Want to heal your core, strengthen your abs, and feel STRONG again but not sure where to start? Avoid these exercises while you heal your diastasis recti.
Diastasis recti is a common condition that occurs when the abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy.
Though this separation can lead to a weak core (and thus back pain and frustration), there’s a lot you can do to heal it and restrengthen (learn more about how to heal diastasis recti years later).
As a Certified Strength Coach (and a mom of three myself), I get questions all the time about how best to heal ab separation (check out these mummy tummy exercises).
However, part of healing diastasis recti is knowing what exercises to avoid with diastasis recti too.
Before you start learn how to self-test for diastasis recti at home and know that there are more reasons you have a mom pouch than just diastasis.
Exercises To Avoid
Here’s a hard truth that no one talks about: there is no exercise you need to altogether avoid if you have diastasis recti.
Read that again.
There are, however, better variations to use.
A lot of moms come to me in sheer tears because they’ve been told that they can’t do sit-ups or planks but are unsure of what other exercises “tone the stomach”.
First off, no specific exercise will directly give you a six-pack (something to consider).
When it comes to exercises for diastasis recti, what you’re looking to avoid is putting excessive stress or gravity onto the abdominal muscles in a way that they can’t support (thus making the separation worse).
Thankfully, your body gives you really good feedback if you’ve gone too far: doming.
When there is excessive pressure that the deep abdominal muscles cannot support from the exercise or gravity (think of a plank or push up) your tummy will “cone” or “dome”.
However, you’re never going to not plank again. So, the solution is how to alter the abdominal wall exercises as you get stronger.
Take a peek at the diastasis recti exercises to avoid below… and then read about what to do instead to make them diastasis recti-friendly.
And most importantly: don’t panic! You can heal diastasis recti in most cases with exercise. In fact, it’s why I created the heal your core program in the first place. I got you mama.
1. Avoid: The Sit Up
Sit ups tend to bulge the abdominal wall muscles when you have diastasis recti. However, given you’re probably going to get out of bed at some point, you need to train them.
Instead of performing a classic sit up, perform a negative sit up with wall support! start.
- Inhale and then exhale as you slowly lower backward toward the wall.
- When you touch the wall, use your hands to help you back up.
Keep an eye on your rectus abdominis muscles and if you can, poke your tummy for engagement. As you get better and better, move your bum further and further away from the wall.
2. Avoid: Planks & Push Ups
This is a common one told to moms because as you’re in a plank position the abdominal muscles have to hold against gravity.
If you have ab separation, chances are your muscles aren’t strong enough to do it and you end up with low back pain.
Instead: elevate. Start on the wall and work only on the engagement of your core. Perform this from your hands and your forearms.
When you can hold on the wall engaged for one minute, move to the couch or a table. Then to stairs. And finally, to the floor.
Make sure the focus is on engagement and not just rushing through.
3. Avoid: Double Leg Raises
A double leg raise on the floor requires a lot of strength. And diastasis recti aside, it’s a hard exercise for people to nail down without it affecting their low back.
What to do instead: start with toe taps and progress to extending one leg.
- Lay on your back with the knees bent color to your bum. Tuck the ribs down and the hips towards the ribs so that your low back is on the ground. Raise one leg (keeping the knee bent).
- Maintain the core engagement as you touch the toe to the floor and raise the toe back up initiating the movement at the hip. Perform all repetitions on one side before the other.
Having one floor on the floor gives your abs the support they need to engage while performing the movement.
To progress, slowly move the leg further and further away from your bum until finally, you raise the second leg and perform single leg raises.
4. Avoid: Reverse Crunches
Reverse crunches are similar to sit ups in the sense that they compress your belly and can accentuate the abdominal separation.
Instead, perform elevated mountain climbers or seated “in and outs”. These exercises train your core to pull your legs in, without compressing your abdominals.
For seated in and outs:
Grab a pair of socks and find a hardwood or tiled floor!
- Sit on your bum with your hands on the floor behind you. Keep the chest “tall” but don’t flare the ribs.
- The legs should be straight out from your hips.
- Slowly open the legs wide, close them, then pull the feet into your bum.
- Push the feet back out and repeat.
NeedMore Support?
If you’re ready to get serious about strengthening your transverse abdominis muscles and cutting the belly pouch, learn all the ins and outs on how to heal your core.
Through a 7-week, strategic, home workout program, I help you retrain your core muscles so that you’re stronger and more confident.
This course comes with both an Ebook as well as a seven week workout plan delivered right to your phone to help guide you through healing your core step by step.
- Retrain your core muscles
- Learn why you have a low belly pouch and how to get rid of it
- Feel confident in your skin again
If you’re ready to finally feel good about your tummy muscles and reduce the niggling aches and pains from being a mom, learn how to Heal Your Core.
More Resources for Diastasis Recti
- How to reduce back pain
- Exercises to AVOID as a new mom
- Ab exercises better than sit-ups
- Pelvic floor health
Frequently Asked Questions About Diastasis Recti
When diastasis recti is not rehabilitated, most people will experience back pain, poor core stability, and sometimes leaking. Thankfully, you’re able to teach your deep core muscles to fire and fix diastasis recti years later, it’s never too late!
Because exercises that focus on diastasis are often very low impact, they can be done multiple times per week. The beginner exercises that focus on engagement can be done for a few minutes each day.
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