Monday, December 17, 2007

Pregnant Spinning Instructor


I can't believe I am posting this oh so unflattering photo of myself. I am 6.5 months pregnant here teaching my bi-weekly spin class. This week is my last week :)

Thanks for the photo, Dawn.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cameron! You look great! I am so impressed that you have been able to keep spinning this far into your pregnancy... always an inspiration! Love you! Vicki

lassport said...

Cameron! That was great to see. I am also a spin instructor and teaching 2 times a week. I have been looking for assurances that I am doing my baby well, as I am 8 months pregnant and still teaching. I feel great and it was assuring to find a fellow preggie also in the front of the spin room!

Cameron Clark | baby business blog said...

I taught until the end of Dec. week 30. I am carrying very low or I would've gone more. I was bike commuting to class as well. I attend spin class now, but opted out of teaching these last 8 weeks. :)

Unknown said...

I'm a spinning instructor and teach twice a week. I'm 6 months now and definitely feel the little guy but seem to be doing okay. Thanks for the Blog to let the rest of us see that spinning is okay during pregnancy. Planning on keeping it up until my belly gets just too big.

Cameron Clark | baby business blog said...

Hi everyone! I did teach spinning until almost 7 months. I had to stop because I was carrying Owen so low that it was starting to become uncomfortable. I found myself pushing my knees out and turning my foot, and I knew it was time to quit. I did ride my bike to a manicure appointment (gift) 4 days before delivery. It was only a few blocks and I was running late. I'm happy to say I'm 6 weeks post-partum and able to get back on my mountain bike for short rides between breastfeeding and napping.

Anonymous said...

I am 20 weeks and I teach 4 spin classes a week and love it, I was starting to think I was going to have to bow down to pier pressure and give up at least one of my classes just for a quiet life. I am also a pre/post qualified PT and see no reason to stop before my body tells me to. Glad there are other women out there in the same position as me!

Anonymous said...

Hi Cameron, it seems like i'm 2-3 weeks pregnant, just found out yesterday. I love spinning and I attend a 2-hour spinning class 3 times a week. My main concern is since i'm in my first month, is it ok to keep on taking the 2-hour class? I wouldn't like to leave my exercise but i don't want to hurt my baby either. Any help or advice you or any other in this blog can give me is much appreciated.

Unknown said...

Claudia,
If you've been spinning that much before you were pregnant, just keep it up. Your body is fit enough for it. I was spinning until 32 weeks and had to quit because the seat just wasn't comfortable anymore due to the relaxin hormones causing hip stretching. My little boy is now 2 1/2 months old and bicycles his legs constantly!

Cameron Clark | baby business blog said...

http://juniper-solutions.com/dara/

My friend DARA makes me look like a wimp (of course she is an ex-pro cyclist) but I digress.

Spinning is awesome for pregnancy... keep it up Claudia as long as you are comfy.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad I found this! I have been teaching 3 classes a week for a few years now and I just found out I am pregnant. I was really scared I'd have to quit but I remember a teacher I had a long time ago VERY pregnant and still teaching. My dr said don't go above 140 and I tried that and it was near impossible! I average 150-170 normally so it's going to take some major adjustments! But I'm glad to hear so many of you are doing it (did it) also.

Gail said...

I teach twice a week and am currently 5 months pregnant. I was thinking of giving it up at 6 months but seeing these comments, I think I must just carry on until I can't physically do it anymore. I've been teaching 9 years and I think if you are fit and your body is used to it, then its fine to continue. Baby seems to being coping ok!

Jenn Karma said...

I have been teaching Spin twice a week for about 6 months now (I've been an enthusiast for a few years). I'm planning a second pregnancy soon and was concerned that I'd have to leave my position until after having the baby, but so happy to read all the wonderful experiences and feedback of everyone on this post. It definitely makes me feel better about it all and is very encouraging. So glad to have found this page.

