What’s My Workout: Andrea Speir

Andrea Speir, creator of the Speir Method and founder and owner of Speir Pilates in Santa Monica, CA, is taking on a new role – mom-to-be! The former America’s Next Fitness Star contestant chatted with us about pregnancy fitness, her go-to equipment and new prenatal fitness offerings.

Due Date: April

Gender: Girl!

Q: What were your typical workouts before you became pregnant?

A: I love, love, love moving my body, and my workouts consisted of Pilates probably 5 days a week. It’s my favorite part of my day. I also liked incorporating a day that involved something like boxing, HIIT or Tabata, spinning and/or yoga. Every now and then I hit up a dance class as well to get my groove on.

Q: How have you modified your workouts to fit your changing... (energy level, body, capabilities), if at all?

A: I've really listened to my body during my pregnancy. If I'm truly feeling exhausted I let myself rest and I think that's really important. So many changes are happening, I don't believe this is the time to push yourself. When I do my workouts, I've been sticking with Pilates and modifying throughout each stage- for example, no longer lying on my stomach, omitting major abdominal twisting, lightening my springs to focus more on form without working into my back, and making more of a focus on my postural muscles, glute med (aka side of the booty which helps support the hips as the slowly widen), etc.

Q: What has surprised you the most about being pregnant and staying active?

A: I think what has surprised me most is that you are still you in so many ways! I can move and keep my life fairly similar to how it was. The biggest change again is having a bit of a more empathetic approach to my day to day changes. It's ok to feel tired and rest and it's ok to stretch vs. push myself. That sort of thing!

Q: What has been your fave fitness move throughout each trimester?

A: Ooh, for sure glute med work! I love working the outer hip and side of my booty with a small resistance band. This not only feels so good because of the awesome resistance work, but it makes my body feel so much better after to have gotten that circulation work into my hips, pelvis and lower back.

Q: How are you applying your pregnancy to serving your clients? What’s new in the pipeline?

A: I created SPTV and SPTV Prenatal (launching in June 2017) because I wanted to be able to share our Speir fitness method with more people across the country! I developed a style of Pilates fusion that incorporates fun and highly effective cardio elements with the use of creative props WITH an athletic classical base of Pilates. I felt it was difficult to find a workout that used the best modern elements of fitness without losing the integrity of the Pilates method and it's amazing and safe elongating and sculpting elements, so I created this style of workout and opened a studio! Since we only have the one location at the moment, we wanted to create a platform where anyone and everyone could access these workouts at an affordable price!

Once I became pregnant, I realized there wasn't as much access to online streamable content that was specifically for pregnant women! I've been training pregnant women and postnatal mammas for a while since I hold a specialty certification in it, but getting pregnant for the first time made me realize not just what it feels like in my body, but also the different emotional aspects that are involved and the true differences in each stage. Working out helped me feel so much better, but my body was changing so often that my workouts needed to match! This is where SPTV Prenatal was born- I began filming workouts that were exactly what my body needed and what felt fantastic while I was in each stage of pregnancy. This will be on the platform for women to workout to with me, as well as content we are currently programming out, like postnatal workouts that focus on more specific situations like how to exercise after a C-section, diastasis recti, working out with your baby, and so many more focused and fun workouts. We also plan on having experts on to discuss different subjects almost like a live forum baby group.

Q: Do you have a go-to fitness product that you continue to use? (e.g., foam roller, physioball, etc.)

A: The small blue resistance band, the blue theraband and the big stability ball.

Q: What have you learned about yourself during this experience?

A: I've learned that even though I am a fitness professional and this is my world, I am no different than anyone else when it comes to how your body changes with pregnancy. I get winded, I get tired, I don't feel like exercising every day, I'm just as fascinated in everything that's happening to my body even though I've studied it for years. It is truly an amazing and magical experience, and I don't know if you can fully embrace the miracle of how your body can change until it's happening to you, and that is just so cool.

Q: What is your pregnancy fitness/wellness philosophy in three words?

A: Love your body.

Q: What are you most excited about when the little one arrives?

A: Oh man, I cannot wait to meet this little peanut! I can't wait to see what her personality is. She already is such a little spitfire! When she hears Michael Jackson or Alicia Keys, she dances hardcore the whole time and then as soon as the song ends, she stops dancing. It's so hilarious. During our ultrasounds, she is always dancing and moving to the point that the nurses have laughed and told us "we have a wild one." I can't wait to see what this little gal is like.