SUPER Frustrating Workouts
As of posting this review, I'm 36-weeks pregnant (and my baby is measuring big!). I began using Every Mother a few weeks ago in hopes it'd help me prevent/heal any pelvic floor issues I might encounter, as well as ab separation. I have enjoyed the breathing exercises and think they are helping me prepare for labor and post partum. But I won't know for sure until I get to that point. My biggest complaint is the workouts. I've been exercising my entire pregnancy (spin, aerobics, and weight lifting), so I'm in decent shape overall. But, wow. EM's workouts have been almost laughable. The instructors don't consider that many of us are lugging around a big belly. They act like we're either still in our first trimester or not pregnant at all. The pace is ridiculously fast, there's only a second or two for transitions between moves, and there aren't any modifications offered for harder moves/positions (especially when you're dealing with a big belly and literally can't move certain ways anymore). The instructors also don't talk about safety regarding exertion or cardiac output. At the pace they move, I'd easily ramp up my heart rate to 150+ and probably faint. Plus, I'm not confident every move is safe for pregnancy. There are some that require twisting and that's a big no-no according to doctors and other fitness instructors I've talked to. The pacing with the breathing exercises can also frustrate me. For example, when we're in the fetal position and have to switch swides, we get about 3-5 seconds to SAFELY reposition ourselves. Ha! I miss the first round or two on the opposite side because I can't move that fast. It's physically impossible. All in all, I wish EM would think about their pacing more. Most of us aren't able to move like we did before pregnancy (or in our first trimester). And I wish they'd be more encouraging and remind us it's ok to go slower/adjust if we can't do certain moves anymore. Listening to our bodies and doing what's safe is more important than scorching calories. I'll keep doing the breathing exercises, but I've given up on the workouts. There are prenatal ones on YouTube that work a thousand times better (and don't make me feel like an absolute failure every time). (Thank you Bodyfit by Amy for being a perfect instructor for any woman at any phase in life!)