Achieve a balanced body during your pregnancy with Sheppard Method Pilates.
Low-impact exercise is an important part of a healthy pregnancy. Pregnancy puts tremendous strain on the ligaments, which can lead to injury and prolonged recovery time. Prenatal Pilates training offers the perfect solution for gaining core strength, increasing flexibility, learning proper breathing techniques, and building a balanced body. Serving Westwood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and the San Fernando Valley, Sheppard Method Pilates brings a wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge to every class. Let us customize a Pilates plan that best suits the needs of you and your baby.
Balanced Body Benefits for Pregnancy
Pilates is a safe way to strengthen your body to better handle the strain of pregnancy. Regular Pilates workouts will improve the stability of your core, back, pelvic and abdominal muscles. Weak abdominal muscles can lead to back pain and pelvic discomfort that intensifies as you get further along in your pregnancy. By focusing on posture, alignment and control, Pilates movements build strength in these muscles and help them to operate as one cohesive unit, alleviating the pain of pregnancy and leading to a more balanced body.
Flexibility is a crucial aspect of injury prevention in any context, and it’s no different for pregnant women. Even as they strengthen and tone your muscles, Pilates movements include stretches that increase flexibility and range of motion in your back, hamstrings, hip flexors, abdominal muscles and more. Your Pilates instructor can show you a series of these stretches and poses. Not only will this added flexibility result in a balanced body and more comfortable pregnancy, but it will also help prepare you for the constant bending over and lifting that comes with being a mom.
The breathing techniques taught in Pilates classes are key to a balanced body, and they are also useful during pregnancy and labor as well. Pilates places a great deal of emphasis on proper breathing, both during the exercise and while at rest. Lateral or intercostal breathing is typically favored for practicing Pilates. It involves expanding your rib cage laterally while keeping your abdominal muscles tight, both during inhalation and exhalation. This type of breathing makes it easier for you to take a deep breath, even as the baby inside you gets bigger. Having knowledge of the sequential breathing techniques taught in Pilates will also help keep you relaxed once you go into labor – or at least as relaxed as you can be.
Even if you’ve never set foot in a Pilates studio, that doesn’t mean you can’t start enjoying the benefits during your pregnancy. Sheppard Method Pilates offers both group and private Pilates classes for every skill level. Let one of our experienced Pilates instructors tailor a regimen to your own unique needs and get started on the path to a balanced body today.
