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Certified CrossFit personal trainer Naomi Bazeley

Olympic Lifting in Pregnancy?

Many people do carry on Olympic lifting in pregnancy.

As with every kind of training when pregnant it is down to personal preference.

My preference has been to stop Olympic lifting with a barbell at 10/11 weeks.

I am already showing so there is the obvious risk of pulling the bar into my ever growing belly.

People who do carry on say that you adjust to the bump as it grows over time and get used to going around it. My main problem is this.. I have spend two years working on my technique with my clean and snatch; getting a good banana on, making contact my with hips, keeping the bar close and speed under the bar etc. I am just now getting comfortable and getting some decent weight on my clean but my snatch is still a working process.

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In a seminar I attended with weightlifting coach Kazem Panjavi he used a cue of telling people ‘how many months pregnant’ they were based on how far the bar travelled away from them on the way up.

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I personally do not want to spend the next 7 months undoing all the hard work of the last 2 years, which I will have to spend time correcting once the baby is here.

I am also finding that as I start producing more relaxin (the hormone that helps to relax the muscles and ligaments in preparation for your body growing and labour) my once extremely tight shoulders and upper back are now loosening off and I don’t feel as stable pulling a bar over head, at speed, in a wide snatch grip position. Narrow grip pressing and jerks feel fine, and wide grip for overhead squats are ok as the bar goes up slower and is easier to stabilise once up.

I have been working some snatch balance in the last few weeks to work on my speed under the bar but I am slowly losing confidence with them as my shoulders become more unstable. I will be sticking to overhead squats from now on I think.

There are of course other options like using dumbells or kettlebells for these movements. This will negate the problem of pulling a bar into/around a bump. I will still be cautious and start very light when performing snatches as the instability could end up pulling my shoulder out or tearing something nasty.

Handstand Push-ups while Pregnant

Another movement with mixed reviews is performing handstand push-ups while pregnant.

I have looked into it a lot and always find conflicting theories. None of which seem all that scientific, but I guess that is the way it goes with pregnancy as it is deemed unethical to test on pregnant women, for obvious reasons.

The main point against handstand push-ups (HSPU’s) I found were:

  • Risk of falling
  • Elevated blood volume so higher risk of dizzy spells and fainting
  • Too much abdominal pressure
  • Risk of the cord wrapping around the babies neck
  • Risk in the first trimester as attachment of the embryo is still occurring.

Mainly what I read from CrossFitters was to carry on if you have done them in the past and are competent getting up and down from the wall safely and if they feel ok. Fine, I am confident kicking up and coming down from a wall (free standing handstands/handstand walking is a completely different ball game for me. ALWAYS end up flat on my back no matter how many time I learn to bail out correctly!)


(13+4 weeks. 2 strict & 2 kipping)

They have always been one of my strengths and a movement I really enjoyed so I was desperate to keep them in my workouts.

The first trimester I was gutted. They made me feel shit, just one would send my head and stomach spinning. Even though the first trimester was basically a write off anyway, I probably did a total of 5 HSPU in 10 weeks.

By week 11 I was feeling better; more in control of my body, less/no nausea, less fatigue so clearer head (baby brain is REAL!! And completely different to tired brain fog!).

I decided to give HSPU another go. I had learnt about the benefits of inversions in yoga and figured aside from the pressing action, which is really not much different to a strict/push press, HSPU must carry some of the same benefits.

Here are some of the benefits I found while researching:

From Geeta Iyengar’s Yoga: a Gem for Women and David Coulter’s Anatomy of Hatha Yoga.

Sirsasana (Headstands)

  • Ensures proper blood circulation to the uterus
  • Creates space in the pelvic cavity for the baby to move around
  • Relieves venous pressure in the legs, which may relieve and prevent varicose veins
  • Promotes hormonal balance by increasing blood flow to the head and neck. This is especially good for the thyroid gland, as a deficiency in thyroid hormone can lead to miscarriage.

As far as the chord being wrapped around the babies neck; as many as 25-40% of babies are born with the chord wrapped around the neck. One of the first thing the midwife will do once the head is out is to check the chord is free, and if not they will slip a finger under and pull it back over the head. Oxygen is supplied from the umbilical chord inside the womb not through the trachea. 

