Post Partum Abdominal Exercise-what to do and what not to do

Post Partum Abdominal Exercises

This week I was talking to my massage therapist and she said she had a post natal client with diastasis recti. She said she was doing crunches and her abdominal split was getting worse- she was 6 months post partum if I recall correctly.



First What is Rectus Diastasis? Wikipedia Definition It is the separation between the right and left half of the rectus abdominus muscles. Mothers are prone to this from their growing uterus.

How to Test If you Have Diastasis Recti- here is a link with an easy description and photos.



There are exercises that make Diastasis Recti worse.

If you do have more than a 2 finger separation than abdominal crunches are a definite no, no. Flexing your rectus abdominus with this separation will pull from the origin of the muscle and can make your separation worse. Oblique crunches are a definite gut buster, literally- again flexing lateral abdominal muscles can again pull your separation wider from your mid-line (linea alba). Last but not least and on a more minor scale- abdominal bracing- this is used when lifting weights and you are just flexing everything in your midsection to stabilize your body. Your obliques will flex with this method. If you do not suffer Diastasis Recti, this is the preferred method of stabilizing when lifting weights. If you do have a greater than 2 finger separation then focus on drawing in your abdominals and flexing your transverse abdominus muscle- it will feel like a band around your belly. The draw in method helps with neuromuscular retraining after your belly has been stretched, can help bind the rectus abdominus together as it works transverse to them and does not flex your oblique muscles as much or at all.

So what exercises can you do.

Planks and plank variations for stabilization, leg lowering moves for hip flexors. Exercises to avoid- lumbar flexion- or crunches- any variation- if your spine is moving you are not stabilizing it. Hence the term CORE STABILITY. Get more safe abdominal exercises in the Busy Mom Fitness program.

What if You Don't Suffer Diastasis Recti?

Avoid crunches, avoid any lumbar rotation moves. Yes, the lumbar spine was not designed to flex or rotate- that is why the segments are so big- it is designed to stabilize. Dr. Stu McGill is a world renowned low back specialist from the University of Waterloo- yes right in our backyard. Please look at his bio and home page as well as his published books. Dr. McGill has his BIG 3 Exercises- they are side planks and plank variation, bird dog bilateral back extension exercises and a curl up lifting your head and shoulders off the ground but keeping your lumbar spine stabilized. The true function of your abdominal muscles are to work as ANTI ROTATORS- that is right to avoid rotation thru your spine. Rotation is reducing core stability and excessive flexion is putting undue stress on the segments of your lumbar spine.

But I have to Bend? You are right bending is a functional movement, so try an alternative and try bending from your hips like the waiters bow move featured in the video and one of the staple exercises in the baby Bump Busy Mom Fitness Program




Last but not least I just completed a body weight workout. My daughter would not nap today and I did not want her getting into the weights and bands. Todays workout- 2 rounds of this superset- rear foot elevated split squat (10 each side, second set with a jump) with pushups 10x, Second Superset 2 rounds of these 3 exercises 1 legged squat (10x/leg) Elevated foot knee drive (10x per side), Foam roller hamstring curls 10x- rest and repeat. Rest and then a burpie blaster- 10 burpies, rest, 8 burpies, rest, 6 burpies, rest, 4 burpies, rest, 2 burpies- stretch gluts and hips flexors, chest. This was done with NO EQUIPMENT, in my slippers in my basement.

We had a fun filled weekend with the girls. They enjoyed a friends birthday party with animals. They had the chance to hold a bunny, chinchilla, snake, turtle, gecko, chicken, and red eye tree frog. The next day we took them to Funnelz indoor play ground and Sunday morning 8am, we were the only family at the park playing soccer with a princess ball.

Globe and Mail Article

I am getting some great response regarding an article I was featured in today at the Globe and Mail newspaper in Toronto. Here is the link GLOBE AND MAIL that features the Baby Bump Busy Mom Fitness program and one of the mothers who uses this program. Thanks to mom of 2, Michelle Marder for being interviewed and photographed for the article.
We are hoping to get some new readers and make this blog truly interactive to support one another on the Baby Bump Fitness Busy Mom Fitness program.

The article specifically talks about Tabata training, one of the popular, but not exclusive metabolic training methods in the Baby Bump Busy Mom program. For new readers who want further answers regarding Tabata training I have written a published article on this method. Please click the link.

I appreciate being featured and am available for questions and comments, just leave me a comment and I will get back to you. Full Programs can be accessed through the Program section at the top, free program can be downloaded for free at the side of the blog. For further instruction please email me directly jacqgradish@hotmail.com. A newsletter regarding goal setting and appreciation will be out tomorrow.

Fat Loss- Holiday Recovery Plan

I have had a great Christmas holiday. I have taken 1.5 weeks off work and 2 weeks off from working out, mainly due to the fact that my holiday started with a bout of the flue that put me under. After recovering it was Christmas morning and into some well deserved family time.

