{"id":2130,"date":"2021-08-07T07:36:36","date_gmt":"2021-08-07T07:36:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.mutusystem.com\/en-us\/?p=2130"},"modified":"2025-04-27T11:59:03","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T11:59:03","slug":"exercising-with-diastasis-recti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mutusystem.com\/en-us\/diastasis-recti\/exercising-with-diastasis-recti\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercising with Diastasis Recti: Which Ab Exercises are Safe, and Which To Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today we\u2019re going to talk about diastasis recti exercises. In particular, we\u2019ll attempt to answer your most common questions about abdominal exercises, such as planks and crunches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We often hear that crunches, curl-ups or planks are not recommended for exercising with diastasis recti.<\/a> Why? When and how can we do traditional ab exercising with diastasis recti? And what should we do instead of crunches? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll also take a deeper look at what\u2019s safe, what to avoid, the topic of functional movement, and some other common exercises, such as yoga, Pilates, and walking, that can be beneficial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not every exercise in pregnancy or postpartum is safe or effective in preventing or healing diastasis recti. If you\u2019re looking for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about exercising with diastasis recti, you\u2019re in the right place!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I do ab exercises if I have Diastasis Recti?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Curling up from lying on your back engages and shortens the rectus \u2014 that\u2019s the one that\u2019s stretched out with the gap \u2014 so exercising to shorten it, if performed correctly, can be beneficial. It\u2019s essential, though, to learn how to engage your core properly<\/a> first when exercising with diastasis recti.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard crunches, sit-ups and planks are typically not recommended with diastasis recti, but that\u2019s not a hard and fast rule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That recommendation is because, rather than strengthening your core, doing these exercises with your abdominal split without properly engaging your core will increase intra-abdominal pressure. That can cause the pressure from within to push your organs outwards, against or through the gap, and\/or downwards onto your pelvic floor. Not really where you want your organs forcefully heading!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, before you start crunching away, you\u2019ll need to reestablish function again with foundational exercises. And always listen to your body before, during, and after introducing ab exercises into your postpartum or pregnancy fitness routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why<\/em> are planks or crunches often not recommended?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Standard crunches, sit-ups or full planks are often not recommended for exercising with diastasis recti. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because the way a crunch is usually performed can increase intra-abdominal pressure. This means pressure inside that pushes your organs outwards, against or through the gap, and\/or downwards onto your pelvic floor i.e. directions you don’t want your organs forcefully heading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These exercise movements place excess load on the front of your abs and the gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"diastasis<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You can see<\/em> what you’re training your abs to do if you look straight down as you curl up: a cone shape, bread-loaf shape or a pregnant-looking belly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These may be signs of diastasis recti, or that your core is not functioning optimally, and not the effect you’re trying to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, many experts recommend eliminating these movements when exercising with diastasis recti. At least until the core musculature (including the pelvic floor) is restored and strong enough to withstand the movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know you need to build the foundations of a restored, functional and strong core first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercising with diastasis recti – building the foundations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Crunches, planks or heavy lifting are not bad or taboo exercises. No movements are. But it’s essential to build the foundations of core and pelvic floor function first, so that you can do them safely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diastasis recti is a gap between the muscles at the front of your abs. A small-ish gap may not be a problem at all, and you can have a strong functional core with a small gap. Watch the video on how to check for <\/a>symptoms of diastasis recti<\/a><\/span>. You may see bulging or doming, and you may feel like you’re ‘falling out at the front’ when performing certain movements or exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So before you train your abs hard, you want to ensure the deeper abdominal muscles are actually recruiting (meaning\u2026 ‘kicking in’ and working). These muscles are the Transverse, the Inferior and External Obliques, the Rectus Abdominis, along with the muscles of your pelvic floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a vital phase of mind-to-muscle reconnection. Learning to recruit and engage the right muscles, first in isolation and then as a unit, must come first. That’s what the MUTU System program is designed to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introducing crunches and other ab exercises back into your workouts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Done right, crunches may be fine with a diastasis recti, once you’ve established function again with foundational exercises<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supine spinal flexion (that means curling up from lying on your back) engages and shortens the ‘six-pack’ abdominal muscle or Rectus. The one that’s stretched out, with the gap. Exercising to shorten it, if performed correctly, can be a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And anyway, bending forward like this is a perfectly useful human, functional movement! We sometimes need to do it, and we may want to do this type of ab exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safe ab exercising with diastasis recti<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To perform a curl or crunch<\/strong>, keep the range of movement tiny at first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means don’t lift your head and shoulders very high off the ground – there is no muscular benefit to curling right up anyway. And keep the levers short – so knees bent up, feet flat on the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inhale fully with your head and shoulders completely relaxed on the floor. Then exhale slowly and focus on gently engaging your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles as you lift your head and shoulders just off the floor. Relax completely back down on the inhale. Watch for doming, straining and be mindful of how your pelvic floor feels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that crunches with straight legs, outstretched arms, raised legs or any adjustment that increases the load will increase the strain. Avoid these progressions until your core is fully healed and restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to start progressing a plank<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start on all fours, and gradually shimmy your knees back, keeping your shoulders over your hands. This way, you gradually increase the lever, or load, on your abs. If you start to shake, feel like you’re falling out at the front, then thats your limit for now. Bring your knees back in a little. Stay there for a while and try again next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to watch out for when exercising with diastasis recti<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, don’t hold your breath. This is common when doing ab exercises, even if you don’t know you’re doing it! Breath-holding builds up pressure and may cause your stomach to pooch or bulge out and your organs to bear down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often your hip flexors and lower back are taking the strain in a curl-up movement. This is especially an issue if you restrain your feet when crunching. The muscles you intend to target are not recruiting at all, whilst the diastasis gap could be widening further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you feel or see the following, stop, or back up to an easier version. Don’t ‘push through’ shaking, pain or any of these signs. They are your body’s clear signals that you’re not ready for this stage of the movement just yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warning signs to stop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n