I completed a workout today (13+4 weeks) which included 30 HSPU’s. I had to break them up into 3 sets of 10 as they are tougher now I’m heavier, but otherwise felt good and resting on my head was quite refreshing! The only alteration I am making is to go a little wider with my knees on the kip to accommodate an ever growing bump. 

I will keep updating this post as I progress through my pregnancy as things may change, but for now handstand push-ups are back in 😀 

Out of the game :( Competitive CrossFit while pregnant

Recieved some disappointing news yesterday.

After completing three online qualifying workouts team Big Bitch Little Bitch (the beautiful Jo Gamblin – aka Gambo, aka Childish Gambino, aka Head Bitch and I) had qualified to compete at the first Double Impact competition. A same sex pairs comp open to national and international Crossfitters but held at the Mount Battern Centre running track in Portsmouth. Run by local coaches I know and respect, with teams made up of close friends including my sister and my first time on a running track since my far from sporty school days. I was excited!

Gambo was one of the first to find out about my pregnancy and Double Impact soon came into question. Deciding we would just have a bit of fun would take each WOD as it came we were set on remaining in the competition.

With 3 weeks to go all the WODs had been released. The first – 400m run each, then 30 clean and jerks @ 40kg and 30 toes to bar, split as we liked. The run I was a little apprehensive about as I knew we were in a heat with some excellent runners (Gemma Legs Green for one!) but comfortable with the C & J and T2B. Pull-ups and dips may be harder with 6kg extra bodyweight but bar work is feeling a lot stronger!

The second WOD was a max weight complex of 1 clean, 2 hang cleans, 3 shoulder to over heads, 4 front squat, 2 hang cleans, 3 shoulder to over head, 4 front squats – without dropping the bar. Your score is the combined max weight of your team. Fine, I could go lighter and we could still set a decent score as Gambo is a powerhouse!

The third – 10metre sprint, 50 Russian kettlebell swings, 10m sprint, 50 overhead lunges, 10m sprint, 50 down ups, 10m sprint, 50 butterfly sit-ups, 10m sprint, 50 box jumps, 50m partner carry. It looked SO MUCH FUN!! The first three exercises would be no problems, sit-ups – Gambo could easily smash out 50, box jumps – sure they’d let me step-up, partner carry – I’d carry Gambo to save pressure on my belly. I’ve carried Dave ‘Green Machine’ about 300m before weighing in at 92kg so know 50m with Gambo would be easy enough.

All apprehensions were gone, I was pumped for a fun day.

Then came the email..

I had emailed the organisers as I thought they might want to know in advance I would be 15 weeks pregnant by comp time, incase they wanted us in a different heat or I needed a different waiver etc. Didnt hear anything so assumed all was fine.

No news is not always good news.

The delay in reply was down to them struggling to decide if I should be allows to compete. They concluded the answer was no 🙁 Gutted!

Nothing against them at all! I do completely understand where they are coming from. They don’t want to risk me doing any damage to myself or the baby, I may not be covered in their event insurance, and they have put a lot of work into organising this, they probably want everyone to take it seriously. Absolutely no beef 🙂

That doesn’t mean I won’t be sad to be sat on the side lines!

I’m sure some will call me irresponsible for even considering it. Non-Crossfitters may look at the workouts and be disgusted a pregnant woman would ever put herself in that position. But I know myself, I know my capabilities and I know that these workouts were within limitations when pregnant.

I should mention I had already qualified for and pulled out of Pound for Pound, a singles competition where weights are based on your bodyweight. As a 5ft (previously) 55kg CrossFitter I am strong for my size. This would have been a good comp for me, however there was no partner to take some of the load and it was a comp I wanted to take seriously. I didn’t think it would be responsible to take part in this one – not to mention I am now 61kg so all lifts would be heavier 😛

Spectating at Double Impact will be tough. I’ll be gagging to get on the track, but I will sit there with my pom-poms, cheer on my fellow athletes and eat some self-pitying cake.

I would like to add a public apology to Gambo for my inconsiderate timing in getting knocked up.

The magic!! Second Trimester CrossFit

I had been told. It seemed like it would never happen, but along came week no. 10 and it really was like a switch had been flicked!

Gone was the chronic nausea.

Gone was the chronic fatigue.

Gone was the urge to fill my face every half hour with some horrifically stodgy carb.

