Weightlifting While Pregnant
So you peed on a stick and you're pregnant! Such an exciting time… with maybe a side of nerves.
You might be wondering how this will change things like your exercise routine. Can you still participate in weightlifting while pregnant?
There is a lot of information out there about weightlifting during pregnancy and it can be hard to sift through all the noise. What is actually pregnancy-safe for you and how do you make your decision?
This blog will go through all the considerations and recommendations from current research that will help you make your informed choice whether or not weightlifting while pregnant is an option for you.
I’m going to save the suspense.
New research is proving that weightlifting while pregnant is safe for the majority of pregnant people.
However, as usual, individual assessment and guidance should be sought from a medical provider that is familiar with your medical history and exercise capacity.
Previous recommendations have been all over the place.
Don’t lift over 20 pounds.
Keep doing what you have been doing without changes.
Don’t hold your breath when you are lifting.
Just listen to your body.
Don’t lay on your back while you exercise.
Some of these recommendations aren’t actually helpful and definitely not evidence based. Now that we have some quality research being published, we can be even more confident with the advice that weightlifting while pregnant is safe.
But as you can imagine, as your body changes through pregnancy, there are a few new considerations to keep in mind when it comes to lifting.
Let’s dive into things you should know and consider for weightlifting while pregnant.
What to consider when weightlifting while pregnant
1. Your medical history and medical considerations
It may seem like obvious advice. But we are all different.
Your medical history definitely needs to be considered and discussed with your birth provider as you progress through pregnancy to help make informed decisions about activity participation.
2. Your comfort level with the movement & competency in lifting
Everyone will have a different level of comfort when it comes to intensity and effort output… including your birth provider.
What should drive the decision about continuing with weightlifting are:
knowing your individual risks,
knowing what your limits are and
being ok to modify things if you hit those limits.
Put aside the ego and competitiveness and make an informed decision that you are comfortable with.
Pregnancy might not be the time to explore brand new lifts that you have not done before. You also might not be comfortable with trying to push into heavier weight than you’ve ever done.
While these things aren’t strict contraindications (something you can’t do), your pregnancy, lifting experience and comfort level should influence your choices.
Pregnancy doesn't make you fragile, but it also doesn’t make you invincible either.
3. Bracing techniques
Let’s talk first about the abdominal wall and pelvic floor.
While you’re pregnant, both areas of the abs and pelvic floor are going to be under added load and stretch to accommodate the growth of your baby. Ideally we avoid adding more pressure and load into an already loaded and stretched area.
So learning how to brace up/in and away from the pelvic floor and use your abdominal strength to create support is great.
Learn how to spread the tension across the abs and into the lats instead of creating a downward pressure towards the pelvis.
Do a self-check in to see how everything is feeling. Any pelvic floor symptoms such as:
pelvic pain
vaginal/rectal heaviness or pressure
incontinence
These symptoms can happen during or after a training session, even up to 48 hours afterwards.
If symptoms arise, it might be time to get assessed the specific bracing technique you’re using. A pelvic health physiotherapist familiar with sports & fitness can help you!
If it is too hard to maintain good bracing while you’re lifting a certain load, you need to start thinking about the benefits and the risks of continuing at a specific level and decide if you need to modify.
4. Is a breath hold bad?
Now, what about exercising with a breath hold? It is such an exciting time for research in the pregnancy and postpartum world. A recent study[1] has shown that adding a breath hold or valsalva maneuver during lifting does not negatively affect the maternal or fetal outcome.
Check out these key findings:
During lifts of 70-90% of 10RM with or without a breath hold, the fetal heart rate and umbilical blood flow metrics stayed normal, in both a standing and in a lying down position.
For so long, this was a concern, that position or breath hold would impair blood flow to the baby leading to poor outcomes. And now we can confidently say that lifting heavy in multiple positions and even with a breath hold is well tolerated by both pregnant person and baby![2]
5. Path of the barbell
Technical lifts like Olympic lifting take years to master. And part of that technique is to be mindful of the path of the barbell.
But now all of sudden, you might have a bigger belly for that bar to get around.
Now let me be clear…it’s not the lift and load that could be a problem. It’s the technical aspect of the skill.
How long have you been working on perfecting it? Do you want to alter your body mechanics for a relatively short period of time (pregnancy) and then have to spend time reworking that movement pattern when the pregnant belly is gone?
Only you can answer that! But it’s something to think about. And of course, this will change between people because adjustments and belly size are all different:)
In Conclusion
In the absence of medical contraindications, weightlifting during pregnancy is well tolerated and a safe form of exercise.
When making your own choice, make sure to review the above list and consult with your birth provider and a pelvic health physiotherapist to help you make any modifications throughout your pregnancy.
Happy lifting!
At HerSport Physio, we are incredibly passionate about helping athletes stay active through pregnancy and are thrilled to help many athletes of all abilities. If you want some guidance to help you stay active and continue weightlifting during pregnancy, we are here to help!
Want to learn more pelvic health things? Check out The Ultimate Pelvic Health Guide for Athletes
[1] Moolyk AN, Wilson MK, Matenchuk BA, Bains G, Gervais MJ, Wowdzia JB, Davenport MH. Maternal and fetal responses to acute high-intensity resistance exercise during pregnancy. Br J Sports Med. 2025 Feb 3;59(3):159-166. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-108804. PMID: 39694629.
[2]Prevett C, Kimber ML, Forner L, de Vivo M, Davenport MH. Impact of heavy resistance training on pregnancy and postpartum health outcomes. Int Urogynecol J. 2023 Feb;34(2):405-411. doi: 10.1007/s00192-022-05393-1. Epub 2022 Nov 4. PMID: 36331580.