The gym and SPD...any fitness instructors out there?

[seasister]

I'm 26 weeks and feeling fit. I do pilates twice a week and go to the gym - do the cross trainer and very light weights. Nothing demanding but just to maintain fitness.

At the park this morning I met a former pilates teacher who told me that she had SPD from birth and after - and that I shouldn't tone the stomach muscles too much (so they're tight) or do the cross trainer as this may cause SPD.

Is this right? Anyone know? I realise it wouldn't help if i HAD SPD but wasn't aware it could cause it.

Caveat: I'm not a fitness instructor

I dont think they know what causes SPD so at best, she's speculating, and certainly I know a lot of pregnant women who use the cross trainer during pregnancy, seemingly with no such issues.

Re abs, I asked my Obs about this because someone scared the ass off me by telling me that if my abs were too tight it could break my cocyx during delivery (yeah I know, i can laugh about it now- my obs certainly did!!). Anyway, Obs said there's no risk of having strong abs and that they provide good support for the back. However, she just said dont do "crunch" exercises because it can worsen abdominal separation.

I do find some fitness instructors come out with very odd stuff at times. Last week I was at yoga and a teacher told us that "when you breathe through your left nostril it oxygenates the left half of your brain, and the right nostril oxygenates the right half". Right- so, um, where do my lungs come into all of this?? It's not like I've got a hole at the top of my nose that provides a direct passage for air to filter around my brain.

Also not fitness instructor. But this sounds off to me. The only explanation I can think of is that if you are already in the early stages of SPD or if, as in my case you naturally have quite loose hip joints and are concerned that relaxin may exacerbate things, then exercises like the cross trainer which involves a (minor) rotation in the hips and lower back may make things worse. But if you don't have this issue and feel fine with no pain, then I can't see any problem. I'm still at the gym and still do pilates and no one has said anything like this to me. Never heard of anything about not doing abs - although that's interesting about "crunches" worsening abdominal separation. If you are worried, maybe switch to a different form of cardio? Something like reclining bike where you are nice and supported and your hips stay stable and square throughout?

Crunches, or any movement that triggers the same muscle reaction - such as Pilates moves that involve lifting both legs - aren't allowed, but that's not because of SPD.

My physio said that if it didn't hurt, it wouldn't worsen my SPD. And if you engage the pelvic floor and lower abdominal muscles before doing any exercise, you're unlikely to stress the SPD joint. I find it too hard to maintain this whilst using a cross trainer, but if you've been doing pilates for a while you might be able to do it.

If you don't engage the muscles first, then you could be working to loosen the SP joint.

If you can do exercise whilst supporting your pelvis in this way then keep it up. My physio really encouraged me to keep moving and using my full range of movement - I had been really scared of worsening the SPD but she agreed that restricting my movement when it didn't hurt would only lead to restricted mobility.

Should've said - I'm not a fitness instructor or physio either!

Thanks for the advice all - really appreciated. It's hard to engage pelvic floor/ab muscles throughout all cardio exercise but something to think about as not heard this before. Will speak to my pilates teacher about it

seasister- the way my pre-natal fitness instructor puts it re engaging your abs is "pull the baby up towards your heart".

I try to do this when on the treadmill and it makes it more comfortable and hopefully also does a bit of ab work although I guess I'll have to wait till after the baby to see how well!