Pregnancy and High-Impact Workouts: Are They Worth It?

Can you keep running through pregnancy? What about CrossFit or bootcamps or anything else that gets your heart rate high and your feet off the ground?

Well…maybe?

Like most things in pregnancy, whether you can continue high-impact workouts isn’t a blanket yes or no—it’s a case-by-case situation.

And the right answer depends on a few key factors that have nothing to do with fear-mongering or advice from the 80s, and everything to do with your actual body, experience, and support.

Let’s break it down 👇

Factors That Determine Whether High-Impact Exercise Is Safe for You in Pregnancy

1️⃣ Pre-Pregnancy Experience

If you were regularly running, jumping, or training at high intensities before getting pregnant, your body (muscles, fascia, joints, etc.) is more likely to tolerate that load during pregnancy—but there’s no guarantee, especially because of the remaining factors below. So, if you weren’t doing those things consistently, now’s definitely not the time to start.

2️⃣ Pain and Discomfort

As pregnancy progresses the hormone relaxin increases joint laxity (aka movement).  More movement in joints + more weight on your body + changes in posture = a lot of opportunity for pain or discomfort in areas you might not expect.

Some of the most common culprits? Your pelvis, lower back, hips, breasts, abdomen, groin, knees, and feet.

Let’s break it down real quick:

• • • Pelvic Pain – Especially around the pubic symphysis (front of your pelvis) or sacroiliac joints (where your spine meets your pelvis). This can feel sharp, dull, or radiate into your legs.
    • Low Back Pain – A growing belly shifts your center of mass and changes your posture, putting extra strain on your lower back (especially if your core isn’t keeping up with workout demands).

    • Hip Pain – Changes in gait and posture plus more relaxed joints can make your hips feel unstable or achy.

    • Breast Discomfort – Increased breast size and tenderness from hormonal changes + impact from running = ouch.

    • Round Ligament Pain – You have two round ligaments; one on each side of your uterus that attaches down around your pubic bone.  As your uterus grows, the round ligaments stretch and can cause sharp, sudden pain in your groin, especially with quick movements.

    • Groin Pain – In addition to round ligament pain, changes in weight-bearing and posture can cause sneaky pressure and discomfort here, too.

    • Knee + Foot Pain – Looser joints and more weight mean your lower body takes a bigger hit—especially with altered running mechanics.

Experiencing any of these? That’s your body telling you it’s not tolerating impact well. Pain is a message, not a challenge to push through.

3️⃣ Genetics & Ligament Laxity

Some women naturally have more ligament laxity, and pregnancy adds even more. That can make high-impact movements riskier for joint instability, injury, or symptoms like leaking or prolapse.

4️⃣ Comfort Level (Physical + Mental)

Even if something is “technically” safe, if it feels uncomfortable—physically or emotionally—it’s not worth pushing through. Discomfort is a sign. Pay attention.

5️⃣ Knowledge & Education

Do you know how to modify? Are you aware of signs of dysfunction or poor pressure management?  Are you paying attention to your form and breath or just going about your business as usual?  If not, high-impact workouts may end up doing more harm than good.

6️⃣ Professional Supervision

Working with a trained coach who understands pregnancy physiology (like yours truly 👋) can make all the difference. I’ve had clients continue bootcamp-style workouts through their whole pregnancy—safely—because we modified, adjusted, and stayed tuned in to their symptoms.

7️⃣ Recovery Capacity

If you’re not sleeping well, eating enough, hydrating, or managing stress—your body won’t recover the same way. A good workout is only helpful if your system can recover from it.  In other words, if your recovery tank is empty, high-impact workouts might be too much of a demand. (This is especially true in the first and third trimesters.)

8️⃣ Core and Pelvic Floor Readiness

High-impact = high pressure. Your pelvic floor and deep core need to manage that pressure effectively. If not, you may feel symptoms like heaviness, coning, or leaking—all signs your system’s not up for that intensity.

So… Can You Keep Doing High-Impact Workouts During Pregnancy?

Maybe.

If you’re symptom-free, recovering well, modifying smart, and tuning into your body—then yes, it can be safe for some women.

But if you’re just trying to power through to “keep up” with your old routine, it might be time to pause and reassess.

There’s no trophy for ignoring pelvic pain or pushing through leaking. And there’s no shame in scaling back for a season so you can come back stronger later.

The Best Pregnancy Workout is the One You Can Do Safely

Pregnancy doesn’t automatically mean giving up the workouts you love. But it does mean listening to your body and training with intention. High-impact workouts can be part of a strong, healthy pregnancy—but only if your body, core, recovery, and symptoms say yes.

👟 When in doubt, train smarter—not harder. And don’t be afraid to ask for support to figure out what your body needs.

Shoot me a DM if you’re in need of more support and a custom plan.