I am definitely feeling a bit fat right now, I will lose it, I am not going to stress about this, I know what to do- Baby Bump Busy Mom Fitness.

Do you know what to do to lose your holiday flab and get back on track? Some Suggestions.

Holiday Fat Loss Made Easy

1. Throw out all junk food in your house- now.

2. Get social support from family, friends, colleagues- let people know what you are trying to achieve so you stay accountable.

3. Make up a workout schedule- I know things change as a mom, but even a loose schedule or one that you stick to 50% is better than nothing.

Training Specific Fat Loss Rules

1. Use more resistance- if you don't have weight chose the hardest optionyou are capable of such as a 1 legged squat, off set push-ups or feet elevated planks.

2. Continuous work- yes move swiftly from exercise to exercise. Use super-sets of 2 or 3 strength exercises before taking a short rest. Use different types of metabolics workouts such as Tabata's (20 sec/10 sec work to rest ratio), 6-8 exercise circuits, strength super-sets.

3. Progressive work- always try to improve on your previous results. Try to perform one more squat or berpie within the time limit, try to lift 1-2 more pounds with upper body and 5-10 pounds with lower body within a 2-4 week period.

4. Work to Your Maximum potential- ever lift, every workout go to your maximum exhaustion. I see way to many women not pushing to their threshold and claiming that they are doing resistance training. It does not have to be for long, but you have to get to exhaustion to lose fat.

Keep Your Workouts Fun and Challenging

This will prevent plateaus, boredom and will accelerate your results. Try something you have never tried before like a pull-up. Figure out where you are and set a goal to achieve at least one, then progress from here- this is a huge accomplishment. Use kettle bells, they are portable, all moves are total body and they take up little space- great bang for your buck. Make up little games with yourself, easy stuff like chasing a ball, one legged hopscotch for more dynamic work.

I am looking forward to being featured in an article in the Globe and Mail (life section) regarding Tabata training and Fat Loss. I will post the link when it arrives and send it out. One of my brave clients agreed to do the interview as well and was photographed performing some of the exercises.

Kasia has graduated to one blade skates this year and I have been taking her out. Of course her foot grew last week, I swear in one night and we had to exchange the skates I got for her. She now has adjustable skates with Lightening McQueen, great invention. We have not gotten out downhill skiing yet due to unpredictable weather and the fact that she needs new ski boots as well. Ava has tried sledding and of course loves it, I am hoping to get her out ice skating this winter on a set of Bob skates.

Tempo Training- heavier is not harder

Today while training a client something strange happened when we were doing a Tabata Circuit of (20 sec/10sec max work to rest ratio) and she had 4 sets of deadlifts to do in this circuit. I cut her 5 rep max weight in half for the circuit as the goal is to try and beat your previous number of lifts from 20 seconds ago. She indicated this was not heavy enough, although she did not understand the point of the exercise. She was not achieving her goal and was lifting slow and labouring through. This is fine and not wrong, but changing the tempo of your lifts is extremely effective and should be practiced regularly. Don't stick to the same 1 up 1 down tempo. Try something new, try a 1 up 3 down tempo or even a small 2 second hold during your lift. More weight is not what is needed, more variety in the "time under muscle tension" is needed to keep your body guessing. You will naturally do what is easiest for your body including the tempo that you usually lift at, so shake it up, try a set lifting faster, then slower and tell me what you think. Simple little tricks like this will keep your body guessing, burning more fat and building muscle. Again if your body defaults to what is easiest for you, it is probably not the most efficient form a fat burning exercise.

This tip works for all mothers regardless of what stage of your recovery or fitness program you are at. Lets take a glut bridge for example, you typically use this in your warm up and probably lift at a 1/1 tempo. Try 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down and I can assure you your gluts will be on fire- now repeat this doing the 1 legged version and you have a great strength building exercise that will bring you more benefit than lifting any amount of weight. Again if ou are a new mother and your goal is to get your gluteus medius working again after the change in your pelvis, take a small resistance band and place it around both legs at knee level and perform your glut bridge at a slow pace to strengthen your glut medius and maximus. I challenge all of you on the Baby Bump Busy Mom Fitness program to try and change the tempo of your lifts for one workout-just one and let me know the after effects. I'm listening.

