Diastasis recti friendly core exercises #shorts

If you are newly postpartum, have a history of pelvic floor issues, hernias, or diastasis you may have been told to be careful with your core exercises. Sometimes blanket statements about which exercises to avoid are used but I do not agree with that approach. 

The reality is that it depends on the person and the strategies being used to manage pressure. For one person a plank may be too much load, for another it may be fine. 

This first exercise is a great place to start for anyone, even if you do not have any issues or aren’t sure if you do. You’ll learn more about how the core functions. 

When you inhale the diaphragm contracts and lowers and the pelvic floor relaxes and lowers/expands. On exhale the pelvic floor contracts and lifts and the diaphragm relaxes and lifts. It’s a really amazing system that makes up our core. 

Heel slides would be a step up from the breathing exercise. This seems like an easy exercise but if you are doing it correctly it is really challenging. I cannot emphasize the stability focus enough. Move slowly and be sure your pelvis isn’t moving. If you were to set a full cup of coffee on your pelvis it shouldn’t spill a drop throughout the entire movement. 

Toe taps are going to be the next progression. If you are ready to take it even a step farther you can move to a straight leg heel tap instead. This is going to be much more challenging as it will add the weight of your legs. 

If you struggle with any of this, ask questions below. There are many modifications which can be made if something isn’t feeling good for you or if you aren’t liking the movement. If it’s just really hard- then suck it up! If you cannot keep the pelvis still or do a progression without seeing bulging in your core then you probably need to regress the movement. 

That being said there will be times in your training where a little bulging in acceptable in order to help you progress and build strength. But if you are constantly bulging on the midline then that’s a sign it’s too much demand for your core right now. 

#pelvicfloor #diastasis #hernia #postpartumfitness #perinatalfitness #coreworkout #coreexercise