Kettlebells and Pregnancy

The following is a very interesting e-mail exchange that I received from RKC Rita Nemeth from Hungary regarding a Snatch Test video I posted a while back when I was 9 months pregnant.

Dear Yoana,

please excuse me for disturbing you. I am Rita Nemeth, RKC from Hungary.
With the highest respect I kindly ask you to disclose your position on the
issue kettlebell training during pregnancy somewhat more fixed on particular
details than on your blog, if you can find some minutes during these
beautyful days in your family.
The reason for my inquiry is that Peter Lakatos, chief RKC Hungary posted a
video on his blog on you
http://rkchungary.wordpress.com/2008/05/14/yoana-snideman-rkc/ doing your
snatch test in the 9th month of pregnancy. This generated ambivalent
reactions. Whereas kettlebell and pregnancy is a returning question at
Hungarian lady comrades, I thought it would be worth to collect the
positions and to try to come to a more or less generally acceptable point.
Having no personal experience on pregnancy, I read your blog and reverted to
Dr. Mark Cheng, who was my team leader at the RKC cert, and his wife, Dr.
Courtney Mizuhara-Cheng, RKC II. Doc Cheng was so kind to share their
experiences and opinion. He personally does not recommend VO2 and snatch
tests during pregnancy but he encouraged me to ask for your position
directly, too.
As I have written on my blog http://rkcrita.blogspot.com/, I quite impressed
by your workouts and pretty sure you would have done no harm to your baby. I
think it would be invaluable to have your opinion on the issue.
Of course I know that these days you have much more important things to do -
I have full understanding and hereby send my congratulations - your daugther
is sweet!!!
However, should you find some minutes for this topic, please feel free to
comment on the issue on the blog or in e-mail at any time! In latter case I
will not alter any word, just translate it into Hungarian, as well!

Much fun and happiness with your baby!

Kindest regards,

Rita Nemeth, RKC




Hello Rita,

Thanks for the e-mail. Yes, the whole topic about training while pregnant is indeed a very interesting and widely debated topic. Here are my insights regarding your e-mail and your questions.

1) I do believe that every pregnancy must be treated differently as each women is bringing into her pregnancy a unique medical history and training background. Women must always get the approval from their doctor regarding exercise, ALWAYS.

In my case I had a lifetime of training experience and many years of high level kettlebell training underneath my belt. As you know I did train with kettlebells during my entire pregnancy, even up to the last two weeks. However, what people must know is that prior to getting pregnant I was regularly exposing my body to kettlebell movements with the 20kg and 24kg KB. So for me to perform a KB snatch test with a 12kg KB (even though I was pregnant) was a walk in the park for me.

I used a 12kg KB during my pregnancy so the question one must ask is; was my pregnancy training EXTREME? The obvious answer is NO, it was not extreme. My body was used to such a heavier bell that I felt I was not compromising the health of my baby by continuing to perform the basic KB movements with a lighter bell. My Doctor (who knows very well how I compete and what I do) gave me a very positive recommendation to continue to lift and train, although with less weight and with less intensity. But my Doctor was always encouraging me to continue.

2)I also agree that women shouldn't do crazy vo2 max work or try to set new PR's while pregnant. The objective MUST and should always be the health of the baby. If a women who has little to no prior training experience before her pregnancy should not start an intense KB (or any other type of exercise program for that matter)during her pregnancy. That is just too dangerous and irresponsible. But if the women does have a training history and assuming that the pregnancy is going well (& assuming that the doctor has given her the green light to train), I see no reason why that women should not continue to train and keep herself healthy. Afterall, if the mom is healthy, then the baby will have a better chance at being healhty as well.

3) I have experienced how awesome it is to go into your pregnancy strong and fit and how training while pregnant makes the delivery process so much better. What I mean is that a better conditioned female will more times than not have a better birthing experience than the deconditioned women who has no muscle tone and less mental toughness. There are just too many benefits from taking an intelligent approach to strenght trianing.

4) Exercising while pregnant also helps you recover better after the birth of your child. It also assists you in choosing better nutrition methods that lead to a healthy mother and baby.

I hope my pregnancy journey will be able to help others. In our up coming Kettlebell DVD we have a section where we interwied my doctor regarding this topic.

Blessings,

Yoana.... and Marianna :)
www.revolutionlajolla.com
yoana@revolutionlajolla.com