3 Reasons Why Pregnant Athletes Should Engage In Physiological Testing
When you think about physiological testing, you may assume it is for elite athletes. While it is true that elite athletes most commonly benefit from athletic physiological testing, there are many other people who will benefit from extensive, professional testing. For example, if you become pregnant and want to keep training for endurance races throughout your pregnancy, physiological testing can help you stay safe and perform your best throughout your pregnancy. This is true even if you are not an elite athlete. Below are some ways that physiological testing can help you if you are a pregnant athlete:
Help You Set Realistic Goals
If you are an endurance athlete, you most likely have a rigorous training regimen. When you become pregnant, you may be able to keep training, but you will likely have to reduce some of your training elements in intensity or duration. Physiological testing during each trimester can help you understand how your body is changing. It can help you determine the optimal heart rate for your training sessions as well as other aspects that will affect your final results. This will help you set your goals for the season by letting you adjust your past performances based on your new data.
Allow You to Create a Safe Training Routine
While training may be important to you, it is also important that you take measures to keep your baby and you safe throughout your pregnancy. The data you get through physiological testing can help you modify your training routine so you do not put too much stress on yourself or your baby. While maximum stress tests may be off limits while pregnant, you can do several tests that will allow you to figure out when you are nearing your upper limits and know when you should back off on your training.
Gather Information for Future Pregnant Athletes
Continuing to remain active throughout pregnancy is a recent change for American women. Because of that, there is not a lot of data regarding strenuous physical activity during pregnancy. Engaging in physiological testing and sharing your data with others, specifically the way you changed from before pregnancy and throughout each stage of pregnancy, can help other women feel more confident in their choice to remain active during pregnancy. It can also help people understand exactly what accommodations or changes should be made to allow pregnant women to successful compete throughout their pregnancies.
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