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	How much weight should I use during my strength training program? How many repetitions should I do?
	The goal during pregnancy is NOT to increase weight, but rather to maintain it. As you get further along in your pregnancy, you may find the need to lower your weights. The main goal for strength training should be to focus on endurance. That means use the same or lesser weight and more repetitions. Utilizing an exercise band or light to medium weight will allow you to determine how much resistance to use based on what's comfortable for each exercise. On a scale of 1-10(with 10 as the most difficult, the exercise should feel somewhere between a 6 and 8. Think about the changes that occur in your body during and after your pregnancy. As you gain weight, your legs need to ENDURE the extra weight. In labor, you will need strong legs to ENDURE the various birthing positions such as squatting for hours at a time. Postpartum, you need strong arms for carrying around the baby and his/her car carrier for an extended amount of time. By practicing a lot of repetitions (up to 15, for two sets per exercise) you are training your body to ENDURE heavier weight over an extended amount of time. And remember to listen to your body. You will find some days you can do more than others. If you ignore what your body is telling you, you are setting yourself up for injury. Close Window