Exercises for diastasis recti separation of abdominal muscles (NO MORE MOMMY TUMMY)

Do you want exercises for diastasis recti, separation of abdominal muscles, to heal it and get a flatter tummy?

This video shows you how to do ab exercises for diastasis recti to close a diastasis recti after pregnancy.

This diastasis recti workout has the best exercises for diastasis recti with core exercises for diastasis recti and diastasis recti breathing exercises too (yes the right breath is vital in healing a diastasis recti).

I designed this routine to provide a great home postpartum belly workout with exercises for diastasis recti repair and always ensuring you have safe abdominal exercises for diastasis recti. These exercises for diastasis recti postpartum are for moms from 6 weeks postpartum and suited for a mild to moderate diastasis recti. I always advise seeking the help of a Women’s Health Physiotherapist or Physical Therapist with experience in diastasis recti healing.

To check if you have diastasis recti, do the self test, watch this video to see how to do the self test.

You’re going to need two easy to find pieces of equipment for the first few exercises;

1. A medium size towel which is about 60 centimeters in width by about 120 centimeters in length.
2. An A4 size magazine or a small towel.

Exercise 1: Switch on The Deep Tummy Muscle (lying on your back).

To activate our deep abdominal muscles which is the key to helping heal diastasis recti.

1. Lie down on your back, with your feet flat and your knees bent.
2. Place your hands around your lower ribs right here with your fingertips pointing towards your midline, which is called your linea alba and goes from your chest bone to your belly button and your pubic bone.
3. Take a deep breath in, relaxing your shoulders into the floor.
4. Let your belly just rise slightly. There’s no need to push it up. You just let it naturally rise and as you breathe out, bring your fingers towards each other, trying to bring the midline together and the abdominal muscles together right here.
5. Relax your ribs, relax your shoulders and just make sure your spine, that’s the lower part of your spine is lightly brushing the mat underneath you.

Tip: Remember to keep your lower back in a neutral position.

Repeat 8-12 times.

Variation: Switch On The Deep Tummy Muscle (with the aid of a towel).

This is the same exercise but with the aid of the medium sized towel folded over in half widthways.

1. Place your towel underneath your back and around your lower abdominals hold on to each end, but with the opposite hand. You’re holding the left-hand side of the towel with the right hand and the right-hand side of the towel with the left hand.
2. Breath in and let your belly just rise and then as you breathe out, bring your lower abdominals as you pull the ends of the towel. Make sure you relax your shoulders.

Repeat 8-12 times.

Exercise 2: Switch On The Deep Tummy Muscle (seated).

The same exercise as 1b in a seated position. To heal and close the diastasis recti you must sit with good posture.

1. Sit tall on your sitz bones located right in the centre part of your bottom muscles, the gluteal muscles.
2. Place your hands on your ribs.
3. Breath in, and feel your belly coming forward slightly.
4. Breathe out then as you breathe out, bringing the 2 halves of your muscles together at the midline with your hands.
   Repeat this 5 times.

Variation: Switch On The Deep Tummy Muscle (seated + with the aid of a towel).

1. Then take your towel, folded in half width ways. Place the towel around your midsection, holding on to each end with the opposite hand, with your left hand holding the right end of the towel and right hand holding the left end of the towel. Breathe in, relax your tummy muscles and breathe out, bringing the muscles together with the towel.

Repeat 8-12 times.

Exercise 3: The Heel Slide.

You’ll need your magazine or your small towel for this one.

1. Place the magazine or towel underneath the heel of one foot.
2. Lie on your back, shoulders and head on the floor, arms by your sides.
3. Bring your bottom close to the heels of your feet.
4. Lift the toes of each foot up and place the heel of one foot firmly onto your towel or your magazine.
5. Take a deep breath in, relaxing your tummy muscles, breathe out, and then slide the heel along the floor, keeping it on the towel, extending your leg and your heel away from you.
6. As you breathe out, pull your belly button in as if scooping down your belly button.

Tip: Allow your ribs to relax and avoid arching your lower back.

Repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions with the same leg before switching to do 10 to 12 repetitions with the other leg.

Exercise 4: Small Steps.

1. Lie on your back, with your feet flat and your knees bent and your arms by your sides.
2. Breathe in and feel your belly button rise.
3. Breathe out and pull your belly button down towards your spine to activate your deep, lower abdominal muscle. Continue to breathe out and lift your right foot off the floor and bring your knee towards your chest.
4. Breathe in and place your foot back on the floor. Breathe out, pull your belly button in towards your spine and repeat the move lifting the left foot off the floor and bringing your left knee towards your chest.

Tips: Whilst you are doing this exercise, keep your ribs relaxed and your shoulders on the floor.

Repeat this exercise 10-12 times for each leg (total of 20-24 times).

Now, tell me which exercise so far has made you feel your tummy muscles tighten the most. Tell me in the comments box below.

Exercise 5: The Side Raise

This exercise targets the sides of your waist, called the obliques.

1. Start by lying on your right side and resting on your right forearm. Bend your knees and align them with your hips so your feet are behind your knees with one foot on top of the other.
2. Place your left hand just in front of your tummy and breathe out, pull your belly button in and lift your waist and the hips up off the floor.
3. Keep your hips lined up with your knees and shoulder.
4. As you breathe in, lower your waist and your hips to the floor.

Tips: Bring your shoulder in towards your body when you lift to avoid pressing into your shoulder.
You might also feel some pelvic floor activation, which is really good. That’s just a gentle lift up of the pelvic floor

Repeat this exercise 10 to 12 times.

Then do the exercise where you lift up and staying as high as you can in the move, pulse up and down about 1 inch for 8 times each side.

Exercise 6: Single Leg Raise

This exercise is going to teach you how to activate your deep transverse abdominal muscle which will help protect your back which is weaker if you have a diastasis recti. This will help you stay pain free when doing mommy activities such as picking your baby up or carrying your baby.

1. Standing with the right side of your body sideways to an empty wall, a couple of foot lengths away from the wall.
2. Place your right hand onto the wall.
3. Standing really tall as posture is really important for this exercise.
4. Breathe in, relax your shoulders and your chest and pull your belly button in and tighten your lower abdominal muscle to correctly align your hips with your pelvic bone. This means your pelvis is in a neutral position, not tilted forwards or backwards.
5. Breathe in and breathe out, keeping tension in your lower abdominals, bend from your hips and lift your left foot off the floor and your leg behind you, as you lower your chest down to where your body is parallel to the floor and your leg is extended behind you.
6. Pause in the move, then breathe out, bring in your belly button in, activating and tightening your deep abdominal muscle and then breathe in and coming back up to standing placing your left foot back on the floor.

Repeat for 10-12 times then turn around to place your left hand on the wall with your left side by the wall.

Repeat the exercise for 10-12 times raising the right leg up behind you as you lower your body down to parallel to the floor.

Exercise 7: Rotational Wall Plank

1. Place your hands on an empty wall shoulder width apart.
2. Step back from the wall so your feet are about three to four foot away from the wall and lift your heels up.
3. Draw your belly button in towards you; avoid arching your back or rounding your shoulders.
4. Breathe in, then breathe out, and tightening your belly button take your right hand off the wall and turn your body to the right keeping your arm out in a straight line and taking it slightly behind you.
5. Avoid turning around too far, just turn your waist and your hips.
6. Breathe in and then turn your body back to the wall and place your right hand back on the wall.
7. Repeat the exercise taking your left hand off the wall turning your body to the left and extending your arm straight behind you. You’ll feel a good stretch with this exercise in the chest and it is a great one for improving your posture.Repeat this exercise 10-12 times each side.

FREE 7 Day Body Reset After Pregnancy Guide

Download my FREE seven-day body reset after pregnancy guide for more exercises to help flatten your tummy AND release any tension in tight muscles. Get your copy here.

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Comment below and tell me what other parts of your body you’re struggling with and I’ll know how to help you best!