CrossFit and Pregnancy

[Mike Goldberg]

I know many pregnant women have wondered if CrossFit would be a good match for them. I'd like to share my wife's experience.

My wife wanted to get into "birthing shape", so I suggested CrossFit to her because it can be scaled to everyone's physical abilities, including pregnancy. I brought her by our affiliate, and she began working one on one with a trainer about 3 months into her pregnancy.

It's been incredible for her. Working with the trainer for 6 months, she made significant progress in strength and conditioning.

The exercises and workouts were scaled for her, but soon she found herself going above and beyond what she thought she could do.

One day she had a scaled down Karen - where she'd do 75 wall ball. After she hit 75, she kept going, all the way to 150.

To try to understand what she was going through, I strapped 30 lbs worth of medicine balls to my stomach and did her workout with her. Needless to say, I got smoked. Try wearing 30 lbs on your stomach and do your normal workout. It's quite a surprise just how off balance you are!

Here's a video of the challenge we did: http://youtube.com/watch?v=VubRuIEF0QA (WFS). Watch me get my *** handed to me by a pregnant woman.

It's been a great experience for her, and 3 weeks ago she gave birth to a future firebreather! Both mother and baby are doing fine, and she can't wait to get back to CrossFit once she is fully healed.

Anyway, for pregnant women who would be interested in CrossFit, be sure to check out http://www.xfitmom.com/ (WFS)

[Danielle Benford]

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Excellent video -- I am not going to lie, it was pretty amusing. Kudos to Kat on a job well done! And excellent job of being a good sport and trying compete; it didn't look easy by any means. I have a feeling that we will be seeing videos from your family on CrossFit kids


You didn't say -- did you have a boy or a girl? And what's his/her name?

Once again, congratulations

[Mike Goldberg]

Thanks!

Oh yeah... Evan McCartney Goldberg was born June 23rd, 8 lbs 11 oz, 21 1/2 inches.

He's since grown an inch and a pound. And he is STRONG! Can't wait to see him throw kettlebells around with mommy and daddy.

[Danielle Benford]

Evan is adorable! Nice job, Mike & Kat!

Somewhat off topic - I noticed in the vid that you have the Vibram Five Fingers... how do you like them? I need to get away from my Nike Shox (HORRIBLE for balance!), but I am afraid to get away from too much support because I broke my foot in 3 places a few years back during soccer practice. A lot of people seem to like them, so I may have to purchase a pair (for non-running WODs). What are your thoughts?

[Mike Goldberg]

Originally Posted by Danielle Benford

Evan is adorable! Nice job, Mike & Kat!

Somewhat off topic - I noticed in the vid that you have the Vibram Five Fingers... how do you like them? I need to get away from my Nike Shox (HORRIBLE for balance!), but I am afraid to get away from too much support because I broke my foot in 3 places a few years back during soccer practice. A lot of people seem to like them, so I may have to purchase a pair (for non-running WODs). What are your thoughts?

Good eye! You really have to look to see those.

I love my Vibram Five Fingers. Works great for CF. I always use them when we do strength days. They have us lift barefoot unless we're wearing Five Fingers.

Also, it was quite a surprise the first time I climbed a rope with them. When you clamp the bottoms of your feet to the rope, they really hold! Amazing grip.

So I'd highly recommend them - you might want to pick up a pair for non running WODs.

BTW, I noticed you're from Tampa. I spent a year out there. Good times. How's your CrossFit Affiliate out there?

[Danielle Benford]

Originally Posted by Mike Goldberg

Good eye! You really have to look to see those.

I love my Vibram Five Fingers. Works great for CF. I always use them when we do strength days. They have us lift barefoot unless we're wearing Five Fingers.

Also, it was quite a surprise the first time I climbed a rope with them. When you clamp the bottoms of your feet to the rope, they really hold! Amazing grip.

So I'd highly recommend them - you might want to pick up a pair for non running WODs.

BTW, I noticed you're from Tampa. I spent a year out there. Good times. How's your CrossFit Affiliate out there?

Excellent, thank you. I'll have to look into (i.e. save up for) a pair.