Hello energy!

Hello training!

Hello strawberries, grapes, melon, avocados, raw broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, beloved nutribullet!!

Hello extra 6kg bodyweight, uncoverable bump, outie belly button and diastatis recti! Already!?!

I am back! And loving it! THIS is what my friends meant about loving pregnancy!!

So what have a noticed with training?

I get hot, VERY hot, VERY quickly! I am ensuring I drink a lot and am now the gym fan hogger. I am now one of those girls that takes their top off every workout, showing off a bloated bulge rather than the abs I had (on a good day).

I make sure I can still hold a bit of a conversation throughout WODs (much to the joy of my patient coaches 😉 ) Not too slow, probably an RPE (rate of perceived exertion) between 6-8 rather than 8-10 depending in how I feel each day.

I try not to worry about what the leaderboard says. Not that I was overly competitive before but it was a good guide of where I should be/what I should be lifting. Although our box is friendly and supportive, and I’m sure no one actually gives a shit, the feeling of being judged for only completing 7 rounds when others are on 10 still lingers in the back of your mind. I will be glad when everyone knows.

I have found days vary. Sometimes overhead pressing/jerks feel fine, other times they make me lightheaded. The days they feel good I do them, the days they don’t I stop.

Handstand push-ups made me feel really light headed between the 8-10 week mark, maybe where I now have double the blood volume. Although editing this post at 12 weeks I completed a 21-15-9 of HSPU, dips and push-ups the other day and the HSPU were the nicest part!

Bodyweight – pull-ups, dips, push-ups, HSPU got harder as I got heavier. Doing every WOD with and extra 4-6kg does make a difference!! Although bar work is slightly easier with more weight under the bar.

Our bodies really are wonderful creations! It actually is a lot easier to read my bodies signals as to what is good and what isn’t than I thought . So as much as the ‘listen to your body’ advice sounded vague, it all makes sense when you’re there.

First scan is 6th July. I’m so excited and can’t wait to enjoy the 2nd trimester.

The first can kiss my now even larger arse! Second trimester CrossFit is FUN!

First trimester CrossFit – when will this end??

I’ve decided to put the first trimester all in one blog as it really wasn’t very exciting.

I could sum it up in a few words:

  • Nause
  • Fatigue
  • Napping
  • Tears
  • Fatigue
  • Napping
  • Nausea
  • Stodgy food

Honestly, when I told my mummy friends I was pregnant most said ‘aw I wish I could be pregnant again’ and for 8 weeks I felt clueless as to why anyone would want to feel like this!

I went from energetic, excitable, on the go for 12-14 hours a day (then crashing on the sofa about 10pm), to constantly exhausted, constantly feeling nauseous, napping 2 hours a day instead of training, weepy and irritable. All of which made me down right miserable. It honestly felt like it would never end! The only thing that gave me comfort was the fact the the rougher I felt, supposedly, the healthier the pregnancy. Thank god for my long suffering boyfriend who was amazing and did pretty much all the cooking and cleaning while I slept, ate and gave him abuse.

So yes, my fear of whether I would be able to listen to my body in the first trimester were unnecessary as I barely trained. My body was saying do nothing! When I did manage to get to the box I did usually feel a lot better for it, but it was few and far between for a good four weeks.

Nutrition also went out the window, which I was initially really worried about but after speaking to other mums they have assured me stodgy carbs was all they wanted first trimester too. Chips, cake, pasta, cereal and anything else I wouldn’t usually eat (with the exception of cake!) was all I could stomach. My once daily nutribullet would make be gag at the thought of it and every attempt at spinach or anything else green would end in failure.

Not surprisingly I put on half a stone!

First trimester CrossFit is NOT FUN!!

Then came magic week no. 10 😀

Read about the magic in my next post!

Naomi Bazeley

Naomi is a Level 3 Personal Trainer, CrossFit Level 2 Trainer and Level 1 British Weightlifting Instructor. If you are looking for one on one coaching, nutritional advice or you are interested in getting in to CrossFit or Olympic Weightlifting, Naomi can work with you to help you to achieve your goals. I take huge pride in taking people from complete beginner, terrified to step foot into a gym, to athletic warrior who can't wait to beat their next challenge. Every journey has to begin somewhere.

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