to-be. Do your own research and consult with your healthcare provider about your pregnancy training plan. If you're interested in reading more on this subject, check out this study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703311/
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
ENGINE
Building those engines with a partner this week, which means higher intensity intervals across the machines.
GYMNASTICS
We continue to focus on the infamous bar muscle and the Handstand push-up in gymnastics. As always, we break down the skills, and these sessions are for all levels!
HYROX
Anything from a half hyrox to a full hyrox depending on your goals. We will change the distance of the runs so that we all finish together.
MOBILITY
Lower mobility/flexibility takes the front seat now. We will retest a few weeks ago to see if we are improving. The finisher will be upper stabilisation drills.
PURE STRENGTH
This week in pure strength, have some tough bench press cluster sets and then some upper body accessory work on Monday, followed by a chance to progress the loading on the Single Leg work from last week,
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are dialling in positions with a muscle clean and press followed by a heavy clean hang clean and Jerk complex followed by a tough EMOM.
Track Tuesday
This week is descending 400’s, dialling in some pace work ready for testing next week.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Sport City Track
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Wednesday Ride
Back to some hard Vo2max efforts this week. 6 X 4min zone 5!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Coffee Run
Hill reps! Our monthly hills session. This week we will start from a different location at the same time.
Brief time: 05:54 am Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Start Location (Common Grounds)
Parking is available here (underneath the bridge): https://maps.app.goo.gl/1VEi1knJQncTAopc9
Post run coffees at To the Moon and Back: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YZ2guifBnTQZLokMA
IFE Run WA link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/L0P8uWduZeiE7kin64pYfa
Saturday Ride
Our longer group ride, for riders who can avg around 30kph n group rides. We welcome anyone to join us.
Start time: 05:59 am
Monday
Time: 5:59pm ONLY
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
This Monday we will be holding that Tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 10- and 5-minute blocks. Ensure to use the recovery to have the HR come down, if that means walking the recovery that is ok!
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week we have descending 400s, each with a 40 sec rest. You will start at 10km pace and work down towards 3km pace on these reps. This is a chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance community and coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
Today we have 1km repeats off a 2 min rest. Rest will be standing to ensure the body recoveries after each rep. If you ran hard at Track yesterday, feel free to come along for an easy run.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we have hill repeats. We will meet further up the beach track this week to give us more time on the bridge/hill. Post run coffees at To The Moon and Back.
Sunday
Time: 04:29am
Location: TBC - will be shared in WA
Session: Dubai Run
This will be a fun, social run where we'll stick together, celebrating our passion for running, our community, and the rare chance to go along Sheikh Zayed Road without road rage.
This week at InnerFight, we will start off with some back squats and then leggy conditioning. On Tuesday, we have some gymnastics work followed by a tough EMOM. Wednesday, we will Sumo deadlift, then get into a rowing power clean WOD with ascending weight on the power cleans. Thursday, we focus on some upper body pulling work coupled with some single leg work and then some fast short AMRAPS. Friday, we are snatching, followed by a long continuous mover for Friday therapy.
Monday:
Strength:
Tempo Back Squats & Banded Pull Aparts
Conditioning:
Every 4 mins x 5 sets complete:
2 rounds
8 front squat (50/35)
8 lateral hops over the bar
8 box Jump over
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) Handstand Holds + Hollow Holds + Dual DB Strict Press + Hanging Leg Raises
B) Toes To Bar
Conditioning:
EMOM15
Min 1 - 5 wall walks
Min 2 -10 burpee shuttle runs (5m)
Min 3 -15 TTB
Wednesday:
Strength:
Sumo Deadlifts + DB Lateral Raises
Conditioning:
20 Min amrap
500/400m row
5 Power clean
*Every round build PC weight starts at 60/40kg plus 2.5/5kg
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Pull-Up Complex - Strict / Kippin C2B / Kipping Pull-Ups
B) Dual KB Front Rack Box Step Ups
Conditioning:
3 Rounds
3 min amrap
6 C2B
12/9 cal Ass bike
rest 2 mins
3 min amrap
6 Kb Push Press (2 x 12/16)
12 KB forward lunge
rest 2 mins
Friday:
Strength:
Snatch Complex - Power Snatch / Overhead Squat / Hang Power Snatch
Conditioning:
Its Friday so 30 Rounds of Fun.... Letsss Gooooo!
It’s a common misconception that you have to stop exercising when you’re pregnant. This is not the case! Here are some of the things I’ve learned from my own personal pregnancy training journey.
