Squatting While Pregnant: What You Need to Know
Have you ever wondered if it’s ok to squat when you are pregnant?
Maybe you’ve heard it’s safe, but aren’t sure exactly what that means.
How heavy can you lift?
Is there anything you need to watch out for?
Can you start squatting during pregnancy even if you have never lifted before?
I’ve got you covered!
The good news is that it is squatting while pregnant is safe and actively beneficial.
Of course, there are things to be aware of when you are a pregnant lifter. I’ll give you three things to try, then review three stop signs that indicate cause for concern.
Let’s get started!
Basics first…why should we squat, anyway - pregnant or not?
In daily life, we squat every time we sit down and stand back up: on a toilet, chair, or couch. Squats are the most real-world movement we do in the gym.
In labor, sitting at the bottom of a deep, relaxed squat can be a helpful position that lets the baby descend properly. Getting comfortable in the bottom of a squat while you are pregnant will help you feel stronger and more confident there during labor.
In postpartum, you’ll squat every time you need to pick something off the ground while you’re holding or wearing your baby!
And whether you train in the gym or not, you’ll be lifting weights not long after giving birth – they’ll just take the form of your baby + car seat + diaper bag instead of a barbell. Most car seats weigh between 9-12 pounds, so you’re looking at picking up and carrying around at least 20 pounds anytime you leave your house.
So…we’ve established that we squat all the time outside the gym.
This makes it really important to squat inside the gym, too.
Your gym training should be harder than your daily life.
Making yourself stronger than the bare minimum gives you a reserve and ensures you’re able to respond to unexpected challenges.
Three tips when squatting during pregnancy
I. Weight - how heavy is too heavy to lift while pregnant?
The stronger you are during pregnancy, the easier your postpartum recovery will be. You can absolutely still challenge yourself in the gym.
A general recommendation during pregnancy is to not attempt a weight you’re not confident you can successfully lift. This means no 1RM attempts, though heavy singles are fine as long as you are lifting safely. This recommendation becomes more and more true the farther you get into pregnancy: week 7 will feel very different than week 37!
Back squatting while pregnant - third trimester.
Experienced lifters
Experienced lifters can generally continue the same types and weights of squats as pre-pregnancy unless they start experiencing one of the stop signs listed below.
New lifters
There is a common misconception that you can’t start any new workout routine during pregnancy. This is false!
Pregnancy is a perfect time to start if you have never lifted weights before. You have nine months to prepare for birth and postpartum — use them!
New lifters can start with unweighted squats to learn the movement pattern and ideal range of motion.
Then we progress to goblet squats as the first weighted variation. Goblet squats facilitate great technique and are accessible to everyone.
Front squats, box squats, and back squats are also appropriate squat variations during pregnancy.
The principles of safe training don’t change - we just make sure to teach the stability breath for bracing so the pelvic floor stays supported.
Some days you’ll feel strong AF and everything will feel great. On other days, you’ll be super tired and 50% will feel like a load of bricks.
Check in with your body each day before training and pay attention to how you feel. Let that – not the percentages chart in your current squat cycle – dictate how hard you push on any given day.
II. What to know about bracing
Learn and practice bracing using the stability breath instead of the Valsalva maneuver.
During pregnancy, the abdominal wall is stretched and the pelvic floor is already working hard to support the baby.
Valsalva involves breathing and bracing against a closed glottis (larynx/windpipe) to create intra-abdominal pressure. When pregnant, this can cause more intra-abdominal pressure than your body can handle. Excessive intra-abdominal pressure leads to
coning
leaking
Neither of these is inherently dangerous, but they do signal ineffective pressure management: one part of your core can’t keep up with the others.
The stability breath starts with breathing in to create 360* of expansion in your abdomen. Then you squeeze your muscles tight to maintain that expansion as you continue breathing. Breathe in on the descent and out on the ascent, never holding your breath to create pressure.
III. Volume - reps and sets for squatting during pregnancy
Aim for more sets, with fewer reps in each set. Think 10 sets of 3 instead of 3 sets of 10.
Doing fewer reps in each set will help you breathe and brace properly for each rep, instead of getting tired and losing technique partway through your set.
How to know when to stop squatting in pregnancy
Three stop signs to watch out for include
leaking (stress incontinence)
pelvic pain
“training to refusal”
I. Leaking during squats (stress incontinence)
Leaking is your body’s way of telling you you are not managing your internal pressure correctly. Usually lowering weight and focusing on bracing properly using the stability breath (NOT the Valsalva maneuver!) will help.
II. Pelvic pain after squats
Pelvic pain can be caused by a number of different things, some serious and some not. But we never want to train through pain. If it hurts enough to be noticeable when you squat, it’s worth seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist to figure out what is going on. Then you can use that information to adjust your training going forward.
If you can squat lighter without issues, do that!
Often squats feel fine at a lighter weight and only start causing problems when they get heavier. You don’t need to completely avoid them just because heavy ones don’t feel great.
III. Training to refusal
Training to refusal is my personal favorite stop sign.
When you “train to refusal,” you simply stop each set if you feel like you’ve had enough.
Supposed to do a set of 10 but you’re over it by rep 6? Re-rack your bar and take a break.
I know, I know – this seems really obvious!
But when you’re used to pushing yourself hard in the gym, which might involve training to exhaustion or failure, reframing your stop sign to “refusal” can be a game changer!
It requires you to honor your body and what it is telling you.
Hopefully, by now I’ve convinced you that everyone on the planet should squat — especially pregnant women!
preparation for birth and postpartum
training should be harder than daily life
Your approach to squats should be different than when you are not pregnant:
Bracing - use the stability breath instead of the Valsalva maneuver
Weight - don’t attempt a weight you’re not confident you can lift
Volume - keep reps lower within each set
Listen to your body during pregnancy, and heed the stop signs.
Honoring your body does not mean you have to take it easy! You can and should still challenge yourself during pregnancy.
But pay attention to what you need on a given day, instead of blindly following your program even if it feels “off.”
Have more questions?
I work in person with women in the Seattle area at my gym, Twenty Pound Hammer, and remotely with women throughout the country. I love helping women gain confidence and capability by strength training in the gym.
Lifting weights was an integral part of my pregnancy and postpartum recovery, and I am passionate about sharing that with other women and helping them have a similarly empowering experience.
I. Book a free discovery call
If you are in the information-gathering stage, this 20-minute phone call will give you time to ask your most burning questions about strength training during pregnancy. We can discuss different options for working together, and you’ll be able to sign up if one of those options feels like a good fit.
II. Schedule a prenatal training consultation
If you are ready to take action, an in-depth prenatal training consultation will leave you with a clear idea of how to structure your strength training for the duration of your pregnancy.
Prenatal consultations are one hour long and preferably in-person. We can set up a video call if you live outside the Seattle area.
If you decide to sign up for private training with me, the consultation fee will be applied to your first package of private training sessions.
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