6 Safe & Effective Diastasis Recti Exercises, Personal Trainer Recommends

Diastasis recti exercises are important for rebuilding core strength after abdominal muscle separation. This condition is most common among women due to pregnancy; however, anyone can experience diastasis recti. It can also occur due to excessive weight gain or even bodybuilding.

Unresolved diastasis recti can potentially cause serious issues, such as urinary incontinence and, more commonly, back pain. So, focusing on exercises to help improve this issue should be on your priority list, especially postpartum.

In this guide, we will discuss six targeted exercises. These exercises will help you regain strength and support the healing process. Among these is the glute bridge, a foundational move that engages your core and promotes stability.

While our focus is on postpartum individuals, these exercises benefit anyone seeking to improve core strength. Remember, even if your diastasis recti doesn’t fully close, you can still achieve a strong and functional core. Let’s learn more about these exercises and see how to incorporate them into your workouts.

6 Diastasis Recti Exercises To Rebuild Your Core

Below, you will find some of the best diastasis recti exercises to rebuild your core and flatten your tummy.

Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is a powerhouse move for diastasis recti recovery. It’s often included in post-partum pilates. It primarily targets your glutes and hamstrings but also engages your core muscles. 

By activating your glutes and core simultaneously, you’re creating a stable foundation for healing. One of the glute bridge benefits is it can reduce lower back pain, a common issue for those with diastasis recti. 

It’s a low-impact exercise, making it suitable for beginners and those in early recovery stages.

How to do

1. Lie on your back with knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your arms by your sides on the floor.
3. Engage your core by drawing your belly button towards your spine.
4. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the ground.
5. Lower your hips back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
6. Without resting too long on the floor, repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement.
• Avoid arching your lower back and maintain a neutral spine.
• Breathe steadily: exhale as you lift, inhale as you lower to the floor.
• For strength, hypertrophy, and power in your glutes and core, you may want to try adding weights.

Optimal Sets & Reps

Dead Bug

The dead bug exercise primarily targets your upper and lower rectus abdominis muscles. These are the muscles that form what many refer to as abs. 

Dead bugs help reconnect your mind to your core muscles and engage your core while moving your limbs. This mimics daily activities, preparing you for everyday tasks like picking up groceries with good core control.

Pay close attention to your abdominal wall during this exercise. Watch for any coning as you lower each leg. Coning occurs when your linea alba, the midline of your abdomen, pushes upward and outward. This indicates insufficient core control and strength. 

If you notice coning, it means your abdominal muscles aren’t staying flat and engaged. This is a sign that you need to work on controlling your intra-abdominal pressure. Intra-abdominal pressure is the pressure created from the inside of your stomach, increased by lifting, coughing, laughing, or straining.

How To Do

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended upwards.
2. Lift your legs and bend your knees at approximately 90-degree angle.
3. Press your lower back into the floor to help you engage the core.
4. Lower your arm behind your head slowly while extending the leg on the opposite side.
5. Return to the starting position with control and do the same on the opposite side.

Tips

• Keep your lower back pressed firmly against the floor throughout the exercise.
• Avoid jerky or sudden movements. 
• If you struggle, start by only lowering your arms or legs, not both simultaneously.
• Focus on engaging your deep core muscles, not just the surface abdominals.
• Avoid holding your breath. Exhale as you extend; inhale as you return.
• This exercise offers low resistance and may not significantly build ab size or power. Adding resistance bands can make it more challenging.

Optimal Sets And Reps

Side Plank

The side plank can be an excellent exercise for those with diastasis recti if done correctly. However, if you see your abdomen bulging out, you may need to modify it by dropping your knee. 

Side planks target your obliques, which are located on the sides of your abs. Unlike regular planks, there’s no direct downward pull on your abdomen. One of the side plank benefits is that it’s gentler on your recovering muscles and connective tissue.

How To Do

1. Lie on your side, resting on the elbow.
2. Place your feet on top of each other or staggered if you need more balance.
3. Engage your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
4. Lift your hips away from the floor.
5. Hold this position for as long as you can maintain good control.
6. Lower your hips back to the ground and repeat on the other side.

Tips

• Start with shorter holds, as little as ten seconds, and gradually increase the duration as you build strength.
• Ensure your hips are not tilting back and your bum is tucked in.
• Keep your body straight; avoid letting your hips sag or pike upwards.
• Avoid holding your breath.
• If full side planks are challenging, try a modified version with knees bent.
• Stop if you feel any pain or notice bulging in your abdominal area.

Optimal Sets And Reps

Bear Crawl

The bear crawl is another great exercise for core strength. It engages deep core muscles while also working supporting muscles in the legs and arms. 

Research shows that bear crawls increase muscle activation more compared to static positions. A study found greater muscle activation in bear limb lifts and bear crawls than in bear holds. This makes the bear crawl an excellent progression from static exercises.

Bear crawls offer an advantage over regular planks for core control. The bent-knee position makes it easier to control the effects of gravity on your abdomen. This allows for better maintenance of proper form and more effective core engagement.

How To Do

1. Start on your hands and knees, with hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Lift your knees slightly off the ground and keep your back flat.
3. Engage your core by pulling your belly button in towards your spine.
4. Hold this position for ten seconds to check your core control.
5. If you can keep your core engaged in the stationary position, you can start moving forward. 
6. Move your left hand forward with your right knee and alternate with the opposite side. Imagine a bear crawling forward and imitate the movement.
7. Continue moving forward until you complete the desired steps or reps.