The Truth About "Morning Sickness" and Pregnancy Training
The first thing I realized is that "morning sickness" is a misnomer. It can last the whole day and night for the first 2-3 months of your pregnancy. Why do they even call it morning sickness? It should be renamed "All day sickness".
Luckily, I figured out some tricks that helped me feel better and maintain my pregnancy training routine. The more frequently I ate, the better I felt. It was challenging to shift from three big main meals to smaller amounts every 90-120 minutes. Mentally, it was tough to eat even when I wasn't that hungry, but it helped me stay on track with my pregnancy training.
A New Level of Fatigue During Pregnancy Training
The fatigue you experience during pregnancy training is unlike anything I've ever felt before. I've completed several long endurance challenges in my life, but never have I encountered this kind of tiredness. I'd close my eyes for what felt like a few minutes, only to find that two hours had passed.
My "Ultrahuman Ring," which records sleep data, revealed shockingly little deep sleep. Normally, I would average 90 minutes of deep sleep per night, compared to just 10-15 minutes during my first months of pregnancy. No wonder I was knocked out on the sofa all afternoon, making pregnancy training sessions a real challenge.
Balancing Training Intensity and Pregnancy
As an athlete, figuring out training intensity during pregnancy was a real challenge. How hard is too hard when it comes to pregnancy training? I've spent my whole life setting athletic goals and working towards them, so it was difficult to shift my mindset from training with a purpose to just exercising.
But that's not entirely accurate – the purpose of my pregnancy training has simply changed to delivering a healthy baby. Still, that mental shift wasn't easy to make. I love training and pushing myself hard in sessions, and I didn't want to give it all up. It's what I enjoy about pregnancy training, after all.
So, I did some research to set guidelines on what intensity would be okay for my pregnancy training routine. A study on elite athletes who trained during pregnancy suggests that exercise intensity over 90% of maximal heart rate might negatively impact fetal well-being. This became my ceiling – if I get close to 180BPM (which is 90% for me), I ease off and give my body time to calm down.
Final Thoughts
I want to emphasize that this is my personal pregnancy training story, not advice for other mothers-to-be. Do your own research and consult with your healthcare provider about your pregnancy training plan. If you're interested in reading more on this subject, check out this study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703311/
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
Track Tuesday
This week is descending 400’s, dialling in some pace work ready for testing next week.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Sport City Track
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Wednesday Ride
Back to some hard Vo2max efforts this week. 6 X 4min zone 5!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Coffee Run
Hill reps! Our monthly hills session. This week we will start from a different location at the same time.
Brief time: 05:54 am Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Start Location (Common Grounds)
Parking is available here (underneath the bridge): https://maps.app.goo.gl/1VEi1knJQncTAopc9
Post run coffees at To the Moon and Back: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YZ2guifBnTQZLokMA
IFE Run WA link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/L0P8uWduZeiE7kin64pYfa
Saturday Ride
Our longer group ride, for riders who can avg around 30kph n group rides. We welcome anyone to join us.
Start time: 05:59 am
Monday
Time: 5:59pm ONLY
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
This Monday we will be holding that Tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 10- and 5-minute blocks. Ensure to use the recovery to have the HR come down, if that means walking the recovery that is ok!
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week we have descending 400s, each with a 40 sec rest. You will start at 10km pace and work down towards 3km pace on these reps. This is a chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance community and coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
Today we have 1km repeats off a 2 min rest. Rest will be standing to ensure the body recoveries after each rep. If you ran hard at Track yesterday, feel free to come along for an easy run.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we have hill repeats. We will meet further up the beach track this week to give us more time on the bridge/hill. Post run coffees at To The Moon and Back.
Sunday
Time: 04:29am
Location: TBC - will be shared in WA
Session: Dubai Run
This will be a fun, social run where we'll stick together, celebrating our passion for running, our community, and the rare chance to go along Sheikh Zayed Road without road rage.
This week at InnerFight, we will start off with some back squats and then leggy conditioning. On Tuesday, we have some gymnastics work followed by a tough EMOM. Wednesday, we will Sumo deadlift, then get into a rowing power clean WOD with ascending weight on the power cleans. Thursday, we focus on some upper body pulling work coupled with some single leg work and then some fast short AMRAPS. Friday, we are snatching, followed by a long continuous mover for Friday therapy.
