Healing Diastasis Recti

Hey babes!

So now that we know what diastasis recti is and how to check for it, I want to show you five core exercises that may help you heal it! 

The reason that these exercises can be so effective is because they target your transverse abdominus, your deepest abdominal muscle, which acts like an internal corset! All of these can be found in the first phase of my Post-Pregnancy program in the Sweat app!

For these exercises, you will need to know how to set your T-zone! Firstly, your T-zone is the transverse abdominus and your pelvic floor collectively (much easier to say T-zone!). To set your T-zone, start by lying down on your mat and drawing up your pelvic floor, as if you were trying to stop going to the toilet. When those muscles are squeezed, imagine you are also drawing your hipbones in towards one another. It should feel like your ab muscles are all pulling in together. Then you'll need to draw this 'T' in towards your spine. Remember to keep breathing while you are doing this!

Heel Slides

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position. Allow your arms to rest by your sides on the mat. This is your starting position.
2. Inhale. Set your T-zone.
3. Exhale. While maintaining a neutral spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, release your right leg, extend your knee and slide your heel along the mat.
4. Inhale. Bend your knee and slide your right heel along the mat to return to the starting position.
5. Exhale. While maintaining a neutral spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, release your left leg, extend your knee and slide your heel along the mat.
6. Inhale. Bend your knee and slide your left heel along the mat to return to the starting position.
7. Continue alternating between sides for the specified number of repetitions.

Bent-Knee Fallout

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position. Allow your arms to rest by your sides on the mat. This is your starting position.
2. Inhale. Set your T-zone.
3. Exhale. Slowly lower your right knee outwards towards the floor as far as you can, ensuring that your pelvis and left leg remains still.
4. Inhale. Raise your right knee to return to the starting position.
5. Exhale. Slowly lower your left knee outwards towards the floor, ensuring that your pelvis and right leg remains still.
6. Inhale. Raise your left knee to return to the starting position.
7. Continue alternating between right and left for the specified number of repetitions.

Foot Lift

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position. Allow your arms to rest by your sides on the mat. This is your starting position.
2. Inhale. Set your T-zone.
3. Exhale. While maintaining a neutral spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, elevate your right foot off the ground slightly.
4. Inhale. Lower your right foot to return to the starting position.
5. Exhale. While maintaining a neutral spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, elevate your left foot off the ground slightly.
6. Inhale. Lower your left foot to return to the starting position.
7. Continue alternating between right and left for the specified number of repetitions.
    

Foot Lift + Extend

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position. Allow your arms to rest by your sides on the mat. This is your starting position.
2. Inhale. Set your T-zone. While maintaining a neutral spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, elevate your right foot off the mat slightly.
3. Exhale. Straighten your knee to extend your leg along the floor, ensuring that your toes remain pointed and that you continue to draw your ribs towards your hips.
4. Inhale. Bend your right knee to draw your leg inwards.
5. Exhale. Lower your right foot to return to the starting position.
6. Inhale. While maintaining a neutral spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, elevate your left foot off the mat slightly.
7. Exhale. Straighten your knee to extend your leg along the floor, ensuring that your toes remain pointed and that you continue to draw your ribs towards your hips.
8. Inhale. Bend your left knee to draw your leg inwards.
9. Exhale. Lower your left foot to return to the starting position.
10. Continue alternating between right and left for the specified number of repetitions.

Arm Preparation

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position. 
2. Extend your arms above your chest with your palms facing inwards. Draw your shoulder blades down and back and your ribs towards your hips. This is your starting position.
3. Inhale. Set your T-zone.
4. Exhale. While maintaining a neutral spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, bring your arms overhead as far as possible. 
5. Inhale. Bring your arms towards your chest to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

For mild cases of diastasis recti, I would recommend performing these exercises every few days in addition to any pelvic floor (kegel) work.

Xx

Kels