Can I Use a Cross Trainer While Being Pregnant?

Disclaimer: You should consult your Physician or a Certified Mid-wife before undertaking any physical activitity if you are pregnant.

Staying active while being pregnant can be beneficial to you and the baby, however, many precautions should be taken when working out if your pregnant so the baby can be as safe as possible.

In terms of the best exercise machines to work out with during pregnancy, a cross trainer is one of them, due to how low-impact and easy to use it is, letting you have complete control over the intensity of your workout. A cross trainer is safe to work out with while you are pregnant, just make sure you are being cautious and listening to your body.

So as you can be confident using your cross trainer during your pregnancy, we have put together an extensive guide below which will cover the benefits of using a cross-trainer while pregnant, tips for using one safely and alternative exercises you can do.

Why a Cross Trainer Is Safe To Use While Your Pregnant

Believe it or not, some exercises are off-limits when you are pregnant such as HIIT or hot yoga for example. A cross trainer on the other hand is very beneficial and preferred over other machines such as treadmills as they are low impact and easy on your joints, which is what you want when carrying extra weight.

Cross trainers also offer lots of control so as you can pick and choose what resistance is right for you and how fast you want to be working out on your trainer.

Benefits Of Using a Cross Trainer While Pregnant

By using a cross-trainer regularly during pregnancy, it can come with a wide variety of benefits that you may not have considered, we will list a few out below.

• It helps with posture & back pain – During your second or third trimester of pregnancy, you may start to develop back pain or struggle more with balance, an elliptical can help you practice your posture during this stage.
• Balances your mood – One of the best benefits of working out with a cross-trainer during pregnancy is that it can be a huge mood booster and help stabilise your mood swings due to off-balance hormones.
• Tones your muscles – There’s no reason you can’t tone up your lower leg muscles or arm muscles during your pregnancy and a cross-trainer will enable you to work all the muscles in your body, even your pelvic muscles which are very important to keep strong.
• Stops gestational diabetes – Some woman can potentially develop gestational diabetes when they are pregnant, exercise on a cross-trainer can help control this or minimise the chances of you getting it.
• Keeps you fit – There’s nothing better than being able to maintain a level of fitness during pregnancy, not only can it help you with endurance and carrying the extra weight, but it can additionally help you get back into fitness when your pregnancy is finished.
• Allows you to have more energy – Working out can give you a great energy boost which is often needed as pregnancy can make you feel very fatigued.

Tips For Using a Cross Trainer While You Are Pregnant

If you have decided that adding a cross-training routine into your pregnancy is right for you and beneficial, then we have put together some tips below that will ensure you are exercising safely on the machine and not causing any harm to you or the baby.

Go For Low Resistance

Always start with the lowest resistance setting you can on your cross trainer then work your way up slowly, avoid going all out with your resistance as this can become too much for the baby. Remember you should always be able to hold a conversation while working out when your pregnant, if not then you are working out too intensely.

Listen To Yourself

Especially when you get to the third trimester of your pregnancy you should be listening to your body while cross-training, any signs of dizziness, headaches or shortness of breath should be sure signs you need to stop your workout immediately.

You should take precautions to what your doctor suggests too for your pregnancy and watch out for any vaginal bleeding or decreased baby kicking as these can be danger signs.

Warm-Up

During the first trimester of your pregnancy, you will likely have an over-relaxed pelvis due to the hormone relaxin being present. Make sure when warming up for your cross-training session you don’t overstretch and only warm-up as much as you need to.

Watch Your Heart Rate

While pregnant it is not recommended for your heart rate to go over 140 beats per minute, otherwise, you could risk potentially harming the baby, you can always monitor your heart rate with a smartwatch. Your temperature should also not go above 100 degrees.

How Long Should I Workout On My Cross Trainer For If I’m Pregnant?

Working out on a cross-trainer during your pregnancy is fine, but it doesn’t mean that you should overdo it. It is generally recommended that you start with a 10-minute session on your cross trainer then build up slowly to 30 minutes if you feel you can handle it.

We wouldn’t recommend doing a 30-minute session more than three times a week.

Other Exercises To Try When You’re Pregnant

Cross-training doesn’t have to be the only safe exercise you can do when your pregnant, we have put together a few more recommendations below which are also good for keeping you fit while you are pregnant.

• Swimming – One of the first alternative exercises we recommend you can try while you are pregnant is swimming because it allows you to be weightless and causes no strain to your body as you exercise in the water.
• Recumbent bike – The recumbent bike is perfect for pregnancy as it is very comfortable to work out on due to its layback seat, you may however find the position uncomfortable when you get to your third trimester and you are at your biggest.
• Pre-natal yoga – This type of exercise is probably the safest bet out of all as its not high intensity and requires you to practice holding your breath which is great for when you go into labour.
• Rowing machine – At the start of your pregnancy a rowing machine can be a good low-impact option for some cardio, however, as you move up the trimesters and your bump starts to get bigger you may find yourself struggling as your knees will start touching your stomach.
• Treadmill – On low speed and incline, the treadmill is also a safe bet for getting in some daily walking and exercise without overstraining your body.

Frequently Asked Questions About Using a Cross Trainer When You’re Pregnant

What is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a condition where women develop diabetes during pregnancy as their blood sugar becomes too high, this can be caused by hormonal changes and lack of physical activity during the pregnancy.

Who should always check with their doctor before working out on a cross-trainer when pregnant?

All pregnant woman should check with their doctor during pregnancy to see if its okay to do a particular exercise, but a woman who should check especially is; the woman who has a deep placenta, are at risk of early pregnancy, have high blood pressure, have joint issues or has had a miscarriage before.

What type of exercises should I avoid during the third trimester of my pregnancy?

Some exercises to avoid when you get to the third trimester of your pregnancy are jumps, ab crunches, heavy travel sports or high-intensity movements.

Last Words

To round up our article, a cross trainer is very safe to use during pregnancy as long as you follow the right precautions and listen to your body when performing an exercise, if you experience any kind of discomfort during your cross-training exercise, stop right away or try an alternative more low impact exercise like prenatal yoga.