I do have some technical questions regarding instructing: When I teach, the workout is for my students rather than for myself, meaning I tone down my intensity so that I can keep my focus on the participants as well as not get winded while giving instructions. Yet, I still work hard, sweat a ton, and get fatigued afterwards. I like to be a good example of form for them, as well as provide a model for cadence and rhythm. Any tips on how to continue doing this while decreasing my intensity so as not to get overheated, etc?

THANK YOU!!!

Ladies - feel free to check out my Spinning Music blog - http://movemewithmusic.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

Well..........I'm pregnant again and still teaching spin. I've got a post from April 2008 before my first son was born. I started teaching 3 months postpartum after him (he was an unplanned c-section). I worked hard to get back in shape and now I'm 24 weeks with baby #2. I'm still teaching but noticing some dizziness sometimes. hhhmmmm..........I'm planning to teach until about 30 weeks with this pregnancy.
The things I've found to help me tone it down is to get off the bike a few times during the class and walk around. This helps my heart rate from getting too high. I might do this on a 3-4 minute run or a 8 minute climb where I get off the bike for a few minutes of each of these segments. I keep doing jumps but know I'll have to tone that down as well. I learned a little combo that I use at the end of class if I'm feeling tired. I have them do intervals, 30 sec on, 30 sec off and I split the class in half so they are kind of competing. They are too busy working out themselves to be concerned with me. You can take it easy during this too. Something to consider.

Unknown said...

I am a newly avid cyclist. I plan on becomming pregnant with my second in a few months, at that time I will have been spinning for about 9 months. I was wondering if you guys still wear your spin shoes. My feet swell in about the second trimester. Should I just put on some tennis shoes? Do any of you guys have the fat feet problem? Also did you buy maternity workout pants, or just fold your waistbands under? I would like to NOT gain 50 pounds with my second like I did with my first.

Cameron Clark | baby business blog said...

Jenn: I also usually got off the bike more while I was teaching pregnant because then I could re-group, focus on the class and get back on the bike fresh. It's still an interval workout.

alexandra: I wore my spin shoes. My first pregnancy I was so BLOATED the second one-- not at all. I bought some spandex type tights with a roll top waistband and wore those the whole time. I also borrowed some size XL cycling shorts "bib" style from a pro friend who had extra. They were great because they don't have a band at the waist.

Cameron Clark | baby business blog said...

I wanted to add to this discussion that I gained 38-40 pounds with each pregnancy and each time I lost it breastfeeding and doing minimal activity. It's great to stay in shape but putting on some fat is okay-- you will lose it making milk 24/7!

LauraD said...

Hey Ladies,

I love this blog! This is an issue I have been thinking a lot about recently. I am hoping to get pregnant sometime this summer. I recently became an instructor in Feb of this year and I am currently teaching at my gym once a week. With my first pregnancy I was completely inactive. I quit the gym and thought this is my get out of working out card but sadly I gained 50 lbs with my son and had severe preeclampsia leading to deliver my son 5 weeks early. With the next pregnancy I would like to continue teaching not only because I love to teach but because I am much more health conscious and would like to only gain the recommended 15 lbs for a woman my size (I am a size 14 normally). So can I ask, what are your thoughts on this? Do you recommend spin to maintain or limit your amount of weight you gain during pregnancy especially since I should not gain more than 15 lbs per my OB/GYN. Also, I think that being SO inactive in my 1st pregnancy could have lead me to all the health issues I experienced at the end of my 2nd and 3rd trimester. Any advice would be so very helpful!

Thanks,

Laura

Anonymous said...

Hello ladies, I am 23 weeks pregnant of my second child. I teach five times a week and also take some body sculpt classes at the gym. I had a very difficult first trimester and the only way I could feel better and hungry was after teaching my classes, so I really recommend cycling. I have been riding for more than 5 years and teaching for almost 2. I don't have a big belly and didn't either with my first child. I just told my classes about my pregnancy and they couldn't believe me :) My worry is to have an early delivery due to the intensity of my work out? any idea if that could have consequences? thank you all and have a nice ride!

Unknown said...

