If you’re pregnant and freaking out about how big that tummy of yours is getting, or if you’ve just had a baby, relax – Becky Dyer from Body Beyond Birth has the perfect physio recipe for you to avoid getting an abdominal separation.
These are Becky’s tools to get your abs strengthened safely and help them spring back into shape after having a baby.
Do I have a separation?
First, let’s check to see if you’ve got an abdominal separation. Lie down on your back with knees bent. Find the spot midline on your tummy, approximately three fingers up from your navel.
Hold 2-3 fingers vertically pressing into that spot. Now curl your head and shoulders off the floor like doing a sit-up. Measure the width of the trough or furrow you feel with those fingers. It can be 0 cm, or it can be up to an 8cm/finger separation. This is your starting point and you will recheck this weekly.
To avoid worsening a separation, you should avoid the no-nos and try the core abdominal exercises below.
3 abdominal don'ts
1. No sit-ups (Eeek! Just think of your abs opening like elevator doors when you do this.)
2. No heaving yourself out of bed ala sit-up style.
3. No activities that make that doming pointy look with your abs. Yes, it’s a nifty trick - but not so good for your abs.
