Can Kickboxing Cause a Miscarriage?

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Kickboxing is fun and has proven to help with weight loss, fitness, and self-defense. But it does involve a strenuous workout. So is it safe if you’re pregnant? More specifically, can kickboxing cause a miscarriage?

Here’s what I know from training with a few pregnant women:

Kickboxing has never been linked to miscarriage. However, no pregnant woman should ever engage in fitness, martial arts, or self-defense training without getting permission from their doctor and making sure the teachers are aware of the pregnancy and restrictions.

So, many experts advise that kickboxing be avoided during pregnancy. After all, it’s a combat style that comes with the risk of injury.

In the article, we’ll learn a lot more. So, keep reading on. We’ll learn whether kickboxing is safe in early pregnancy and whether jumping can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy.

We’ll also find out what month a pregnant woman should start to exercise and if there’s a pregnancy kickboxing workout. And we’ll wrap things up by looking at exercises to avoid.

Bear in mind what the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advised:

“Those activities with a high risk of falling or for abdominal trauma should be avoided during pregnancy.”

(source)

Let’s dive right in…

Is kickboxing safe in early pregnancy?

Competition kickboxing is not safe in early pregnancy. It’s too intense and risky, and it could accidentally lead to a kick to the stomach. Fitness kickboxing, which is often a solo practice, is much safer but should not be done without a doctor’s permission.

Experts advise that during early pregnancy, you stay away from activities that could predispose you to unwittingly fall or lie on your back.

As you know, this can easily happen if you’re kicked and are unable to prevent a fall. I am afraid this comes with the territory in kickboxing.

That said, the most important consideration is to visit your doctor and get a personalized recommendation.

There are exceptional cases where physicians suggest that pregnant women continue the kind of exercise or combat regimes they’re involved with. Regimes that might seem too intense to most of us.

But, they often impose a caveat:

You must have been engaged in the activity before becoming pregnant, and you must tone it down.

On average, kickboxing should be enjoyed before pregnancy and after you have delivered your baby. This is not to say that you shouldn’t exercise during pregnancy, but rather that you can’t afford to take on workouts or fighting styles that are grueling and that can predispose you and the baby to injury.

Let’s face it, kickboxing is extremely demanding!

It’s vital to bear in mind another recommendation of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

“Those activities with a high risk of falling or for abdominal trauma should be avoided during pregnancy.”

(source)

Now, kickboxing is awesome and is great for self-defense. It’s something to consider when you’ve had your baby.

But have you ever wondered if it’s just for guys? After all, most competition kickboxers are men.

A recent article of mine answers this question in some depth. In it, I also shared info about some of the most famous female kickboxers and addressed whether women are more likely to get injured in kickboxing.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Can jumping cause miscarriage in early pregnancy?

There is no definitive consensus on the effect of jumping on early pregnancy as there are conflicting opinions about it. So the best action is to check with a doctor before engaging in any physical training.

Now, it is universally recognized that exercising is good for pregnant women seeing as there are many benefits.

The benefits include:

  • Increased strength and endurance
  • Increased energy levels
  • Reduced stress levels
  • Improved blood circulation.
  • Keeping weight gain in check

But opinion is divided as to whether jumping does not lead to miscarriage — in early pregnancy.

No study shows a direct correlation between exercise and miscarriage. What a government study showed is a link between high-impact exercise and miscarriage, especially before 18 weeks of gestation.

What should you do? It is best to consult with your doctor before taking up any exercise regime.

What month should a pregnant woman start to exercise?

With a doctor’s guidance, a pregnant woman can do gentle exercises as soon as she is aware she is pregnant, as this comes with many benefits. Just avoid strenuous exercises, start gradually, and follow the doctor’s recommendations.

Engaging in some form of physical exercise helps pregnant women.

For example, it decreases some discomforts, such as backaches, and improves their stamina as they prepare for the ordeal of labor.