I had a step aerobics instructor, she continued to teach through her 3 pregnancies. She went into labor while teaching a step class at 9 months, she continued her class, and even went to the mall to pick something up before heading to the hospital. You won't go into early labor if your intensity stays the same. If you start to feel contractions just get off the bike and walk around. I was walking at 8 months pregnant and got contractions, and just sat down and they went away. If you listen to your body you should be fine exercising until the last day. I was in the army when I was pregnant with my son and you have to do PT until the day you deliver, so no worries and good luck!

Liz said...

Thank you Jessica! I am so impressed that you had to do PT until the last day of your pregnancy, I bet you are super fit! I am so glad I found this forum since I have many doubts spinning around my head. I took a class this AM and I teach tonight as well. I just feel really good when I am on the bike, the most uncomfortable thing is when I'm in the middle of the class and need to go to restroom(which I cannot) even if I went already just right before. I will stop(avoid) to drink an hour in advance of my classes to allieve. Cheers!

Cameron Clark | baby business blog said...

FYI if you are teaching/taking classes two times a day, (or 5X a week) you need to be eating A LOT of calories. Believe me, you will want all that fat to burn when you are breastfeeding. I've had friends who cannot keep weight on AFTER the birth and it becomes a problem. Can everyone attempt to take a photo of themselves teaching spin while pregnant and send it to me? I'd love to post it up here for inspiration! cameron_swartz [at] mac [dot] com

Liz said...

Thanks Cameron, I should be eating more I have gain only 8-9 pounds. Next week is the last week of the 2nd trimester. I am heading out to teach now and cannot take a picture but I will try to do one next week. Do you know the total cal income I should have? i am 5,6 and weigthed around 128 before pregnancy. I work out almost 6 days around two hours per day. I teach RPM which you may heard about. thank you!

Cameron Clark | baby business blog said...

Liz
I am the exact same size as you and I gained 38lbs with my first and 35lbs with my second. I lost it all by the time Owen was 6.5 months and Harper is 5.5 and I'm about 5 pounds away. Everyone is different with this but my body burns about 500-800 calories EXTRA while nursing(I wore an APEX body bugg to find out). During pregnancy I'd say I consumed between 2000,3000 calories a day. I was also doing the Bradley Method of natural childbirth so I ate 100 grams of protein a day as well. The protein will really help the baby have enough weight. 100 grams is a hard but I would just try to get 75-100. Owen was 8 pounds and Harper 7.4. Trouble is, if you don't have extra fat on you after and you are nursing you will begin to burn muscle and it will be hard to eat enough post-pregnancy and you can drop below a healthy weight which can affect your milk supply. You have to be committed to nursing long enough for the body to lose the weight, though. 3 months usually isn't long enough for most of my athletic friends. I am an advocate of exercise during pregnancy; however, 2 hours a day 6 days a week is A LOT. I was too tired to exercise THAT much. Sounds like you are able to feel good and get lots of rest. What does your doctor think?

Liz said...

Thanks Cameron, I just spoke to my doctor last week and he said that the baby it is fine and my self as well. I just weighted again and I gained already 9 pounds which makes me feel better now since I start the last trimes(er in a week. I feel good even if I excercise 2 hrs 5 or 6 days a week I will say 5 days, Saturdays I walk and Sundays I rest unless I have practice with my coleagues as today. I did nurse my first child almost for a year and that helped to loose the weight I gained(only 18-20 pounds)my baby was 6.5 pounds. I really don't feel tired yet like to "quite" the classes, I do use less resistance and less weight while taking BP classes. I am expecting to nurse my baby boy at least until 6-8 months and hope to go back to teach after no more than 2 months.(with my daughter I went back after 5 weeks). Thank you for sharing your experience with me, it really helps a lot. Last question, did you ever teach early in the morning? I have a class at 5:45am and another at 6:00am, those ones are my favorite ones the issue is that i don't feel like eating/drinking anything before that time. I have a very supportive husband and we helps me a lot around the hous so I can get enough rest and continue teaching.