I lifted 200kg weights two days before giving birth

Release time：2024-05-21 06:19:15 Source：Culture Canvas news portal

Britain's former strongest woman has revealed how lifting weights throughout her pregnancy has helped her maintain a high level of fitness - despite a barrage of hate.

Shannon Smith, 30, from Royton, Oldham, lifted weights during her entire pregnancy, from the day she found out she was expecting, until two days before the due date.

The professional weightlifter even competed in competitions during her pregnancy and lifted a remarkable 200 kg two days before her daughter, Nancy, was due.

Shannon said: 'It makes no sense for me to stop during pregnancy. This is something I've done for the past 10 or 11 years of my life - it pretty much is my life. I felt safe doing it.

'At 36 weeks pregnant, a lot of people were saying to me, I could barely put my shoes on at this stage, or I could barely walk. Whereas I was just sort of living my normal life.'

The 30-year-old was lifting 200 kg weights two days before her due date, but claims she felt safe doing it 

Britain's former strongest woman, Shannon Smith (pictured), has revealed how lifting weights throughout her pregnancy helped her to maintain a high level of fitness 

When Shannon found out that she was pregnant, she had no intention of pausing her weightlifting journey and aimed to maintain her fitness by continuing in the gym.

Throughout the pregnancy, ever-competitive Shannon continued with her deadlifts and powerlifting and even competed in local competitions - training around five times a week for hours at a time.

As she was reaching the end of her pregnancy, Shannon was lifting around 180 kg, but two days before her due date, she said that she felt 'strong' and pushed for a 200 kg deadlift - and succeeded.

The weightlifter then posted her achievement on social media, which caused a storm online with millions of views, but she was also met with hate over the post.

She said that many people were concerned with the safety aspect of her weightlifting and criticised her for lifting so late in her pregnancy.

However, she claimed it was completely safe for her to continue weightlifting during her pregnancy because she had been doing it her whole life.

Shannon gave birth to her daughter, Nancy, less than a week after the 200 kg lift and she is perfectly healthy - and has already visited the gym for the very first time.

Newborn Nancy was taken to the gym at four days old to get used to the environment because Shannon and her husband Paul are both professional weightlifters.

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A post shared by Shannon Smith (Clifford) (@shannonsnutrition)

Despite partaking in arduous exercise, Shannon gave birth to her perfectly healthy daughter, Nancy (pictured) 

The mother-of-one claimed that it made no sense for her to stop lifting heavy weights during pregnancy because she has done it for the past decade 

At eight months pregnant, Shannon also took part in a powerlifting competition to help increase her strength levels 

Reflecting on her pregnancy, Shannon said that weightlifting has helped her body cope with the stresses of carrying a baby.

Now, Shannon hopes that Nancy will grow up to follow in her footsteps as a weightlifter, and she said that her genetics would be suited to the gym.

She said: 'She's going to grow up in the gyms and because my partner and I are both strong, she’s going to have good genetics for it.

'I went back to the gym four days after giving birth, but it was light because I've got to get my pelvic floor and my abdominal muscles back to where they were. So, it will take a couple of months to build back up to that strength level.

'I did compete in a powerlifting competition as well at eight months pregnant. So that gave me a bit of a goal to keep pushing my strength, but within a level I was capable of.'

Shannon was active after giving birth to her daughter Nancy (pictured) and took her to the gym for the first time when she was four days old 

The mother-of-one caused a storm online after sharing a clip of her lifting heavy weights while pregnant on social media 

After sharing her journey online, Shannon received negative comments from users claiming that she might harm the baby 

Shannon continued: 'I still had some sort of goal and sort of competitiveness with myself and to progress everything but as the months went on, there were certain exercises I just had to keep dropping out gradually and I kept doing the ones that felt the safest for me.

'The heaviest weight lifted while I was pregnant with a deadlift was 200 kilos. I did 155 kilos on a squat and then some overhead pressing around 85 kilos. Most of them were around 90 per cent of my previous bests before I was pregnant.

'I think it has helped with recovery after birth as well, because now, five days postpartum, a lot of people wouldn't really be leaving the house at this stage or doing much, and I'm already back in the gym.

'With deadlifts and squats, it felt comfortable. It just took a bit of time to get used to the change in centre of mass.

'For women who've always lifted it, it's fine to continue, especially if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy. If you have issues with high blood pressure, preeclampsia, or if you've got a placenta that's underneath a baby, that can cause issues.

During her pregnancy, Shannon managed to deadlift 200 kg, squat 155 kg, and overhead press approximately 85 kg 

Shannon hopes that Nancy will also enjoy lifting heavy weights in the gym once she is old enough

'Most women will know when they're pushing things too far and I know when to scale it back a bit. The gym was the safest [place] I felt throughout my entire pregnancy!'

On the topic, Doctor Lawrence Cunningham from the UK Care Guide said: 'In my experience, pregnancy does not necessarily stop women from engaging in their regular fitness routines, even at an advanced level like 200 kg weightlifting.

'However, lifting over 200kg just days before a due date is not something usual or advised without very specific considerations.

'The safety will heavily depend on the individual's pre-pregnancy fitness level, their experience with weightlifting, and their health during pregnancy.

'I have seen cases where professional athletes have managed to maintain a high activity level throughout their pregnancy without any adverse effects. 

The 30-year-old's husband, Paul Smith (pictured left), is also a successful heavy weight lifter and spends lots of the time in the gym 

Shannon has taken Nancy to the gym to familiarize her with the environment because both of her parents are professional weightlifters 

'However, this should not be considered the norm and should not be taken as a blanket endorsement for all pregnant individuals.

'I always recommend that anyone who is pregnant, especially those engaged in high-intensity activities like weightlifting, should have a thorough consultation with their GP.

'This includes continuous monitoring of their health and the health of the foetus, alongside adjustments to their routine as pregnancy progresses.'

He concluded: 'It is essential to listen to the body's signals and reduce intensity when necessary. Additionally, maintaining proper form and technique becomes even more crucial to avoid injury.'

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