I shouldn't be too hard on myself, I guess. It wasn't that bad. But I wasn't feeling good, and that was a fact.
I'm taking a break from personal training this month due to scheduling conflicts between Derek and I, which I'm kinda bummed about because the personal training has been working wonders for me. I started seeing positive changes immediately after starting and last month was awesome. It's back to strict crossfit now, though, which is great because I love that too. It complements strength training beautifully though, so I'm curious to see how I do for a month using one without the other. June brings maternity leave for me, though, and therefore no more scheduling conflicts. I am definitely hoping to jump back into personal training again as soon as May is over!
Today we started with some barbell curls (to exercise mostly the biceps but it's a good full arm workout) and pushups (which I have to do from my knees now), and then we did bench presses. My last max weight on the bench was 85lbs, so when I pressed 85 I felt really good about myself that I hadn't lost it. I almost got 95lbs up too! Not quite though. But still, with pregnancy being a time that you don't want to try to max out and beat personal records, being able to hit my current personal record and not worry that I felt strain in the wrong places was definitely a good feeling. Then the WOD (workout of the day) followed that, which was 50 bench presses, 100 meter sprint, 50 barbell curls, 100 meter sprint, 25 bench presses, 100 meter sprint, 25 barbell curls, and 100 meter sprint. It looked like a good one. I decided to just use the women's bar with no weight on it, which is 35lbs. The first 50 bench presses were smooth and easy, and then came the moment I was anticipating - that sprint. 100 meters is nothing, on normal circumstances I'd have no problem with it, but I hadn't run in quite a long time and Elliot has grown quite a bit since then. I had no idea how it would feel.
Here's the theme of this post - body awareness. When I'm there working out, I really have to check into myself. Put aside my desire to bust ass and give the workout 100% of everything I've got, and instead treat it as exercise and movement to keep me in shape for a healthy pregnancy. It's not about pushing it to the limit, it's about doing what I'm already capable of and tuning in to my body to know that I'm not straining or stressing areas that really should not be strained or stressed (namely the abdomen and low back). So this sprint was going to be one of those tests. I walked outside and began a gentle jog, then picked up the pace a little bit so I felt I was somewhere between a jog and a sprint. It felt sooooo goooooood. I've missed running SO much. I've been feeling pangs of jealousy every time I see someone out jogging. It was a beautiful morning, too. I tell you what, angels were singing at me the whole 100 meters. It was glorious. I got back to the gym and hopped right back to the bar to bust out the 50 barbell curls, and couldn't wait to get back out to jog the next 100 meters. And the angels sang again, but I did notice I had to slow it down a bit. No big deal. Got back to the gym, laid down on the bench, and pushed out 25 bench presses, only to sit up and be greeted by a Braxton Hicks contraction.
Just to be clear, here's what AmericanPregnancy.org says about Braxton Hicks contractions:
Braxton Hicks contractions can begin as early as the second trimester. However they are most commonly experienced in the third trimester. When this happens, the muscles of the uterus tighten for approximately 30 to 60 seconds and sometimes as long as two minutes. Braxton Hicks are also called “practice contractions” because they are a preparation for the real event and allow the opportunity to practice the breathing exercises taught in childbirth classes.
