Review of 'THE PREGNANCY
EXERCISE BOOK' by
JUDY DIFIORE
(Published 2000; Newleaf; ISBN 0 7171
2997 7)
I’d just got back from holiday
and opened the front door a few inches to find it wouldn’t go any further. Of
course, that was all that mail that you get after a couple of weeks away –
bills, junk mail…. But as I sorted through it, I had a very pleasant surprise
because lying there to brighten my day was this latest offering from Judy
DiFiore
It is presented in a ring-bound format
that can be easily stood on a nearby surface so that you are able to flip
through each exercise, and then turn the book around to follow the second half
of the programme. The instructions for and photographs demonstrating the
exercises are clear and concise and contain so many teaching points that if a
lay person were following the instructions to the letter, what they would be
doing would be extremely safe and appropriate. It offers a reasonable level of
workout to someone who is already exercising when they become pregnant, yet
offers so many variations in levels that most would be able to adapt it to suit
them.
The book is divided into 5 sections: The
first gives information about using the workout, understanding the pregnancy
changes and advice on working out sensibly. It includes posture considerations,
pelvic floor, rationales behind each section of the workout, options for
workouts of varying lengths (10 – 35 minutes – something to appeal to even
the most apathetic or busy exerciser) and the Borg rate of perceived exertion
scale. The following sections are the workout itself: the warm up, aerobic
exercise, strengthening and toning, stretching and relaxing.
Three levels are given for the aerobic
and strengthening/toning sections – gentle, moderate and energetic (varied by
altering the number of reps or duration of the exercise). The last two sections
offer options appropriate to different stages of pregnancy (such as a lying
hamstring stretch for the first trimester only) and alternative if an exercise
feels uncomfortable in a certain position. The advice given seems so
comprehensive it would be difficult to avoid getting a thorough workout.
My only criticisms are very, very minor
(and personal) – I don’t think I could have chosen appropriate music
following the advice and I’m not sure I would have associated pain at the back
of the pelvis with some of the back pain I experienced in pregnancy (prior to
training as a postnatal exercise teacher, that is!).
Pictures and instructions are clear and
unambiguous, bright and accessible. It is authoritative, comprehensive and up to
date. I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone teaching classes to either
antenatal or postnatal clients, and of course to mother to be.
Jan Webb
PS If you'd like to buy the book you can
do so by direct order. Click here.
