12 pregnancy fitness classes recommended by Bazaar

The expert behind The Pilates PT Method, Hollie Grant, combined her experience as an award-winning Pilates instructor and personal trainer with that of becoming a mother herself to create The Bump Plan. The programme – taught via live and on-demand video classes – includes trimester-specific workouts that fuse gentle, low-impact cardio and Pilates whether you’re trying to conceive, are prenatal or postnatal. Grant’s direction and commentary throughout serves as a proof of her expertise, making you feel completely safe and empowered both mentally and physically.

Find out more at thebumpplan.com

Pip and Joan, the women behind MumHood, are also the founders of Frame – London’s funnest fitness studio chain with a cult following as strong as the instructors. Since entering into pre- and postnatal journeys themselves the friends filled a gap in the wellness market with safe, simple and effective workouts, both within the Frame locations and for women to do at home. With separate programmes – all specific to each stage of your early motherhood journey, various class types (from reformer Pilates to cardio and yoga), digital resources and inspirational events, MumHood is a family you’ll want to be part of.

Find out more at moveyourframe.com

London’s legendary TriYoga is renowned for servicing pregnant women and young families, having long offered pre- and postnatal classes plus ‘mummy and me’ yoga sessions where you can bring baby along. Available online and in centres at Camden, Chelsea, Ealing and Shoreditch, all classes present an empowering and safe space to exercise both the body and mind. During the pregnancy yoga classes expect to strengthen the body in preparation for labour and tap into visualisation and breathwork to cultivate a conscious birth experience.

Find out more at triyoga.co.uk

Founded by Charlie Launder in 2014, Bumps & Burpees is a thriving community for those subscribing to her #thismumcan ethos, in addition to an accessible platform for fitness. With simple, follow-along-at-home pregnancy and postnatal-safe workouts, expect a variety of disciplines taught by Launder and her fellow fitness specialists, from cardio and HIIT to yoga.

Find out more at bumpsandburpees.com

Barrecore, the barre fitness experts with 10 studios across London and a further three beyond the capital, say its method is “one of the safest workouts during pregnancy due to the low impact and mindful nature of classes”. The pros offer private maternity modification sessions, so you can join full studio classes with adaptations, and in addition have a dedicated BarrePRENATAL live class for mothers-to-be streamed via its virtual platform. Expect to exhaust your muscles and experience the famous ‘Barrecore shake’, but rest assured it’s safe for you and your baby.

Find out more at barrecore.com

The Mamawell Method is the baby of Rosie Stockley, whose specialist fitness programmes are designed “to help you workout with confidence, through pregnancy, postpartum and beyond”. The on-demand video workouts are centred on endorphin-inducing exercises to build strength, alongside slower stretch and pelvic floor-focussed sessions, plus guided mediations. The packages also include written content and email support.

Find out more at mamawell.org

Highly experienced trainer (and mother of three) Paola Di Lanzo has taught her famed method, Paola’s BodyBarre at various luxury London gyms before opening her own boutique studio in Fulham. A cherished class is the PBB BabyBarre, a specifically designed fusion of ‘floor barre’ for both pre- and postnatal women. The sessions help build strength and suppleness, focusing on core muscles including the pelvic floor. The best bit? Babies are welcome too. PBB can also be accessed virtually via the PBB app, with a dedicated PBB BabyBarre section where classes are regularly uploaded.

Find out more at paolasbodybarre.com

Known as the “shape-changer that generates stronger, longer and leaner bodies”, The Louisa Drake Method has a pre- and postnatal programme called The LDM Pregnancy Project. In the online sessions, celebrity trainer Drake – or a member of her team – lead a LDM Sculpt workout offering the most effective and supportive exercise adaptations for mothers to ensure they’re physically fit and prepared for birth, and able to recover safely afterwards. To accompany the live sessions (which are ideal for receiving individual support) membership includes access to over 100 online workouts and live-class recordings to enjoy whenever you have a window to workout.

Find out more at louisadrake.com

With seven boutique studios in eastern Australia, Fluidform’s founder – Pilates guru and mother-of-three, Kristen King, has successfully taken her teaching techniques online for a global audience. An excellently extensive platform, FFAH (Fluidform At Home) provides over 300 workouts to create customisable programmes for all, including specialist pregnancy and postnatal offerings. You can choose by workout type and area of focus, level, duration and equipment required. There are even reformer classes should you have access to one. Whichever way expect body-sculpting workouts that will improve posture and tone while strengthening and stretching your muscles. We highly recommend.

Find out more at fluidformpilates.com

Re:Mind Studio near Victoria – London’s largest space dedicated to sound, breath and energy healing – recently launched Re:Family, a series of curated classes to support stages of fertility, pregnancy and new parenthood. Don’t expect a workout, but gentle restorative modalities – from yoga nidra to breathwork – which will help centre you when adjusting to pregnancy and postpartum life. Classes run on Mondays at 4pm from the studio at 25a Eccleston Place, SW1W 9NF.

Find out more at remindstudio.com

FLY LDN is the subscription-based virtual platform from the former East London fitness studio. The extensive offering includes both live and on-demand workouts, with a collection of pregnancy and postnatal-safe classes. Within the workout library choose from Flow (inspired by Vinyasa sequences, with varying intensities); Low Impact (think high intensity body conditioning); Barre (beat-driven balletic moves); and Pilates (centred on core strength and alignment).

Find out more at flyldn-online.com

One of London’s leading dynamic Pilates studio chains, Heartcore has a digital platform with livestream and on-demand workouts dedicated to mums and mums-to-be. Within Heartcore At Home you’ll find the brand’s signature Pre-Natal Pilates class – a fusion of Pilates, yoga and barre which combines dynamic movement with breathwork to support and energise your body during all stages of pregnancy and beyond. Try the full (50 minute) and express (30 minute) classes on their ever-growing on-demand ‘Pre & Post-Natal’ library, now.

Find out more at weareheartcore.com