Best Busy New Mom and Baby Bump Exercise

The bilateral back extension exercise is one of the BEST Busy Mom exercises for pregnancy and a new mom. Yes it's origin is rehabilitative in nature, but why is it so important for you. From a 4 point kneel you are cued to lift up one of your back legs straight out by contracting your glut muscle- you are not to let your pelvis drop or shift during this leg lift and your abdominals need to be tight for your pelvis to be held steady. This is step one and testing if you are able to hold your 3 point stance working on your pillar and anti-rotation muscles in your core to hold your pelvis steady. Next (or is you are advance you can lift arm and glut simultaneously) lift your opposite arm straight out in front of you, trying to get your arm in line with your ear, but again not letting your pelvis drop or rotate. You are now in a 2 point stance. This is beneficial because your anti-rotator muscles are firing (increasing lumbar stability), your glut medius of the pillar leg is working, your glut max muscle of the suspended leg is firing, your shoulder stability muscles are firing of your support arm and your core and back muscles are firing of the extended arm. This is a lot of bang for your buck- highly efficient exercise, perfect for busy moms. Many athletes use this 1-2 x per week in their dynamic warmup program so everything is firing for performance. For a new mom and for a a pregnancy exercise this should be part of your regular routine as you are overcoming changes in your body. During pregnancy your hips are widening making your glut medius less effective, you lumbar spine is mobilizing in the joints due to relaxin and your belly is expanding putting your pelvis into anterior tilt. The pregnancy waddle or gait associated with late pregnancy is inevitable. Performing the bilateral back extension will help prevent discomfort from joint instability and pregnancy posture. You can learn how to manage your new changing body by firing your muscles to help prevent loss of balance and aid in recovery.

During Pregnancy Fitness Routine the Key Reasons For performing the Bilateral Back Extension are;

1. Manage lumbar instability that can lead to discomfort

2. Fire your abdominals at their new changing lengths for aid in daily activities and recovery after baby is born

3. Shoulder stability

For a NEW MOM regaining lumbar stability is mandatory. You are now carrying around a baby, your body is constantly changing shape and you are under physical stress from sleep deprivation and delivery recovery. The main goals of performing the bilateral back extension for a new mom is to

1. Retrain deep abdominal muscle firing and anti rotational muscles ( the true function of the abdominals)

2. Strengthening your glut muscles for pelvic stability to avoid lifting with your back instead of legs

3. Stabilizing the shoulders by horizontal pressing and vertical lifting

Like mentioned earlier once you go through your pregnancy fitness and recovery new mom fitness this exercise is a great warm up for any routine. It is commonly performed incorrectly as people allow there belly to sag, pelvis to rotate and lift their back leg with their back not by firing their glut. Be aware of these when you perform this exercise.

Lose Fat, Get Stronger

So how do you lose excess body fat from pregnancy? Get Stronger. That's right you need resistance to lose fat . Why is this- well because of EPOC or Oxygen debt. Whatever fancy word you use it works. When you perform resistance training you will build muscle tissue which has a higher metabolic rate at rest than any other tissue in the body. When you perform anaerobic resistance training (push yourself to your heart rate limit) you are using so much oxygen that you heart rate and respiration will stay slightly elevated after you workout which again is the same as a higher resting metabolic rate. You will burn more calories in the long run from performing resistance training for these 2 reason. If you perform cardio and the machine says you have burned 200 calories in 30 minutes- great but that's it, nothing else. If you perform 20 minutes of resistance training and burn 150 calories- you will likely burn another 200 calories or more throughout the day due the effects of that resisitance workout. That just makes sense- workout less and burn more calories. Simple workout plans yielding real results- get over your cardio plateau. Baby Bump Busy Mom Fitness.

Take It Inside With Body Weight Circuits

As the weather is getting colder in Canada I have noticed a strange trend at the gym where work. Members are not coming for their early morning workouts, probably due to the fact that it is dark until 7:30am now. This baffles me, this is the time of year when you want to think about bringing things indoors, focus on some of your much needed muscle balancing rehab exercises, flexibility and power up with resistance for the Christmas Fat Blast. Many people reading this blog probably run/jog/walk or hike as one of their activities for the week. Enjoying the outdoors is wonderful and allows you to appreciate physical activity and your surroundings while de stressing. What happens when this goes by the wayside because it is too dark in the morning for your jog, to windy, cold, rainy, or icy out. Your stress level may have just tripled because you are thrown out of your routine by something you cannot control- the weather and season. Be prepared for these seasonal mishaps that will soon be here to stay for 4-5 months. Take it inside anywhere, anytime with some body weight circuits. You do not need anything, you can even do them in bare feet. A few key exercises such as glut bridges allow you to strengthen your gluts and hamstrings while working on hip flexor flexibility. Bulgarian split squats again work the same muscles and you get great hip extension in your back leg. Love them or hate them pushups and pullups of any version are challenging enough to get your heart rate flying for some anaerobic fat loss work. Add a few burpies and there your have a great recipe for an indoor, anywhere, anytime no equipment needed full body workout.

As women we need to be weary of our surrounding and doing these simple circuits in your back garden in the early morning and dusk is another great way to safely enjoy the outdoors weather permitting.

PHOTOS





























Perform 8-12 reps of each exercise, work continuous and swiftly.

1. Glut Bridge

2. Front Plank

3. rotational plank

4. Bulgarian Split Squat

5. pushups

6. modified pullups (you can use 2 chairs with a sturdy bar across them or under your dining table- be creative)

7. Burpies

repeat 2-3x with 1-2 minutes rest between circuits, this should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.


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