New Moms and the Resistance to Resistance.

In honor of all the moms out there, let's talk about resistance training for newly expectant moms. There is a common fear in the world of resistance training that women who continue training into their pregnancies may cause harm to the baby. The average gym-goer can be reassured by abundant evidence supporting light-to-moderate resistance training for new moms. In fact, many encourage it. Numerous studies show the numerous benefits of exercise during pregnancy.  But what about the women who train at a higher level? There has not been much scientific research into the effects of high-intensity resistance training on the mother or the unborn child, but over the last few years, studies have shown that even at a high level of resistance, there is some benefit.

In the early 2020s, ACOG changed its stance on prenatal exercise due to findings that actually showed a higher instance of normal birth and lower instances of certain gestational maladies and births requiring medical intervention. A 2024 study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine tested a group of expectant mothers with and without the Valsalva maneuver during bench press, barbell squat, and deadlift at about 85% of their 1RM. The results showed no evidence of fetal distress and no measurable difference between pregnant and non-pregnant women’s responses.

So, to all the new moms out there, keep doing what you’re doing.

And more importantly, Happy Mother’s Day.