Monday:
Strength:
Tempo Back Squats & Banded Pull Aparts
Conditioning:
Every 4 mins x 5 sets complete:
2 rounds
8 front squat (50/35)
8 lateral hops over the bar
8 box Jump over
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) Handstand Holds + Hollow Holds + Dual DB Strict Press + Hanging Leg Raises
B) Toes To Bar
Conditioning:
EMOM15
Min 1 - 5 wall walks
Min 2 -10 burpee shuttle runs (5m)
Min 3 -15 TTB
Wednesday:
Strength:
Sumo Deadlifts + DB Lateral Raises
Conditioning:
20 Min amrap
500/400m row
5 Power clean
*Every round build PC weight starts at 60/40kg plus 2.5/5kg
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Pull-Up Complex - Strict / Kippin C2B / Kipping Pull-Ups
B) Dual KB Front Rack Box Step Ups
Conditioning:
3 Rounds
3 min amrap
6 C2B
12/9 cal Ass bike
rest 2 mins
3 min amrap
6 Kb Push Press (2 x 12/16)
12 KB forward lunge
rest 2 mins
Friday:
Strength:
Snatch Complex - Power Snatch / Overhead Squat / Hang Power Snatch
Conditioning:
Its Friday so 30 Rounds of Fun.... Letsss Gooooo!
ENGINE
Building those engines with a partner this week, which means higher intensity intervals across the machines.
GYMNASTICS
We continue to focus on the infamous bar muscle and the Handstand push-up in gymnastics. As always, we break down the skills, and these sessions are for all levels!
HYROX
Anything from a half hyrox to a full hyrox depending on your goals. We will change the distance of the runs so that we all finish together.
MOBILITY
Lower mobility/flexibility takes the front seat now. We will retest a few weeks ago to see if we are improving. The finisher will be upper stabilisation drills.
PURE STRENGTH
This week in pure strength, have some tough bench press cluster sets and then some upper body accessory work on Monday, followed by a chance to progress the loading on the Single Leg work from last week,
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are dialling in positions with a muscle clean and press followed by a heavy clean hang clean and Jerk complex followed by a tough EMOM.
It’s a common misconception that you have to stop exercising when you’re pregnant. This is not the case! Here are some of the things I’ve learned from my own personal pregnancy training journey.
The Truth About "Morning Sickness" and Pregnancy Training
The first thing I realized is that "morning sickness" is a misnomer. It can last the whole day and night for the first 2-3 months of your pregnancy. Why do they even call it morning sickness? It should be renamed "All day sickness".
Luckily, I figured out some tricks that helped me feel better and maintain my pregnancy training routine. The more frequently I ate, the better I felt. It was challenging to shift from three big main meals to smaller amounts every 90-120 minutes. Mentally, it was tough to eat even when I wasn't that hungry, but it helped me stay on track with my pregnancy training.
A New Level of Fatigue During Pregnancy Training
The fatigue you experience during pregnancy training is unlike anything I've ever felt before. I've completed several long endurance challenges in my life, but never have I encountered this kind of tiredness. I'd close my eyes for what felt like a few minutes, only to find that two hours had passed.
My "Ultrahuman Ring," which records sleep data, revealed shockingly little deep sleep. Normally, I would average 90 minutes of deep sleep per night, compared to just 10-15 minutes during my first months of pregnancy. No wonder I was knocked out on the sofa all afternoon, making pregnancy training sessions a real challenge.
Balancing Training Intensity and Pregnancy
As an athlete, figuring out training intensity during pregnancy was a real challenge. How hard is too hard when it comes to pregnancy training? I've spent my whole life setting athletic goals and working towards them, so it was difficult to shift my mindset from training with a purpose to just exercising.
But that's not entirely accurate – the purpose of my pregnancy training has simply changed to delivering a healthy baby. Still, that mental shift wasn't easy to make. I love training and pushing myself hard in sessions, and I didn't want to give it all up. It's what I enjoy about pregnancy training, after all.
So, I did some research to set guidelines on what intensity would be okay for my pregnancy training routine. A study on elite athletes who trained during pregnancy suggests that exercise intensity over 90% of maximal heart rate might negatively impact fetal well-being. This became my ceiling – if I get close to 180BPM (which is 90% for me), I ease off and give my body time to calm down.
Final Thoughts
I want to emphasize that this is my personal pregnancy training story, not advice for other mothers-to-be. Do your own research and consult with your healthcare provider about your pregnancy training plan. If you're interested in reading more on this subject, check out this study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703311/
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
Monday
Time: 5:59pm ONLY
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
This Monday we will be holding that Tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 10- and 5-minute blocks. Ensure to use the recovery to have the HR come down, if that means walking the recovery that is ok!
