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So You Have Diastasis Recti… Now What?
When you first find out you have abdominal separation, and you start learning about how that “diastasis recti” will impact your exercise choices and basic activities of daily living, the awareness can be overwhelming especially because the internets will typically try to convince you to have surgery or just accept it as normal. But watch this…
We have a LOT of resources for you here on Fit2B that will help you determine your next steps and actually enjoy the process of narrowing the gap in your abs. You may discover through our comprehensive belly check videos that your diastasis isn’t as bad as you thought, or you may realize that a rehab program before coming back to us for a safe return to fitness is your best option.
Above all, you need to know that:
- You aren’t alone.
- While diastasis recti is common, it’s not normal.
- Most doctors haven’t been trained or equipped to know how to deal with diastasis.
- It is often treatable without surgery, but it takes time and consistency.
- You can do quite a bit to restore your core from the inside out.
- Your nutrition and hydration are important to rebuilding fascia.
- The way you are sitting or standing right now has an impact… read this
- You don’t have to be afraid to exercise.
I’ve worked with several high-level core rehabilitation experts to ensure that Fit2B’s workouts – and we currently have over 300 routines available via monthly or yearly memberships – will align with any rehab you’ve done while continuing to safely strengthen your deepest core. Many of the moves I teach overlap with physical therapy moves, but my main goal is to help you feel beautiful in your body while you build on the basics and get stronger, friend!
Because Fit2B isn’t physical therapy. We aren’t claiming to be a “program to rehab your abs.” We are your tummy-safe fitness provider that will continue to help you narrow and thicken the fascia holding the two sides of your abs together while offering progressively more challenging exercise moves that are alignment and breath-based to naturally recruit all the muscles in your whole body, not just your abs.We eliminate the crunches, sit ups and full planks while teaching you hundreds of other, more safe and effective motions that will help you, not hurt you. Then, as you advance through all our routines from “E” for easy to “M” for moderate to “C” for challenging, you learn how to do all the things correctly… even planks and crunches! Because once you get the breathing, alignment and muscle recruitment right, and your abdominal fascia is healed and thick and strong again, a few {emphasis on a few} crunches won’t hurt you. However, they’re still not my favorite ;)By the way, I say “we” because I have a couple of expert guest instructors who have contributed their workouts to Fit2B, like Kelly Dean, LPT at The Tummy Team, and Lorraine Scapens of Pregnancy Exercise, NZ. They’re amazing, give wonderful cues, and have such a heart for people dealing with diastasis recti.So, if you’re wondering where to start, why not begin here with our foundational routines? Then spend a couple months exploring the rest of our diverse library of workouts that will educate and empower you while you’re lifting weights, doing aerobics, breathing through some Yoga, toning your God-given corset with some Pilates, improving your squat, and more!What do you have to lose besides that gap?
I have never heard of this before. Thank you for the information.
I just found this site and found out you can self test for this. My 8 lb each twins are now over 30. If I have this , is it too late to work on? my c-section resulted in a cut from belly button to hair line. I am also over weight. So my stomach pulls in along cut line then hangs over horizontally. When I layed on the floor and pressed deep along center line, then slightly raised head I could feel muscle kind of raise up and grip my fingers at the side. Is this a positive sign? I cant be sure I feel separation until I raise my head and feel muscle raise up on either side.
Tammy, it’s never too late. From your description, I think you may have a slight DR though not very wide. If you feel disconnected and weak within your core, that and the DR are likely both related to your scar. I’d recommend you take a look at our scar massage video here. https://fit2b.us/if-your-abdominal-scar-bothers-you-do-this/
Very good and helpful information for my Pilates clients.
So then should I be doing this ALONG with a program like MuTu or Tummy Team?