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“Is your pregnancy behind you but your posture still feels off? Confused about how to achieve abdominal activation? Read on to find out more.”
Countless women are disappointed when their stomach does not instantly return to pre-pregnancy size. It might be quite challenging to get your abdominal muscles to operate correctly during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. We frequently hear of ladies who have been continuously working away at their core workouts only to discover that none of it has worked the muscles they want in any significant way.
The Abdominal Wall
We'll begin by talking about the anatomy of the abdominal wall. The abdominal wall stretches during pregnancy (skin, muscles, and connective tissues). Being in an over-lengthened position for an extended period makes it extremely difficult to stimulate your deep abdominal muscles, especially during the early postpartum months. Because you can't feel these muscles very well while they're stretched, it's possible you won't be able to activate your transverse abdominis (TA) without assistance.
Anterior Pelvic Tilt
A pregnant belly frequently tilts the pelvis forward, resulting in an exaggerated bend in the lower back and the illusion that you are walking about with your butt out. Moms might become "locked" in this posture even when they are no longer carrying. This anterior pelvic tilt elongates the abs and makes them difficult to contract. It is critical to regaining the capacity to conduct a posterior pelvic tilt. Imagine flattening your low back rather than "tucking" by clenching your buttocks (reversing that excessive forward curvature).
We cannot emphasize enough how bad it is for your body to have your abdominals contracted and stiff all the time. Focus on your abdominals for a certain amount of time, then consciously relax them when finished. You wouldn't go around all day with your fists clenched—imagine how uncomfortable and ineffective your hand would be—so don't do it to your core.
Strengthening your core muscles is also a critical factor in boosting the form and function of your stomach.
Exercises To Tackle Anterior Pelvic Tilt
Please bear in mind that the following exercises are more complex, and if you are just out of the hospital, you should proceed gently and attentively, paying close attention to how everything feels in your body. If anything hurts or you don't feel it correctly in your abdominal muscles, you should downgrade the exercise—make it easy. Exercising too hard too soon can just lengthen the time required for you to recover a typical abdominal wall look and function.
- Side plank
- Side plank with hip drops
- Trunk rotation with arms straight
- Oblique crunch
- Exercises with “chops,” i.e., Kneeling Chop, Lateral lunge to chop
If you're having trouble, eliminate flexion exercises like planks and crunches. If you do not have diastasis recti, do these workouts for 4-6 weeks, and you'll notice a significant change.