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week we have descending 400s, each with a 40 sec rest. You will start at 10km pace and work down towards 3km pace on these reps. This is a chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance community and coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
Today we have 1km repeats off a 2 min rest. Rest will be standing to ensure the body recoveries after each rep. If you ran hard at Track yesterday, feel free to come along for an easy run.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we have hill repeats. We will meet further up the beach track this week to give us more time on the bridge/hill. Post run coffees at To The Moon and Back.
Sunday
Time: 04:29am
Location: TBC - will be shared in WA
Session: Dubai Run
This will be a fun, social run where we'll stick together, celebrating our passion for running, our community, and the rare chance to go along Sheikh Zayed Road without road rage.
This week at InnerFight, we will start off with some back squats and then leggy conditioning. On Tuesday, we have some gymnastics work followed by a tough EMOM. Wednesday, we will Sumo deadlift, then get into a rowing power clean WOD with ascending weight on the power cleans. Thursday, we focus on some upper body pulling work coupled with some single leg work and then some fast short AMRAPS. Friday, we are snatching, followed by a long continuous mover for Friday therapy.
Monday:
Strength:
Tempo Back Squats & Banded Pull Aparts
Conditioning:
Every 4 mins x 5 sets complete:
2 rounds
8 front squat (50/35)
8 lateral hops over the bar
8 box Jump over
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) Handstand Holds + Hollow Holds + Dual DB Strict Press + Hanging Leg Raises
B) Toes To Bar
Conditioning:
EMOM15
Min 1 - 5 wall walks
Min 2 -10 burpee shuttle runs (5m)
Min 3 -15 TTB
Wednesday:
Strength:
Sumo Deadlifts + DB Lateral Raises
Conditioning:
20 Min amrap
500/400m row
5 Power clean
*Every round build PC weight starts at 60/40kg plus 2.5/5kg
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Pull-Up Complex - Strict / Kippin C2B / Kipping Pull-Ups
B) Dual KB Front Rack Box Step Ups
Conditioning:
3 Rounds
3 min amrap
6 C2B
12/9 cal Ass bike
rest 2 mins
3 min amrap
6 Kb Push Press (2 x 12/16)
12 KB forward lunge
rest 2 mins
Friday:
Strength:
Snatch Complex - Power Snatch / Overhead Squat / Hang Power Snatch
Conditioning:
Its Friday so 30 Rounds of Fun.... Letsss Gooooo!
ENGINE
Building those engines with a partner this week, which means higher intensity intervals across the machines.
GYMNASTICS
We continue to focus on the infamous bar muscle and the Handstand push-up in gymnastics. As always, we break down the skills, and these sessions are for all levels!
HYROX
Anything from a half hyrox to a full hyrox depending on your goals. We will change the distance of the runs so that we all finish together.
MOBILITY
Lower mobility/flexibility takes the front seat now. We will retest a few weeks ago to see if we are improving. The finisher will be upper stabilisation drills.
PURE STRENGTH
This week in pure strength, have some tough bench press cluster sets and then some upper body accessory work on Monday, followed by a chance to progress the loading on the Single Leg work from last week,
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are dialling in positions with a muscle clean and press followed by a heavy clean hang clean and Jerk complex followed by a tough EMOM.
Track Tuesday
This week is descending 400’s, dialling in some pace work ready for testing next week.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Sport City Track
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Wednesday Ride
Back to some hard Vo2max efforts this week. 6 X 4min zone 5!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Coffee Run
Hill reps! Our monthly hills session. This week we will start from a different location at the same time.
Brief time: 05:54 am Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Start Location (Common Grounds)
Parking is available here (underneath the bridge): https://maps.app.goo.gl/1VEi1knJQncTAopc9
Post run coffees at To the Moon and Back: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YZ2guifBnTQZLokMA
IFE Run WA link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/L0P8uWduZeiE7kin64pYfa
Saturday Ride
Our longer group ride, for riders who can avg around 30kph n group rides. We welcome anyone to join us.
Start time: 05:59 am
It’s a common misconception that you have to stop exercising when you’re pregnant. This is not the case! Here are some of the things I’ve learned from my own personal pregnancy training journey.
The Truth About "Morning Sickness" and Pregnancy Training
The first thing I realized is that "morning sickness" is a misnomer. It can last the whole day and night for the first 2-3 months of your pregnancy. Why do they even call it morning sickness? It should be renamed "All day sickness".
