Without doubt, motherhood is one of the most rewarding periods in life; however, being a mother brings a lot of unwanted bodily changes.
Of course, the ability of a woman’s body to grow a life and change is an amazing thing; however, many mommies struggle with protruding belly even months after giving birth.
Luckily for you, doing the right exercises can help speed up the healing and restore your belly to “normal”. Continue reading our article to check out the seven best exercises for a flat belly and strong core.
Strengthening the Diastasis Recti with these 10 Exercises
Diastasis recti is a sign of surplus pressure in the abdomen and pelvis. Namely, during pregnancy, the stretching of the abdominal muscles can cause the muscles which meet in the centre of the abdomen to divide.
Consequently, a bulge in the middle section is created. In some women, the muscles may be more stretched than in others and this causes the belly protrusion to be even bigger.
Here are the best exercises to help heal the post-baby pooch caused by diastasis recti:
- Heel drops
Lie down on your back and bring the legs up to 90 degrees with the knees bent. Breathe out and pull in the belly button towards the spine. Breathe out and gradually drop the right heel onto the floor. Breathe in and then breathe out and return the leg in the primary pose. Switch between legs- each leg needs to touch the floor 10 times.
- Bridge
Lie on your back with the face toward the ceiling. Bend the knees, hip-width apart while the feet are flat on the floor. Keep the arms by the sides and activate the abs and press down through your heels and lift up the hips. Squeeze in the glutes while up. Stay for a couple of seconds in the pose before gradually going down. Do 10 reps.
- Side plank
To get into the side plank pose, put one forearm with the elbow directly underneath the shoulder. Bend the knee which is on the bottom so that the foot behind helps with support. Now, activate the core and pull in the stomach towards the spine. Straighten up the body towards the ceiling. Breathe deeply and stay in the pose for 10 breaths. Do the same on the other side.
- Body weight squats
While in a standing position with the feet shoulder-width apart, breathe in and lower the body. Stay soft in the pelvic floor. Go down as much as you can and then breathe out before you go up gradually. Do 2 sets of 20 reps.
- Toe taps
While lying down on your back, lift the legs to a tabletop pose and a 90-degree bend in the knees. Tap the toes onto the floor and alternate between the legs. The lower back needs to be touching the floor all the time. Follow your breath and go slowly. Do 10 taps with each foot.
- Wall sit
While standing with the feet hip-width apart in front of a wall, bend the knees and hips and squat down. The back needs to be flat against the wall. Stay in the pose and do one core compression (pulling the stomach towards the spine. Relax and repeat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Bird/dog
While on all fours, tighten the abs and keep the neck and spine in neutral pose- looking into the floor. Extend the left leg behind you and reach the right arm forward. Keep the balance in the hips. Do not arch the lower back. Stay for 10 seconds in the pose before gradually going into the primary pose. Repeat the same with the other leg and arm. Do 10 reps on each side.
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