Braxton Hicks are described as:
- Irregular in intensity
- Infrequent
- Unpredictable
- Non-rhythmic
- More uncomfortable than painful (although for some women Braxton Hicks can feel painful)
- They do not increase in intensity, or frequency
- They taper off and then disappear altogether
I knew what they felt like, I knew what they were. The one I felt met all the criteria in the above information, so I wasn't worried. I just sat and waited for it to subside. Kelly (trainer this morning as Derek couldn't be there) asked if I was okay, so I said I felt like I was having a Braxton Hicks and was waiting for it to subside. I guess if you're in charge of a group of people working out and one of them is pregnant, you really don't want to take any risks or chances, so she immediately said I should probably just stop and not complete the WOD. And my whole system deflated. I knew I wasn't in labor, but I could also see where she was coming from. It would really really suck if I DID go into early labor and she was the one in charge at the moment. But I was certain that wasn't happening, I just felt my body was doing what it was supposed to be doing. I'm in my third trimester - practice contractions are going to come and go a little more frequently as the big day approaches. Well, I decided to walk instead of run for the next 100 meters, and that didn't feel good at all. Not a contraction kind of feeling, just a strained feeling. Nothing like what I was feeling during the first two sprints. I remember the last time I was out on a walk - it was last week, I had packed Harlee in my jogging stroller and walked him down the lane and back, and it hurt. Same kind of strain. It was a really aggravating feeling because I knew walking was supposed to be such a good and simple exercise during pregnancy. I don't know if it was a good idea or not, but I sprinted Harlee back to the house for a very short distance - mostly to get back faster so I could sit down but also to see if there was a difference in running or walking. There was. The pain lessened as I ran, and it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable. Unfortunately our lane is really rocky, and I'm pretty sure Harlee could have used a chiropractor after that rocky adventure. So I stopped. Anyway, that's what I was feeling this morning. That pain, and there was a part of me that said, "Ya know, sprinting doesn't make you feel this way. Maybe try it again and see how it feels." Well, this time I had eyes on me. One set was nervous that I was hurting myself and I didn't want to give her any more reason to worry. So I finished walking back and was very grateful to get to stop. That didn't feel good at all. I have no idea why walking doesn't feel good - I intend to inquire about that at my myofascial treatment today - but I was certain sprinting would have felt a little better. But I'll never know for sure because I didn't try it. I was really upset about the turnout of this workout, though. What a crappy way to come back into it from vacation. Or at least that's how I felt at first. I know I should probably try to focus on positive things like the fact that I was there in the first place, and I still have quite a bit of strength that those bench presses and barbell curls weren't any problem for me. I did go ahead and finish the curls because those only strained my arms and nothing else. It gave the rest of my body the chance to wind down from whatever just happened with that last walk. Kelly said she wanted me to walk and skip the curls, so I had to tell her that walking didn't feel good at all - the curls felt better. And they did. After that, I was done. I was not finishing that last 100 meters.
It got me thinking about the ladies who will someday be in my shoes in the future, experiencing their first pregnancies here at Flex and wanting to continue to crossfit. It got me thinking about this blog and the people I reach out to, and if any pregnant women will read this for advice on their own workouts. What can I say to them? What advice can I give based on this experience?
I guess I can't. Everyone's body is so different, and every pregnancy is different. But the main thing is to really tune into yourself. Bringing a baby into the world takes immense self-awareness. Raising a child does as well. Pregnancy is a great time to practice that body-awareness. Just tune into your body physically, and tune into your heart as well. If you feel like you should stop, then just stop. Put aside your ego, your desires to bust ass like you used to when you weren't pregnant, and focus on the fact that this is a temporary time in your life that your safety and the new life you're supporting need to take top priority. If you feel you can keep going without risk, then try it, but gently. Or at least that's what I do. I felt walking needed to stop today, but since I didn't feel concerned that I was going into labor or anything, if I were by myself and not being watched I probably would have attempted a short sprint just to see what it felt like, and that's based on a recent experience, not just random curiosity. I did know that barbell curls were easy for me, something I'm capable of without straining important muscles needed for the pregnancy, so I wasn't going to not do those. That's my body. As for yours, I can't say. All I can tell you is to tune into it, and if you feel concerned, nervous, unsure, then err on the side of caution and just stop or slow down considerably. Sticking with this throughout the pregnancy has been the best thing for me, though. It's given me the opportunity to know my limits and realize my body's changes as I progress, and has given me something to compare my experiences to. I hope to keep going all the way up to the very end, but I'll try to keep an open mind, as anything can happen.
That's my story for today. I'm still a little disappointed that I didn't really complete the WOD, but I'm working on that. I'll try to focus on feeling proud of what I DID complete today, and come back again Thursday morning and see what happens then.
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