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
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ENGINE
Lower-intensity work this week is the base of all strong engines! Sore from hell week? You can use this to increase blood flow and recover to end the week strong.
GYMNASTICS
We 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
Find a friend and partner up with today’s partner, HYROX. We have either full or half-hyprox options, and you can split the workload between you.
MOBILITY
Carrying on with our overhead mobility/stability. We will then work on opening our hips at the end of the session.
PURE STRENGTH
We have our final week of this block in Pure Strength. We will max out our strict Press and Back squat and introduce some heavy hip hinges and dumbbell bench presses as an introduction to the next training cycle.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week, we are focused on the Squat Snatch in weightlifting. Hitting a heavy hang and low hang complex and finishing up with some heavy snatch pulls
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Monday Ride
Some threshold efforts to kick off the week! 5 X 4minutes today.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Repetition speed work this week. Come along for the newly laid sport city track to practice running FAST!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Sport City Track
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Wednesday Ride
Some building intervals into peak power sprints. A fun session this week for power development.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Coffee Run
Fartlek style run into reducing tempo efforts. A great tempo run for every runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Start Location (Common Grounds)
Saturday Ride
Our weekly long ride. Nutrition and hydration are very important during these longer rides. If you aren't confident taking turns at the front, speak to lead coach Rob Foster.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
This Monday we will be holding that Tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 6 mins blocks, off 3 min recovery. See if you can keep that feeling for all 4 rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Track Tuesday
Today we will be running 400s and 200s on the track. Fluctuating between 10km and 3km pace. A chance to work hard with the wider endurance community and coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
Todays intervals are 1kms and 500ms. The aim is to run the 500s fast, but keep that quality on the last 1KM still.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
After some strides we will be holding the tempo blocks for a longer duration this week. Time to make the most of the cooler weather in Dubai.
Sunday
Time: 6am
Location: Super Sports Race, Mushrif Park
Session: 5km, 10km, HM Race
Coach Steph will be with the LRC Team at the Super Sports race this weekend.
It's Hell week, and you know what that means: epic workouts that anyone can do. These will test you both physically and mentally! Keep an eye on your community WhatsApp group for workout clues!
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 Ride
Some threshold efforts to kick off the week! 5 X 4minutes today.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Repetition speed work this week. Come along for the newly laid sport city track to practice running FAST!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Sport City Track
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Wednesday Ride
Some building intervals into peak power sprints. A fun session this week for power development.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Coffee Run
Fartlek style run into reducing tempo efforts. A great tempo run for every runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Start Location (Common Grounds)
Saturday Ride
Our weekly long ride. Nutrition and hydration are very important during these longer rides. If you aren't confident taking turns at the front, speak to lead coach Rob Foster.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
This Monday we will be holding that Tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 6 mins blocks, off 3 min recovery. See if you can keep that feeling for all 4 rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Track Tuesday
Today we will be running 400s and 200s on the track. Fluctuating between 10km and 3km pace. A chance to work hard with the wider endurance community and coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
Todays intervals are 1kms and 500ms. The aim is to run the 500s fast, but keep that quality on the last 1KM still.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
After some strides we will be holding the tempo blocks for a longer duration this week. Time to make the most of the cooler weather in Dubai.
Sunday
Time: 6am
Location: Super Sports Race, Mushrif Park
Session: 5km, 10km, HM Race
Coach Steph will be with the LRC Team at the Super Sports race this weekend.
It's Hell week, and you know what that means: epic workouts that anyone can do. These will test you both physically and mentally! Keep an eye on your community WhatsApp group for workout clues!
ENGINE
Lower-intensity work this week is the base of all strong engines! Sore from hell week? You can use this to increase blood flow and recover to end the week strong.
GYMNASTICS
We 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
Find a friend and partner up with today’s partner, HYROX. We have either full or half-hyprox options, and you can split the workload between you.
MOBILITY
Carrying on with our overhead mobility/stability. We will then work on opening our hips at the end of the session.
PURE STRENGTH
We have our final week of this block in Pure Strength. We will max out our strict Press and Back squat and introduce some heavy hip hinges and dumbbell bench presses as an introduction to the next training cycle.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week, we are focused on the Squat Snatch in weightlifting. Hitting a heavy hang and low hang complex and finishing up with some heavy snatch pulls
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: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
This Monday we will be holding that Tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 6 mins blocks, off 3 min recovery. See if you can keep that feeling for all 4 rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Track Tuesday
Today we will be running 400s and 200s on the track. Fluctuating between 10km and 3km pace. A chance to work hard with the wider endurance community and coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
Todays intervals are 1kms and 500ms. The aim is to run the 500s fast, but keep that quality on the last 1KM still.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
After some strides we will be holding the tempo blocks for a longer duration this week. Time to make the most of the cooler weather in Dubai.
Sunday
Time: 6am
Location: Super Sports Race, Mushrif Park
Session: 5km, 10km, HM Race
Coach Steph will be with the LRC Team at the Super Sports race this weekend.
It's Hell week, and you know what that means: epic workouts that anyone can do. These will test you both physically and mentally! Keep an eye on your community WhatsApp group for workout clues!
ENGINE
Lower-intensity work this week is the base of all strong engines! Sore from hell week? You can use this to increase blood flow and recover to end the week strong.
GYMNASTICS
We 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
Find a friend and partner up with today’s partner, HYROX. We have either full or half-hyprox options, and you can split the workload between you.
MOBILITY
Carrying on with our overhead mobility/stability. We will then work on opening our hips at the end of the session.
PURE STRENGTH
We have our final week of this block in Pure Strength. We will max out our strict Press and Back squat and introduce some heavy hip hinges and dumbbell bench presses as an introduction to the next training cycle.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week, we are focused on the Squat Snatch in weightlifting. Hitting a heavy hang and low hang complex and finishing up with some heavy snatch pulls
Monday Ride
Some threshold efforts to kick off the week! 5 X 4minutes today.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Repetition speed work this week. Come along for the newly laid sport city track to practice running FAST!
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Sport City Track
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Wednesday Ride
Some building intervals into peak power sprints. A fun session this week for power development.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
Coffee Run
Fartlek style run into reducing tempo efforts. A great tempo run for every runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Start Location (Common Grounds)
Saturday Ride
Our weekly long ride. Nutrition and hydration are very important during these longer rides. If you aren't confident taking turns at the front, speak to lead coach Rob Foster.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: BOTS, Al Qudra
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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