What constitutes heavy lifting?

We can do almost anything (not the ab workouts as you have learned) as long as we are dedicated to the posture and respect the limitations of our bodies (which is a constant process of awareness). I cannot answer the "how much weight" question, but if you stand or sit in posture, then doing some arm weight work should not be a problem. As you probably already know, the WW walk is one of the best exercises ever and if you choose to combine that with a bit of Christine's DVDs and then a bit of strength work in posture, it seems to me you would be doing well. Have you noticed any negatives from your present weight work? Are you all set in the WW posture ? Best wishes to you.

Hi Shortcake - Ms. N is correct, once you learn the posture and get to know your body in that posture, you will be able to better judge how much of that heavy weight lifting you can continue. For now, I would give it a bit of a rest. That's something to take up when you have learned and adopted posture. There are some important things about body angles that need to be learned and understood. It's a very eye-opening journey, learning to stabilize this thing! And it's awesome for the hips and spine. Focus on it for awhile - it's going to be life-long. Good luck to you! - Surviving

Hi Shortcake,

Have you checked out the FAQ and Resources tabs. There are some great videos and articles.

There is a bit more to WW posture than you say. It is more about lifting your chest than sticking your butt out. Allowing your belly to expand with inhalation and come in with exhalation. Tucking your chin slightly so your neck doesn't stick out the front. Keeping your knees unlocked, shoulders down, upper back flat and broad.

Hope your book and DVD arrive soon.

Louise

Very good qquestion.
For me the amount I lift varies day be day and depending on the project. This past weekend I did some yard work and aggravated things because I didn't pay attention to posture.

It is simple. Heavy is anything too heavy for me to lift easily.

How do I know it is too heavy? If it produces fullness in my vulva when I start the lift, with all my body positioning correct.

What do I do about it? If it is only once or twice max, I will give it a go, and know that I might feel a bit full in the vulva for a few hours. If it will require frequent repeats to get the task completed I will stop after the first one, put the kettle on, and sit down and think about other ways I can get the job done. There are usually other ways of breaking up the weight into smaller parcels, rolling it end over end, or even distracting myself from my need to do it immediately by finding something more pleasurable or more achievable that will give me the same personal reward. That buys me time to noodle over it a bit more, or to find someone who is stronger than me to help me, or do it for me.

Your weights training is a repetitive activity. I would stop as soon as symptoms appear. If that is before you do the first lift, regard that sign as sent from heaven to save your body. Reduce the weight further until you think it is time to test a heavier load. Our whole body strengthens when we exercise. This improves the leverage that we can apply, which means that we might be able to lift the heavier weight without symptoms once the whole body is stronger. It is simply a matter of listening to your body, strengthening some more and retesting. You will come to trust your body once again, once you are listening to its signals, and can respond to those signals in 'body-caring' ways.

Louise

Finally! After days of reading articles, getting second opinions from various 'male' OB/GYNs, colleagues and friends, I have finally found some clarity to my dilemma related to uterine prolapse and weight training. I have been a weight trainer for more than 10 years. After the birth of my 3rd child, and after repetitive urinary tract infections last year, I was told that I had a uterine prolapse - not severe, but it could get worse if I continue lifting more than 3 kilos. For a year, I have been living this fear of deciding what to do, and decided to simply listen to my body and ignore the doctors, and continue with my trainings (3 times a week) and my health kicks. I have never felt better, until I went in for my pap test again recently, and was told - again - that I must not carry weights since I have a prolapse (go figure). I honestly do not feel any discomfort or any problems until someone verbally points this in my face. I am 40 and I have never felt more fit in my life, but now I am questioning if I need to stop weight training, which would psychologically kill me. My weight trainings are heavy, but not over-bearing. IN other words, I am training muscles to become well-shaped and toned, but not with the purpose to become a professional body builder or to become 'big'. For instance, I do dead-lifts or squats with weights once a week with 3 repetitions of 12. I also do upper abdominal exercises. In all cases, I never feel bulging or fullness in my vulva. Is this a sign that I am still OK considering that I am very conscientious of correct posture and breathing?

Hi inspiration and welcome. That depends on what you mean by correct posture and breathing. Good posture for prolapse management means relaxing the belly and pulling up the chest so that lumbar curvature is restored and the organs can be held forward. Breathing is into the belly, not up in the chest. If your workouts involve sucking in your belly and tucking your butt, your organs are surely headed in the wrong direction with each passing day.

Many of us woke up one morning and "discovered" our prolapse as if out of nowhere. But we know that these conditions were long in the making before they became symptomatic. Your doctor may be trying to give you a wakeup call!

Lifting and carrying weight can be done in correct posture, once you know what that is. But weight training is a bit out of my area so can you tell us more? - Surviving

Are you using whole woman posture and breathing? As surviving describes that is the correct posture to do everything in. I didn't notice, or maybe I ignored the symptoms, until I found my cervix actually sticking out! You really don't want to go down that road. The heavy lifting I did was of people in a health care environment, and I felt strong and proud of my abilities.
Please do heed your doctors advice and read everything you can on this site. You may have to adjust your work outs, but I wouldn't think you would have to do without them as long as you are doing them in whole woman posture.

Hi. Surviving and Aging Gracefully are giving you a valuable warning. As strong and able as we seem to be, the processes that lead to POP can be very gradual. I didn't begin to show worry-worthy symptoms of POP until I was over 50. I've used stress training before very effectively, but I'm no expert. We have a Total Gym and I didn't want to give up using it. It works very, very well without bulking up on the same principles of weight lifting (if I understand it correctly). I went through it's accompanying booklet and found exercises I could do sitting or on a reverse incline to cover most areas of my body and not put stress on my POP. I can also lift the small weights I want to use sitting down. At any rate I would encourage you with Surviving and Aging Gracefully not to continue with heavy weights without extreme caution and being aware of future problems.