Pilates and Pregnancy at 19 weeks- Enjoying new changes and getting excited!

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week 19 Welcome back to our Pilates and Pregnancy blog. According to the app on my phone, this week the baby is the length of a mango (about 6.5 inches) and weighs up to 10 oz. We have an ultrasound scheduled for next week and so I’ll be able to report actual measurements and the baby’s gender in our Week 20 blog.

This week Carey taught me on the Tower. We started with an exercise that is similar to cat/cow in yoga, but I was sitting back on my knees holding on to the roll down bar, moving from a rounded spine into extension and back. I am so thankful for the one-on-one sessions during this pregnancy. Carey is able to modify things to accommodate my growing belly and all the other delightful/strange changes that pregnancy brings.

We did a lot of upper body work and I noticed the next day that my arms were sore. When the baby comes, I’ll need lots of upper body strength to carry baby, a diaper bag, car seat, and who knows what else, and so it is wonderful to keep that strength up now.

Carey also focused on my precision. Whether you are pregnant or not, one of the many benefits of Pilates is that the work intensifies the more you focus on your movements. We made a tiny change to my arm position – hugging my elbows in and activating through my arms – during the leg spring series, and by the end of the series it was my arms that needed a break more than my legs!

The picture this week is of me doing chest expansion on the tower. Next week marks the halfway point of the pregnancy and – if baby cooperates – I’ll announce the gender.  You won’t want to miss it!

Pilates Inspiration of the Month Theresa McKane

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theresaWhen did you start Pilates and what inspired you to start?
 

I started Pilates about two years ago, but it was not until 3 months ago when I joined Rivercity Pilates that I started to take reformer and tower classes. After researching the benefits of Pilates, I decided that it was finally time to take charge of my chronic pain since I had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 18 years prior.

 
What benefits have you seen by committing to a regular Pilates practice? 
 

My pain levels have dramatically decreased and my core is so much stronger.   Coupled with my Pilates practice, I try to eat a clean diet and I am happy to say that I don’t even take any medications for my pain anymore.

You were the winner of our 21 Day Empower Your Body Challenge! Describe the experience and any benefits you felt from increasing your regular Pilates practice.

 

The 21 Day Empower Your Body Challenge was an amazing experience! I worked out 20 days in a row doing a variety of classes and I can honestly say that it was the best I have ever felt. Taking that time for myself and doing my Pilates breathing every day did wonders for my stress level. I had so much more energy! Not only that, the most noticeable benefit was how much my posture improved.

Do you have a favorite exercise or piece of equipment (or both)?
 

That is a tough one . . . . I love so many different things. The reformer is my favorite piece of equipment. If I had to choose an exercise though, it would be a Pilates roll-up. It’s the best of both worlds, it stretches my spine while strengthening my core.  Not only that, it always reminds me how far I have come in my practice. There was a time, not that long ago, when I could not even do one.

What would you say to someone thinking about starting Pilates?
 

It will change your life!  In my experience it has given me a quality of life that I didn’t think I could have.  You can never stop learning and improving your practice, and I believe that this is something we can all grow old doing.