Description: If you want to learn more about functional training after pregnancy, you landed on the right page. Read throughout this article to find out more!
Introduction
For women, after giving birth, your body seems different. That is because you’ve grown life, and now it’s time to recover. Though you shouldn’t rush anything, wanting to get back the body shape you’ve once had is one thing in your mind. You might consider having the best jogging stroller immediately but take note, that moving well, functioning normally, and getting back to that body shape varies from one mother to another, and there is also a process.
Worry not because functional training might be one of your ways to bring back the body shape you had before pregnancy.
Functional Fitness Definition: What is Functional Training?
Simply said, functional training refers to a kind of exercise that involves training the body for those activities performed in everyday life. This kind of training is indeed beneficial, especially for a woman after pregnancy.
Exercises in functional fitness would train the muscles to work together and prepare them for everyday tasks by simulating those common movements you are doing at home or at work. Core stability is also emphasized in this kind of training.
Benefits of Functional Training After Pregnancy
Since functional training means you are exercising to improve your ability at carrying out your daily tasks, there are various benefits you can get out of this. Those moves that mimic real-life activities like pulling the pram upstairs or picking up the baby could be carried out a lot more comfortably with this kind of training.
Those functional fitness exercises like squats could help in regaining the stability and core strength and get more movement through the pelvis and tighten the abdominals.
Another useful move is the hip flexors or the half-kneeling lunge as you reach up to the ceiling with an arm, could be a refreshing side stretch for new mothers having cramped-up diaphragms and ribs.
That is why thanks to functional training, which mimics the way our bodies move naturally so you will correct the alignment, strength, and posture in a way that is both progressive and comfortable. You will also target all the key areas, including the abs, the core, spine-supporting muscles, diaphragm, glutes, and pelvic floor muscles. And all these without being too intense yet slowing down your recovery.
Precautions about Functional Training
Remember that after pregnancy, rebuilding your strength and fitness levels must be done progressively. This means that you need to keep things gentle, though you have been used to intense workouts before. Functional fitness training exercises for beginners should be considered first.
After giving birth, the hormones and also breastfeeding affect the joints. Those high-impact cardio workouts that you will do too early can lead to further damage and stress once you are not fully healed.
Take note that fat gain is common during pregnancy, so most women focus on getting back the weight before pregnancy. However, it is Diastasis Recti that these new mothers want to recover from. Diastasis Recti is a condition wherein two of the vertical abdominal muscles down the front stretch apart as well as weaken, leading to the post-pregnancy pooch.
Usually, these muscles would heal on their own for about six weeks to three months. Still, you could help the process by deep-breathing stomach exercises as well as strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. You should avoid sit-ups, straight-leg raises, planks, crunches, and moves, which cause the belly to bulge.
Swimming is another exercise to be careful with. You can take water after the postnatal check and a week after without postnatal discharge or bleeding. Beware that new mothers are more prone to infections while healing, especially those with cesarean stitches. Your functional fitness trainer could help you with this.
Conclusion
Well, moms can have fit bodies too! To be a mom means you’ll have a full-time job. Aside from having a little bundle of joy around, there are more than a mother will do every day. This might also mean that you don’t have time to do exercises at all. You might not have time to go to the gym and all. So, the best thing to do is to consider functional fitness workouts to get back to your amazing shape.
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Author’s bio:
Rachel Burns has been writing on topics related to fitness and healthy eating for 2 years now. As a mother, she really appreciates the ease of raising children with her advice.
Rachel specializes in plant-based diets. In addition to nutrition, she is also an exercise enthusiast.