Pregnancy: A Practical Guide for Scaling

Question 1

The same general guidelines apply when scaling workouts for pregnant women, with a number of added considerations

Answer 1

The overall health and safety of the mother and child.
Physiological changes that impede some CrossFit movement patterns.
Hormonal changes that affect muscles, tendons and joints.
Changes by trimester.
Careful application of relative intensity.
Preserving the intended stimulus of movement patterns but not necessarily the metabolic output (intensity)

Question 2

diastasis recti is a common concern.

Answer 2

t is a gap between the left and right side of the abdominals in pregnant or postpartum women. Most women experience some degree of abdominal separation during pregnancy as connective tissue stretches and thins to allow the uterus to expand and the baby to grow.

Question 3

diastasis recti

Answer 3

kipping contributes to greater potential for diastasis recti after childbirth because the movement can force muscle fibers beyond their current length. Many educators use the analogy of a rubber band: It can be stretched, but if stretched beyond its capacity, it loses its elasticity and will no longer retract to its original length. The result is small abdominal “pooch.”

Question 4

we have recommended that all women sto

Answer 4

stop kipping movement patterns at three to four months. Although we only have anecdotal evidence, this practice has worked for our pregnant women.

Question 5

substitute a lot of plank work for

Answer 5

you’ll note we substitute a lot of plank work for movements such as sit-ups and toes-to-bars. An isometric contraction doesn’t promote abdominal separation and can build the midline stabilization needed to support a baby.

Question 6

Running

Answer 6

The sled, erg and AirBike will decrease impact that is often uncomfort- able when running while pregnant. All these options will tax a metabolic pathway as running would. Adjust weight and/or distance to get the athlete to work for about the same amount of time she would spend on the running portion of the workout.

Question 7

Double-Unders

Answer 7

Singles, or scale back the total number of double-unders.
• 8-kg (17-lb.) kettlebell swings for half the number of double-
under reps.
• AirBike 15 seconds for 15 double-unders

Question 8

Rowing

Answer 8

By 7 months, a lot of pregnant women find that while they can row, they can’t get any metabolic response because of their limited range of motion and stroke length. Substitute a sled pull/push or running if the athlete is still running. • Shorten the stroke length in the catch position and have the athlete push the knees out to the side.
• Raise damper to 7 or higher because stroke length is greatly decreased.
• Substitute sled pull, sled push or AirBike.

Question 9

Kettlebell Swings

Answer 9

Lighter kettlebell.
• Russian swings (to eye level).
• Kettlebell deadlifts.
• Hip extensions on the GHD or good mornings.

Question 10

Squats

Answer 10

Adjust depth and load for comfort.Many women are comfortable staying below a percentage of pre-pregnancy 1-rep maxes. We use a guide of no more than 70 percent of 1-rep max for all loading past 3-5 months of pregnancy. Coaches will need to adjust some rep schemes (e.g., sub a 5 x 5 for a 1-rep max. Some women will feel comfortable going heavier).

Question 11

Deadlift

Answer 11

Scale load.
• Use sumo stance once belly interferes with thighs.. Many women are comfortable staying below a percentage of pre-pregnancy 1-rep maxes. We use a guide of no more than 70 percent of 1-rep max for all loading past 3-5 months of pregnancy. Coaches will need to adjust some rep schemes; (e.g., sub a 5 x 5 for a 1-rep max).

Question 12

Olympic Lifts

Answer 12

• Scale load.
• Scale range of motion (e.g., lift from the hang instead of the floor).
• Use dumbbells instead of a bar.
• Change to the power version and consider adding a squat if a
dynamic reception in the squat is uncomfortable (e.g., power clean plus front squat instead of squat clean).

Question 13

Pull-Ups

Answer 13

• Strict pull-ups (with bands if needed); sub 1 strict rep for every 3 kipping reps.
• Ring rows (don’t underestimate their potency).
• Seated pull-ups to rings.
• Bent-over dumbbell rows.
• Rows on a low kids pull-up bar are a great scale and can
allow the athlete to work on chest-to-bar range of motion.

Question 14

Sit-Ups/GHD Sit-Ups/ Toes-to-Bars/Knees- to-Elbows (Eliminate After First Trimester)

Answer 14

Eliminate sit-ups/toes-to-bars and any type of midline flexion similar to the motion of a sit-up once “coning” of the stomach is seen (the middle of the stomach becomes a little mountaintop). We want to allow the abdominals to grow apart at a natural pace inline with the growth of the baby and belly. We suggest eliminating anterior GHD work, sit-ups, toes-to-bars and movement patterns that involve flexion opposed to midline stabilization. • Plank hold.
• Sideways walking plank. Travel horizontally in a plank position,
about 20 feet for every 20 sit-ups (very challenging). • Side planks.

Question 15

Box Jumps

Answer 15

• Scale box height.
• Step-ups.
• Weighted step-ups with dumbbells to a lower height
(cut total reps in half).

Question 16

Handstand Push-Ups