Regarding our affiliates (I believe there are four in Tampa, now) - I honestly don't know much about them. I recently graduated college and can only afford the YMCA Not to mention that the Y is 2 miles from my apartment, and the nearest affiliate is a good 30 minutes in decent traffic.

I have an amazing work out partner; we really push each other to work hard. We've started working with an Oly coach from one of the affiliates, just to make sure we don't completely wreck our form. (Our first session was this weekend, we plan to do it every couple of weeks. It's cheaper than joining an affiliate, but we are ensuring proper technique.) He is very knowledgeable and works at CrossFit Tampa, so I would assume that they are of good quality. If the funding was right (between monthly fees and the gas to drive there), that would probably be the affiliate that I would join.

What took you both out to Hawaii? And how did you like Tampa?

[Mike Goldberg]

Originally Posted by Danielle Benford

Excellent, thank you. I'll have to look into (i.e. save up for) a pair.

Regarding our affiliates (I believe there are four in Tampa, now) - I honestly don't know much about them. I recently graduated college and can only afford the YMCA Not to mention that the Y is 2 miles from my apartment, and the nearest affiliate is a good 30 minutes in decent traffic.

I have an amazing work out partner; we really push each other to work hard. We've started working with an Oly coach from one of the affiliates, just to make sure we don't completely wreck our form. (Our first session was this weekend, we plan to do it every couple of weeks. It's cheaper than joining an affiliate, but we are ensuring proper technique.) He is very knowledgeable and works at CrossFit Tampa, so I would assume that they are of good quality. If the funding was right (between monthly fees and the gas to drive there), that would probably be the affiliate that I would join.

What took you both out to Hawaii? And how did you like Tampa?

That's awesome - and that's the beauty of CrossFit - you can do it anywhere. Sounds like you've got some amazing support out there. Nothing like having a good workout partner to push you to new achievements.

I'm a Government Contractor, so that's what took me to both Tampa and Hawaii (and England, and DC, and...) While the other assignments were temporary (although long term temporary), Hawaii was just too good to pass up, and we made this our home.

I joke around that my time in Tampa was a year of my life that I can never get back, but I really did enjoy it. It was the year that the Bucs won the Superbowl, so if ever there was a time to live in Tampa, that would probably be it! I got hooked up with a nice little apartment in Rocky Point. Some good times out in Ybor, Channelside, Hyde Park, Clearwater... Now that I think about it, I do miss it from time to time.

OK, now we're REALLY off topic! LOL

[Cathy Staelgraeve]

Originally Posted by Mike Goldberg

Thanks!

Oh yeah... Evan McCartney Goldberg was born June 23rd, 8 lbs 11 oz, 21 1/2 inches.

He's since grown an inch and a pound. And he is STRONG! Can't wait to see him throw kettlebells around with mommy and daddy.

Aww..So CUTE! Congratulations!

[John C. Brown]

So, back on topic here.

We currently have 2 pregnant ladies (one is my wife) and had one that just gave birth 7 weeks ago or so. For the one that has already had the baby, well, she never had pull ups, always on a band, but stuck with it through out the pregnancy, had a minimal strength loss. When she came back, and I mean the week she came back, she got 15 kipping pull ups in a row.

One of the other ladies has been weight restricted to 35 pounds due to previous health issues and she is still getting after it, she is about 8 months and has always been a fire breather. I haven't heard many complaints about low back pain or other joint issues from her and I see her all the time as she is one of my best friend's wife.

As for my wife, she had pull ups before and at 7 months she still has about 15. This is our second child and so I am anxious as to her recovery time after the pregnancy. She has gained significantly less weight over the duration. Hasn't (yet) had a problem with swelling, oh yeah and she spent this past weekend with us a Coach Burgener Oly Cert and she moved well. It is her objective (and mine) to obtain more information regarding how to scale for pregnant women. We have gone so far as to have a PWOD posted for them as well, mainly due to the weight restrictions of my friends wife. So it is either scaled Metcon or skill days. Let's just say that by the end of these pregnancies I am hoping for some near perfect split jerks and overhead squats from all of them