Tips

• Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement to prevent sagging.
• Maintain a neutral spine; avoid arching or rounding your back.
• Start with short distances and gradually increase as you build strength.
• Breathe throughout the exercise, coordinating breath with movement.

Optimal Sets And Reps

Toe Touches

Toe touches are an effective exercise for strengthening the core and can be a great addition to diastasis recti exercises. This movement mainly targets the abs and, when done with control, can contribute to a strong core.

When performing toe touches, watching for signs of doming or coning is crucial. This occurs when the middle of your abdomen forms a peak or dome shape. Doming indicates that your core isn’t engaging properly.

If you notice doming, modify the exercise. Bend your knees and perform regular crunches with your knees at the top at a 90-degree angle and arms across your chest. This modification allows you to continue working your core without straining the abdominal separation.

How To Do

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight up towards the ceiling and arms pointing towards your toes.
2. Engage your core by pulling your belly button in towards your spine.
3. Lift your upper back off the ground and reach for your toes.
4. Lower back down with control, maintaining core engagement.

Tips

• Focus on engaging your core throughout the entire movement.
• If you notice any doming, switch to the modified version with bent knees and hands on your chest.
• Breathe steadily: exhale as you reach up and inhale as you lower down.
• Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort in your abdominal area.

Optimal Sets And Reps

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

The single-leg glute bridge is an advanced variation of the standard glute bridge. This exercise challenges your balance and strength, engaging your glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles more intensely. 

By lifting one leg, you’re forcing your body to work harder to maintain stability. This increased difficulty enhances core activation through isometric contraction, making it an excellent progression.

How To Do

1. Lie on your back with knees bent at about 90 degrees with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift one leg and hold it as high as comfortable.
3. Engage your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
4. Squeeze your glutes, especially the working glute, and lift your hips off the ground.
5. Hold the position briefly, maintaining a straight line from shoulder to knee.
6. Bring your hips back to the starting position slowly and with control.
7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions for each leg separately.

Tips

• Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement to maintain stability.
• Avoid tilting your hips to the side, and try to keep them parallel to the floor.
• Focus on squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement by pausing for a few seconds.
• Breathe steadily. Exhale as you lift the hips, inhale as you lower them.

Optimal Sets And Reps

Best Diastasis Recti Workout Routine

It’s important to work the entire core to help heal the diastasis recti and rebuild core strength. This includes the deep core muscles, obliques, glutes, and lower back. The below workout creates a well-rounded workout that targets your core from all directions, including the lower back muscles.

Benefits Of Diastasis Recti Exercises

According to research, up to 60% of post-partum women experience diastasis of rectus abdominis and pelvic floor dysfunction worldwide. Unresolved diastasis recti condition can lead to issues with pelvic floor health and back pain. Below are some of the benefits of diastasis recti exercises.

 Reduced Risk Of Lower Back And Pelvic Pain

Unaddressed diastasis recti can lead to compromised core stability and strength. This leaves core muscles weak, potentially contributing to lower back pain. Regular diastasis recti exercises can help close the abdominal gap in many cases. 

A strong core is instrumental in maintaining back health. It plays a crucial role in supporting the spine and reducing back pain. By strengthening your core through targeted exercises, you’re not just addressing diastasis recti. You’re also promoting better posture and reducing the risk of back issues.

Flatter Stomach And More Defined Abs

Many postpartum mothers experience mommy tummy, a bulging lower tummy area that’s difficult to flatten, which diastasis recti often causes. The abdominal wall can’t hold the tummy tight as it should. This results in a protruding belly that persists even after weight loss.

Diastasis recti exercises target deep core muscles, especially the transverse abdominis. These exercises can help pull separated muscles back together, potentially reducing mommy tummy. 

Stronger Core Muscles

Several exercises we’ve discussed target the deep core muscles, particularly the transverse abdominis. This muscle acts like an internal corset. It provides stability to your spine and pelvis.

The dead bug and bear crawl are excellent for strengthening these deep muscles. They help reduce separation in diastasis recti. 

Other exercises focus on the rectus abdominis, the muscle group that makes up the visible abs. Toe touches are an example of these. They help tone and strengthen the superficial abdominal muscles.

Side planks specifically target the obliques, the muscles on the sides of your abdomen. These muscles aid in the rotation and side-to-side movement of the trunk. Strengthening obliques improves overall core stability and waist definition.

This comprehensive approach targets deep, superficial, and lateral core muscles. It contributes to improved muscle definition in the stomach area. Together, these exercises efficiently strengthen the entire core.

Safety Training Tips 

When starting diastasis recti exercises, keep the following safety tips in mind:

• Watch for any ridge or dome shape forming in your abdomen, which may indicate you’re not fully controlling your muscles.
• Imagine pulling the two sides of your abdomen together, from the bottom and up.
• If you can’t control your abdominal muscles, scale back to simpler exercises.
• Isometric movements can help rehabilitate a weak core effectively before progressing to more challenging dynamic exercises.
• Progressing too fast can worsen your condition.
• Listen to your body and advance at a comfortable pace.

Conclusion

Incorporating diastasis recti exercises into your routine can significantly improve core strength and stability. These exercises effectively target deep, superficial, and oblique muscles.

Focusing on proper form and listening to your body can promote healing and reduce the risk of complications. So go ahead and try these exercises to start your journey to a strong and defined core.