3 Non-Traditional Core Exercises for Your Diastasis Recti Recovery
When it comes to strengthening your core with diastasis recti, there seems to be so much information out there yet a lot of it is the same. Do these 5 exercises lying on your back over and over again until the gap magically becomes functional in every day life.
While I get the point of the commonly suggested exercises, these leave a lot missing and negate to take into consideration the actual function of the core day to day. Not only that, but many of my clients with diastasis recti just want to return to traditional core work someday and they don’t feel like lying on their back doing bent knee lifts is translating to being able to do that again.
To be honest, the traditional “safe” diastasis recti exercises are rarely my go-to for strengthening the core post-baby. Sure, I put them in programs for clients very early but I want them moving on from supine exercises to more challenging variations fairly quickly.
So in this blog I’m going to share 3 non traditional exercises to help you strengthen your core after baby in a way that feels way more productive (and a lot more fun) than heel slides and breathing exercises.
The Pallof Press
The pallof press is one of my favorite exercises to program. Why? Because it does a lot with what looks like very little effort. You can make this exercise meet you where you are- so it can be made easy if you’re starting early postpartum or more challenging when you’re approaching it later down the line. Not to mention, the variations for this exercise are endless. Check out this video for an explanation of the pallof press and give it a try.
Standing Weighted March
This is one I use for pregnant clients as well as those early postpartum who are looking to progress into more advanced core work like mountain climbers but don’t quite feel safe in a plank position yet. Your core is working in a lot of different ways here. You can also increase the challenge by increasing the weight or changing it to another position- like overhead! Check out the video for more details.
Quadruped Knee Lift
The quadruped knee lift is actually quite challenging. This exercise is one I have in one of the core and floor recovery circuits in my Fourth Trimester Program. There are a lot of different ways to make this exercise work for you. Check out the video to learn more!
When it comes to strengthening your core after baby, it can feel really overwhelming and confusing. At some point, you want to feel like you can move on from the “safe” diastasis recti exercises into more challenging variations, but many people I talk to really don’t know how. These exercises will definitely get you started! This is also one of the big reasons I created Fourth Trimester Recover and Rebuild, to guide you through strengthening your belly and body post-baby in a way that feels safe yet challenging and effective at the same time. You can learn more about the program here.