A superfit mum is keeping up her hardcore fitness regime with a burgeoning bump – training with heavy weights for up to eight hours a week despite being seven months pregnant.
Crossfit fanatic Rhian Pearson, is currently 30 weeks pregnant with her third child and despite being a busy working mum still trains for one and a half hours a day, five days a week.
The 38-year-old, has entered Crossfit competitions throughout Europe and the UK, and even made it onto the podium at 16 weeks pregnant after claiming first prize in a masters competition.
Rhian, from Worcester, UK, has always enjoyed exercising and first started the fitness programme – which she describes as a combination of gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting – when her first daughter, nine-year-old Jessica, was just three months old.
She continued throughout her second pregnancy and returned to the gym just six weeks after giving birth to her second daughter Harriet, now six, once signed off by the doctors that it was safe to do so.
The meteorologist and account manager intends to continue training until she gives birth later this year but admits she has recently had to tone down her rigorous regime.
Her daily workout involves handstands and squats and repetition deadlifts of 140kg – dropping to 60kg while pregnant.
Rhian said: “I started to scale back movements around 18 weeks pregnant and now I have dropped most gymnastics, heavy lifting and intensity but I still try and train five times a week for around 1.5 hours a time, it’s mainly to keep fit and healthy for when the baby is born.
“My stomach muscles meant I didn’t really get a bump until 20 weeks. Since then I’ve had to adapt by movements, for example I’ve had to stop using the bar bell s much because my belly was getting in the way. I use dumbbells more instead now.
“Everytime I post something online I get quite nervous. My hormones are all over the place anyway and I dread someone saying what I am doing is dangerous or something.
“Luckily so far I haven’t had any negative feedback. I have a lot of people asking me if it’s safe but that’s okay I don’t mind explaining.
“I love giving people advice on how to train safely when pregnant, but would always advise people to speak to a qualified professional or coach.
“I think a lot of women lack the confidence to continue exercising while pregnant because it can be a bit of a taboo subject but I want to help people see how positive it can be.
“I will try to keep going until I give birth, although hopefully not at the gym.
“As long as I am feeling good and comfortable I will keep going.”
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