Pre-, Post- and even DURING pregnancy, water-based workouts are where it's at!
Results from a recent study published by the Association of Women's Health has shown that pregnant women who participated in aquatic fitness programs reported "significantly less physical discomfort, improved mobility," and even "improved body-image and health-promoting behaviors."
Here's why: Immersion in water practically eliminates the effects of gravity on your body, making you instantly feel lighter, while the effect of buoyancy helps with discomfort and swelling in your muscles and joints. Your mobility is improved. And the hydrostatic pressure caused by being submerged increases the body's blood flow and helps reduce inflammation in your back and legs! Translation:
"Take an aqua course. It will be the best thing you can do for your physical and mental well-being, before and after your pregnancy!"
So says Meghan Zahriyeh, an event planner and water fitness enthusiast in New York City. Meghan just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Gemma, her very first. She has agreed to take part in an interview series with us for our #JustAddWater campaign this August.
"I hope it helps women who are expecting realize how important water fitness can be throughout the whole pregnancy," she told us. "During my labor, my strength really did come from all the training I did in Jenni's S'WET classes."
Meghan has been a Jenni Lynn Fitness client through all three stages of her pregnancy -- pre, during and post!
"Pregnancy comes with many physical and mental stresses," she said. "Your body aches. You're getting heavier, and if you're not too careful, one too many milkshake cravings later, you're too heavy and feel horrible!"
Let's not beat around the bush. Hormones are raging. You're in pain, all over. They call it "Maternal Discomfort" in the study, a polite way of describing fatigue, nausea, back and leg pain and an all around sense of WTF!
Putting aside how almost all of that physical discomfort melts away the moment most pregnant women step into the pool, let's talk about the mental advantage working out in water gives you. The study revealed that body-image and health-promoting behaviors saw significant improvements for pregnant women who participated in a pool-based workout.
Consistent with findings from other studies, pregnant participants in the current one "had significant higher posttest scores" in categories like positive body-image, self-concept and a desire to improve one's health.
Meghan agrees. About her own experience at our aquatic fitness classes during her pregnancy: "I felt rejuvenated! I felt thinner and firmer. I felt sane! I felt sexy!! Whatever insecurities you have about being in a swimsuit wash away the second you get moving."
Citing a 2001 study on aquatic fitness, the report suggests that "aquatic aerobic exercise may play an important role in promoting healthier behaviors" – both during and after pregnancy. The study concluded that "the exercise intervention itself may have stirred a desire among the participants to learn more about how to take care of themselves and their developing babies."
No matter how you look at it, if you’re an expectant mother with all the madness that entails, adding water to your workout can help you feel better, look better and BE BETTER.
After all, Wetter is Better!
So if you or someone you love is pregnant, tell them to have as many milkshakes as they want. Just add some water to your workout and we've got you covered!
Check out Meghan in action and learn more about S'WET by Jenni Lynn Fitness in one of our recent videos:
You can also read/print a PDF version of this article online.
Jenni Lynn Fitness is a proud partner and distributor of Aquastrength equipment and products. Check out their newest Prenatal Program for a safe and efficient way to workout before, during and after pregnancy!
Learn More at www.aquastrength.com