Luckily, I figured out some tricks that helped me feel better and maintain my pregnancy training routine. The more frequently I ate, the better I felt. It was challenging to shift from three big main meals to smaller amounts every 90-120 minutes. Mentally, it was tough to eat even when I wasn't that hungry, but it helped me stay on track with my pregnancy training.
A New Level of Fatigue During Pregnancy Training
The fatigue you experience during pregnancy training is unlike anything I've ever felt before. I've completed several long endurance challenges in my life, but never have I encountered this kind of tiredness. I'd close my eyes for what felt like a few minutes, only to find that two hours had passed.
My "Ultrahuman Ring," which records sleep data, revealed shockingly little deep sleep. Normally, I would average 90 minutes of deep sleep per night, compared to just 10-15 minutes during my first months of pregnancy. No wonder I was knocked out on the sofa all afternoon, making pregnancy training sessions a real challenge.
Balancing Training Intensity and Pregnancy
As an athlete, figuring out training intensity during pregnancy was a real challenge. How hard is too hard when it comes to pregnancy training? I've spent my whole life setting athletic goals and working towards them, so it was difficult to shift my mindset from training with a purpose to just exercising.
But that's not entirely accurate – the purpose of my pregnancy training has simply changed to delivering a healthy baby. Still, that mental shift wasn't easy to make. I love training and pushing myself hard in sessions, and I didn't want to give it all up. It's what I enjoy about pregnancy training, after all.
So, I did some research to set guidelines on what intensity would be okay for my pregnancy training routine. A study on elite athletes who trained during pregnancy suggests that exercise intensity over 90% of maximal heart rate might negatively impact fetal well-being. This became my ceiling – if I get close to 180BPM (which is 90% for me), I ease off and give my body time to calm down.
Final Thoughts
I want to emphasize that this is my personal pregnancy training story, not advice for other mothers-to-be. Do your own research and consult with your healthcare provider about your pregnancy training plan. If you're interested in reading more on this subject, check out this study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703311/
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
It’s a common misconception that you have to stop exercising when you’re pregnant. This is not the case! Here are some of the things I’ve learned from my own personal pregnancy training journey.
The Truth About "Morning Sickness" and Pregnancy Training
The first thing I realized is that "morning sickness" is a misnomer. It can last the whole day and night for the first 2-3 months of your pregnancy. Why do they even call it morning sickness? It should be renamed "All day sickness".
Luckily, I figured out some tricks that helped me feel better and maintain my pregnancy training routine. The more frequently I ate, the better I felt. It was challenging to shift from three big main meals to smaller amounts every 90-120 minutes. Mentally, it was tough to eat even when I wasn't that hungry, but it helped me stay on track with my pregnancy training.
A New Level of Fatigue During Pregnancy Training
The fatigue you experience during pregnancy training is unlike anything I've ever felt before. I've completed several long endurance challenges in my life, but never have I encountered this kind of tiredness. I'd close my eyes for what felt like a few minutes, only to find that two hours had passed.
My "Ultrahuman Ring," which records sleep data, revealed shockingly little deep sleep. Normally, I would average 90 minutes of deep sleep per night, compared to just 10-15 minutes during my first months of pregnancy. No wonder I was knocked out on the sofa all afternoon, making pregnancy training sessions a real challenge.
Balancing Training Intensity and Pregnancy
As an athlete, figuring out training intensity during pregnancy was a real challenge. How hard is too hard when it comes to pregnancy training? I've spent my whole life setting athletic goals and working towards them, so it was difficult to shift my mindset from training with a purpose to just exercising.
But that's not entirely accurate – the purpose of my pregnancy training has simply changed to delivering a healthy baby. Still, that mental shift wasn't easy to make. I love training and pushing myself hard in sessions, and I didn't want to give it all up. It's what I enjoy about pregnancy training, after all.
So, I did some research to set guidelines on what intensity would be okay for my pregnancy training routine. A study on elite athletes who trained during pregnancy suggests that exercise intensity over 90% of maximal heart rate might negatively impact fetal well-being. This became my ceiling – if I get close to 180BPM (which is 90% for me), I ease off and give my body time to calm down.
Final Thoughts
I want to emphasize that this is my personal pregnancy training story, not advice for other mothers-to-be. Do your own research and consult with your healthcare provider about your pregnancy training plan. If you're interested in reading more on this subject, check out this study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703311/
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - MENTAL TOUGHNESS - Hard Work
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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