First off, I don’t at all want to lead anyone to believe I’m an expert in training or pregnancy fitness or even being a mom, but I’ve done a lot of it, and with guidance from some awesome professionals, I think I have a pretty good plan.

My training plans are custom tailored to me by Kris Hampton at Power Company Climbing. My doctor is a climber, so she understands the process and looks over my training for approval. And, I read and research a lot. Also, it helps that this ain’t my first rodeo.

So some general training while pregnant thoughts…

-bring snacks! I eat the entire time I train. I also drink a ton of water.

– listen to your body. I feel little aches here and there, and they remind me to consider my form and maybe lighten my weights.

– if it’s a training day and I’m wiped out, I skip it! I go for a walk instead. There is a clear difference between being a little lazy/tired and being pregnant tired. Pregnant tired demands attention and maybe a nap.

So on to finger strength. Currently, my training program has a lot of kettle bells, weights and hang boarding in it (more about that later) but the area I am going to share today is my 2x per week finger strength tests. The goal is to find a 3/4″ edge to hang on and add as much weight as I can to still stay on for 10-12 seconds. Then I record total weight (because I’m putting weight on each week). So in the video, I have 70lbs added bringing me to 195lbs total. I use a waist belt that sits safety below the baby and feels very safe. I stand up and drop very controlled, and this all feels controlled and safe. So tips? Be sure you know how to hang on a hangboard with good form first. I used to let my shoulders disengage. Don’t do that! Also, try to find your edge in a place that is close to the ground. If you slip off, you don’t want to have a big drop! And, I am thinking I should consider wearing shoes…just seems like a smart practice.

I’m looking forward to these finger strength tests to keep track of where I am at. Hopefully I don’t lose much ground!