What are the benefits of weightlifting during pregnancy and postpartum period?
When we lift weights or increase the stress on our body with an external load, the result is our muscles, tissues, and bones get denser and more resilient to stress and demand.
Why does this matter? When our body is more resilient and strong, and we are better capable of meeting expected and unexpected demands placed on our bodies. This can enhance our healing postpartum, improve our ability to adapt to increased demands and reduce symptoms of pressure management issues.
Bone Density
During pregnancy, our calcium absorption increases so we are able to maintain our bone density throughout the duration of pregnancy. We have lower levels of estrogen that could be linked with a decrease in bone density, so the combination of increased calcium absorption and low levels of estrogen helps us maintain our bone density without it fluctuating too much in either direction. If you are breastfeeding, calcium can be even more decreased. Exercising can help counter the effects of breastfeeding on bone density.
We can help to increase our bone density during pregnancy, (and the postpartum period when estrogen levels are still low & calcium absorption may not be as high of a level), by complementing our daily activity with weightlifting.
When we have an external load, bone is stressed (pushed, tugged, compresses) and this stimulates bone-forming cells to get to work. This helps to create more bone cells and material = denser bones.
Muscle and Tissue Density
When our muscles and tissues are dense and thicker, they maintain their shape under stress better than if they were weak or thin. When we can maintain our shape (stability) under stress, then we typically can function better and have less compensation and pain. So it’s important that we have the ability to maintain our shape for our function.
Consider the difference between a thin balloon and a thick kid’s ball. The thin balloon is more easily compressed (and popped) and easily loses its shape under any demand or pressure. But the thicker kids ball can still be moved and responds to demand and pressure, but it is not as easily changed.
Then also consider the aftermath of compression w a thin balloon vs a kids’ ball. After enough stress, the balloon pops or deforms permanently. But the thicker kids ball is much harder to pop (obviously could be done w enough pressure), and returns to its shape more readily and after repeated stress.
We want to be like the ball. And stronger tissues and muscles can help w that!
Another thing to consider is that in the postpartum, our tissues have been stretched and are still in the healing process for many months postpartum. So our tissues in the postpartum are more similar to the balloon, easily compressed and deformed, and have a harder time maintaining their shape. But our muscles can more easily become thicker and denser with weight training to help maintain our shape and structural integrity!
How does weightlifting increase muscle density??
In order to increase muscle density and size, we have to put more stress on the muscle over time that exceeds its capability. This includes muscle tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress that all will help to increase the strength over time. So in other words, you need to do moderate to hard intensity workouts that put external load and stress on your body to improve over time.
Our prenatal and postpartum fitness programming guides you through daily workouts that combine strength and conditioning training to progressively overload for increased muscle and bone density to support your motherhood journey.