Pregnancy Pilates; how is it different?
At Collective Motion, we believe the benefits of Pilates are endless and that includes during Pregnancy as well.
Our Pilates classes can be adapted to suit mums at all stages up to full term, working with your body as it undergoes the many changes that pregnancy brings. But how do we modify our classes to make sure that they’re safe for Pregnancy clients while still getting the most out of the session?
The most important thing about Pregnancy Pilates is avoiding direct core work or abdominal work. While your little one grows, the abs need to be able the lengthen and stretch to make room and grow with bub. Doing ab exercises shortens these muscles placing more stress on the tissues while also increasing intra-abdominal pressure which can contribute to a more significant diastasis recti, also known as ab separation.
Did you know that every single person will have some degree of ab separation post birth? A diastasis recti is a weakening and stretching of the connective tissue that runs between the recti (ab) muscles, known as the linea alba. Even though we can’t avoid ab separation, we can modify our Pilates classes to avoid worsening the degree of separation. However, we can still challenge your core stability when doing other exercises for your upper and lower body! If during the class you notice your stomach doming (where your stomach goes into a peak), this is a sign that your core is not strong enough to support you during this exercise, in which case your instructor will give you modifications or a different exercise to do.
As you progress through your pregnancy, there are changes that happen throughout your body that place extra strain on certain muscles, these are the areas we do target during our classes. Pregnancy Pilates at Collective Motion places a large focus on working your hip stabilising muscles and your glutes so that you have the strength to support the changes through your pelvis. This can also help lower the risk of developing pregnancy related pelvic pain and low back pain.
We also give your postural stabilising muscles a good work out! As your bump grows, it’ll change your gravitational centre and pull which can result in becoming quite hunched or flexed through the upper back and shoulders. By challenging and strengthening our big back and shoulder muscles, we can help to carry the load and improve posture. This is also a huge help when bub does arrive and you spend your days carrying and holding your new little one!
And lastly, we love to include stretching and mobilising exercises to help lengthen your muscles and keep your body moving freely.
Keeping your body moving during pregnancy is so important and at Collective Motion we love being able to provide and safe and supportive environment for you to do so!
Want to give it a try?
If you’re after some more advice or are in need of some hands on help, we’d love to see you at Collective Motion! Collective Motion offers Osteopathy, Dietetics, Clinical Exercise and Pilates and is conveniently located to service our Bentleigh community as well as its surrounding suburbs including Bentleigh East, McKinnon, Ormond, Glenhuntly, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Oakleigh, Gardenvale, Brighton East and Hampton East.
