Jenni's Week
Stop and call your provider if
Bleeding. Fluid leaking. Regular contractions before 37 weeks. Chest pain. Pain or swelling in one calf. Dizziness that doesn't pass. A headache that won't go. The baby moving less than usual.
This week
You trained five days last week and rated every session a 4, with energy at 3 and about 7 hours of sleep. You reported cramps on Friday, a strained muscle between the ribs, and pressure near your tailbone after deadlifts. This week is three classes plus the home day, and all three classes are the ones Joe is going to: Koda on Tuesday, Colorado Hyrox on Wednesday and Friday, afternoon classes. That takes the bench day and the deadlift day off your week, and pressing stays light until the rib pain has gone.
Changed this week
- Your classes follow Joe's: Tuesday Koda, Wednesday and Friday Colorado Hyrox, with him. The home day moves to Thursday. Saturday and Sunday are off.
- Anything pressing overhead is light dumbbells, and the set ends the moment the rib pain comes back. Skip any overhead or twisting movement that brings it on. The bar hang is two hands.
- No deadlifts from the floor this week, and the sled pull on Wednesday is light with your breath moving the whole time. Stop any pull or hinge if you feel pressure near your tailbone. Two clean weeks and deadlifts go back to the floor.
- Friday's cramps: if they come back in a regular pattern, come with bleeding, or don't settle when you stop and rest, call your provider before training again.
- Three classes and the home day this week. Last week was five days with energy at 3.
Your classes
Tuesday Oct 27 · Koda, with Joe
- Strict press: two light dumbbells, and no building to a max. Do the same 3-2-2-1-1-1 reps and keep the weight where you could still do two or three more good reps. Breathe out as you press. Stop the set if the rib pain comes back.
- Echo bike sprints (the even sets): ride the 15 seconds hard but steady, at a pace where you could still say a full sentence right after.
- Bar hang (the odd sets): hang with both hands, 10 to 20 seconds. Skip it if hanging pulls on the sore rib.
Wednesday Oct 28 · Colorado Hyrox, with Joe
- Sled pull: a light sled, well under the posted weight, pulled hand over hand with your breath moving the whole 50 m. If it only moves when you hold your breath, take a plate off. Stop if you feel pressure near your tailbone or low down, or if the pull brings the rib pain back.
- 800 m runs: a pace where you could say a full sentence the whole way. If running feels heavy, ride 1,600 m on the bike instead, the way the board allows.
- Sandbag lunges: the lightest bag, or a dumbbell held at your chest, 7 kg (15 lb) or under. Long steps, back knee to the floor only if it feels fine, stand tall and breathe between any reps you need to break.
- The clock: each 5 minutes is work then rest. Finish each piece with at least a minute to spare. If a round runs long, cut the next runs to 400 m and keep the rest. Water bottle by the sled.
Thursday 20 minutes at home
- 10 minute walk.
- Then 3 rounds: slow belly breathing 10 breaths, side plank 20 seconds each side, glute bridges 12, bird dogs 8 each side, 10 pelvic floor squeezes with a full relax after each one.
- Side plank from your knees, or one side only, if the other side brings the rib pain back.
Friday Oct 30 · Colorado Hyrox, with Joe
- Sled push: a light sled, well under the posted weight. Short steps, arms straight, breathing out the whole 25 m. If it only moves when you hold your breath, take a plate off. Stop if you feel pressure low down.
- Step-ups: a 20 inch box or lower, with two light dumbbells, 7 kg (15 lb) or under, or no weight at all. Step up with control and step down.
- Recovery: easy spin on the bike for whatever is left of the 6 minutes.
- 400 m runs: the same easy speed every round, at a pace where you could say a full sentence. The score is the slowest round, so there's nothing to chase. Row 400 m instead if running feels heavy. Drink between rounds.
Next four weeks
Same shape through week 19: three classes, Joe's where they fit, and the home day. At week 20, the end of November, burpees go to plank walk-outs or hands on a box, and if running starts to feel heavy the bike takes its place. Deadlifts come back off the floor once the tailbone pressure has stayed away for two weeks.
How hard
Every lift stops when you could still do two or three more good reps. If you'd fail the next rep, the weight's too heavy for right now. Every workout stays at a pace where you could say a full sentence out loud without gasping. If you can't, slow down or rest until you can.
No testing a max. No lifting to failure. No "as many rounds as possible" at full speed; do the rounds at the talking pace and stop when the clock does, whatever the score.
Breathing
Breathe out as you push, pull or stand up with the weight. Never hold your breath to get a weight moving. If a weight makes you hold your breath to move it, it's too heavy.
Swaps, by movement
| On the board | You do |
|---|---|
| Back squat, deadlift, strict press with a barbell | Barbell is fine, at a weight you could do two or three more reps with |
| Clean, snatch, thruster, push jerk, push press | The same movement with one or two dumbbells, or a kettlebell. No barbell versions. |
| Box jumps | Step-ups onto the same box |
| Pull-ups with a swing (kipping, butterfly) | Ring rows, or pull-ups with a band and no swing |
| Toes-to-bar, knees-to-elbow, sit-ups, V-ups, GHD | Dead bugs, side plank, bird dogs, or a cable or band press-out held in front of your chest (the coach will know it as a Pallof press) |
| Burpees | Fine until week 20. After that, hands on a box, or plank walk-outs |
| Running | Fine at the talking pace. When it starts to feel heavy, bike instead |
| Rowing, bike, ski erg | Fine at the talking pace |
| Double-unders | Singles. Skip entirely if you feel any pressure or leaking |
| Anything lying on your back | Two minutes at a time, then roll to your side for a break |
| Sled push or sled pull | A light sled, breathing out the whole way, short steps on the push. If it only moves when you hold your breath, take weight off. Stop if you feel pressure low down |
| Sandbag lunges, sandbag carries | The lightest bag, or a dumbbell held at your chest, 7 kg (15 lb) or under |
| Partner workouts | Take the rest as written. Your partner can work longer; you don't shorten your rest to keep up |
| Wall balls | Lighter ball, and stop the set if the catch feels heavy on your pelvis |
Skip for the rest of the pregnancy
Rope climbs. Handstands and handstand push-ups. Pull-ups with a swing. Toes-to-bar and sit-ups. Box jumps. Any max-effort lift. Anything with a fall risk or a chance of taking a hit to the belly.
Heat and water
Water bottle in hand for the workout, aim for 500 ml (17 oz) an hour. On a hot day, do the hard part earlier in the class or shorten it. If you feel dizzy or overheated, stop and sit.
What to notice and tell Joe on Sunday's form
Pressure or heaviness low down between your legs. Any leaking. Pain in the front of the pelvis, during or the day after. A bulge down the middle of your belly when you sit up or strain. Any of those means a movement comes out of the plan the next week.
Call your provider before training again
Bleeding. Fluid leaking. Regular contractions or tightening. Chest pain. Pain or swelling in one calf. Dizziness that doesn't pass. A headache that won't go. The baby moving less than usual.
The home day
One 20-minute day a week at home: a 10-minute walk, then three rounds of slow belly breathing (10 breaths), side plank 20 seconds a side, glute bridges 12, bird dogs 8 a side, and 10 pelvic floor squeezes with a full relax after each one. This is the work that sets up the rebound after the baby. It matters more than any class.