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MANAGING TRAINING AND FIRST TRIMESTER FATIGUE

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February 24, 2022 at 12:09 pm #13818
Kate
Keymaster
The first trimester of pregnancy is absolutely exhausting. Here are five tips to help you navigate your training.
1. Find a different time to exercise, such as switching from an early morning session to lunchtime or later afternoon session. Whenever you’re most tired, have your training session opposite that window.
2. Decrease the number of weekly training sessions
3. Decrease your overall training volume (sets/reps)
4. Take longer rest periods during sets
5. Make your training programs as simple as possible, and remove any neurologically taxing movements (deadlifts, barbell squats, etc.).
Also – remember – if you’re tired, REST. We push ourselves so hard and feel like we SHOULD work out every day, but honestly, resting can be just as productive.
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March 1, 2022 at 6:22 pm #13859

Taylor
Member

Hi Kate – perfect timing! I needed to hear this! I’m (first-time) first trimester and I feel like BLACH/ total SH most days.

What are “neurologically taxing” movements? For the few days I have felt OK and have been able to do a workout… I am stopping lifting heavy (for me, that’s like 20s for deadlifts) and my doc says go lighter weights and more reps. I assume that advice is more important 2nd and 3rd trimester? What’s the reasoning behind this in the first trimester? I see your old T4P blogs for each trimester modifications and that’s helpful to see! Thanks!
- March 2, 2022 at 11:51 am #13863
  
  Kate
  Administrator
  
  HI!! FIRST OF ALL – CONGRATS!! Great question – apologies that wasn’t more clear in the initial post!
  
  ‘Neurologically Taxing’ training movements are exercises with a load or volume done above 90% rate of perceived exertion or roughly around a 1-5 rep max. So big lifts such as deadlifts, squats, chest press done at a volume where you have lower reps for higher weight may be something to reconsider if you’re feeling super tired. In pregnancy, your focus for the gym shouldn’t necessarily be training for volume or performance, but rather maintenance and quality movement. My recommendation is rep ranges of 12-15, ending at 80-85% RPE.
  - March 3, 2022 at 6:54 pm #13867
    
    Taylor
    Member
    
    Got it! ???????? THANK YOU!
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