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Prenatal training is Functional!

I was training this week with a client who is 29 weeks pregnant and I was struck, as I am often am, at how functional prenatal training is. Look at these positions my client is using to add challenge to her gentle exercises. Sitting on a ball with 2 feet on a BOSU doing arm lifts is hard for any of us! Why don't we do more functional, slower, stability challenging exercises?

Prenatal training requires us to slow down. This does not mean we have to make it easy! Pregnancy is a perfect time to work the fundamentals as a huge investment in synergy and coordinated function. In our non-pregnant condition working out seems to become about the "hard and fast". We want the burn and often at the expense of the 101's. Everyone who trains with me knows that we build up, and in the first few sessions/weeks we cover a lot of 101's. As a trainer, it is my job to ensure that the functional form is in place to support the higher intensity workouts.

I think I'll have everyone try these positions this week :) Can you keep up with a pregnant lady? Let's see!
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