At 34 weeks pregnant you feel like your ready to pop. However, it’s not stopped me thinking about good core sessions to start when training begins in about 3 months time.

A good session I’ve been putting together will include lots of exercises on the FK Pro, such as squats, both single and double leg, hamstring curls, quad curls, press ups and overhead side bends.  We have put videos of all of these exercises for you on our website, or click here . These sessions can probably be started two months after I give birth so looking forward to them already! You can remind me of this when I complain bitterly after my first session back!

Well this week has been full of aches and pains many of which have been far too personal to mention. However one thing I do suffer with is pain in my mid back. This has been discussed at length with my friends who are going to give birth around the same time as me.

It’s a common problem which gets forgotten about in pregnancy, but one that hits most of us as time gets closer to due date.  The pain in the mid back will increase as the lordosis increases in the lumber spine through the weight of the growing baby and the adapted postures. The pain is also increased by the growing bust size, and the extra weight some of us carry.  I managed to get in with Tina at our Manchester branch for a half hour deep tissue massage which helped greatly to relieve some of the aches and pains around my mid back and shoulder blades. By sitting in a massage chair you get to feel the benefit of the pressure rather than being laid on your side and just being uncomfortable.  This is probably the best half hour I’ve spent in months!

Even though it’s now cooler, my hands and feet have decided to swell up. This is a common issue in pregnancy and it can be quite painful. Many ladies suffer with swollen feet and ankles which can be exceptionally painful. It can be painful to walk if the ligaments also loosen off. This can be helped by wearing lace up shoes such as trainers (if you can still bend down to do them up) and tying them tightly to give the foot support. Alternatively taping the arch of the foot can also help through using k-tape or rock tape to proved the support and help prevent the pain on weight bearing.