So, you could start anytime if you’re cautious and do not strain yourself.

If you have not been working out before you got pregnant, you want to start with low-impact workouts and gradually increase the intensity without going overboard.

But women with some preexisting health challenges such as heart diseases, asthma, and diabetes may want to stay off workouts.

If you have a complication — a challenging pregnancy, you may also want to stay off.

But if your pregnancy is normal and you’re considering Krav Maga, it’s very important to know if it’s safe for pregnant women.

That’s what I explored in a recent article of mine where I looked at whether it involves kicks to the stomach, if it can be trained slowly and whether it’s best to wait until the baby is born before picking it up.

Is there a pregnancy kickboxing workout?

There are cardio kickboxing workouts that can still be safely performed during pregnancy. But it is best to work with an instructor who is aware of the pregnancy and who can modify the curriculum and pace so that they’re safe.

But even if the class is geared towards pregnant women, every woman is different, so I would recommend consulting your doctor still.

Most of the workouts that are a part of cardio kickboxing are also safe during pregnancy. As long as you’ve been cleared by your doctor, and preferably you’ve been working out before, it’s okay. But there’s no safe combat-style kickboxing!

Any workout that comes with the risk of contact injury should be avoided.

But even with cardio kickboxing, you want to take it slow, and it has to be adapted. Some of the workouts that were a breeze before may not come so easy, and there’s the temptation to stretch yourself — don’t!

Listen to your body. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, take a breather now and then, and reduce the intensity.

Cardio kickboxing workouts are safe but go at it gently. When you’ve been delivered of the baby, you can go gung-ho on leveling up your self-defense skills.

By the way, have you ever wondered what’s the best martial art for women?

You’re in luck because that’s the theme of a recent article of mine where I revealed the best martial art for women if self-defense is the focus. I also shared the best martial art for those with a spiritual bent.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

What exercises should be avoided during pregnancy?

The following are some of the exercises that should be avoided during pregnancy: contact sports, martial arts, cycling and horseback riding, working out at high altitudes or on your back, and scuba diving.

There are many exercises to avoid. Let’s check out some of them.

The first category of exercises you want to avoid is those with a high risk of falling or abdominal injury.

Here’s a more extensive list of exercises, sports, and activities to avoid while pregnant:

  • Basketball
  • Rollerblading
  • Hockey
  • Bicycling
  • Horseback riding
  • Snowboarding
  • Diving
  • Bungee jumping
  • Ice-skating or roller skating
  • Skiing
  • Gymnastics

The second category relates to those done at high altitudes. It’s advisable that unless you already live in a pretty high place, you want to stay off any exercise that takes you up more than 6,000 feet.

The third category of exercises to avoid is those that involve lying flat on your back. 

Why? When you lie flat on your back after the fourth month, there’s the risk that the weight of your enlarged uterus could compress major blood vessels and restrict blood to you and your baby.

This could trigger nausea, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

You’d probably be feeling more pressure on your joints and knees. It’s good to know if kickboxing is bad for your knees, right?

In a recent article, I explained its effects on the knees. The following are some of the themes I also explored: how to protect your knees, kickboxing’s effects on your joints, and exercises to avoid if you’ve got bad knees.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

20 Minute Prenatal CardioKick Workout for all trimesters of pregnancy

Conclusion

We learned whether kickboxing is safe in early pregnancy and whether jumping can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy.

But we also found out what month a pregnant woman should start to exercise and if there’s a pregnancy kickboxing workout.

And we wrapped things up by checking out exercises to avoid.


Of course, I have to add that I am not a doctor or a medical expert and I am not offering medical advice; simply my observations based on years of martial arts training and working with pregnant women. If you need medical advice you should seek out a qualified doctor in your area.


Photo that requires attribution:

Still frame taken from video UFC Fighter Lina Länsberg spars WHILE PREGNANT by MMAnytt and is licensed under CC2.0 and was cropped, edited, and had a text overlay added.

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