Exercises for Diastasis

Your abdominal area may feel week soon after childbirth, but that's OK. Even light exercises will help you get back into shape. And if you do them regularly, you'll find you're ready to increase the intensity in no time. Here are a range of exercises to strengthen your abdominal, pelvic, and buttock muscles.

Pelvic Rock

Perform at least 50 repetitions a day.


Lie on your back with your knees bent. Cross your hands over the abdominal area so you pull the muscles toward the center of the abdomen as you slowly raise your head.

Take a deep breath. As you slowly exhale, lift your head (and later your shoulders, to a 45-degree angle from the bed or floor), at the same time pulling the muscles together with your hands. Return your head (and shoulders) slowly to the bed or floor. Remember to keep your movements slow and controlled, your eyes on the ceiling, your chin straight up.

Continuing the Program

Once you have completed the appropriate exercises for your type of delivery, gradually replace the postdelivery exercises with the ones you did during pregnancy. These exercises also work all the muscle groups that are important during the postpartum period, with no muscle or joint strain.

The "Pelvic Rock," which you can now perform while lying on your back with your knees bent, improves posture and eases back strain. It is wonderful for working buttock, abdominal, and pelvic floor muscles all at the same time, and it provides a great back stretch. Remember to do the exercise slowly with control, and gradually increase the time you hold the tilt.

Be sure to warm up (walk or march in place for three to five minutes) and then stretch for five minutes before beginning any floor exercise. Turn on music with a strong, regular beat. Music helps you move smoothly, makes time pass quickly, and adds an element of fun.

Extra Help

The following exercises are good for a stubborn, protruding abdominal wall (a potbelly). Because the rectus muscles are long, vertical muscles that run from the breastbone to the pubic bone, you need to perform exercises that cause action at both ends of these muscles. To shape and to strengthen these muscles, you must perform at least two exercises: the "Reverse Sit-Up" and "Reverse Trunk Twist." You can alternate the "Reverse Sit-Up" with the "U-Seat," or you can perform all three during each exercise session.

For all these exercises, begin with 5 of each and gradually increase the repetitions as you get stronger. The key to success is controlled movements with no "sling and fling" moves.

Exercises to Develop and Maintain a Flat Abdominal Wall

Reverse Sit-Up

Start with 5 repetitions and increase gradually.


Lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms at your sides, palms down.


Keeping your knees bent, raise your legs until your knees are past the level of your chest or above your face. Raise your buttocks toward your upper body. Keep your head and shoulders flat.


Return to the starting position and repeat.
Note: You may notice a tendency to press down or grip the floor with your hands, or you may feel a strain in your neck or upper shoulders as you attempt to reach the desired height with the knees. This disappears as you become stronger and more relaxed with the movement. (Remember to breathe during this exercise.)

Another hint: Start by getting only the hips off the floor. As you progress, lift more and more of the hips and lower back. Keep the movement controlled. You do not gain height by slinging or throwing your lower legs above the head. The action should be smooth and come from the abdominals.

This exercise works the lower fibers of the rectus muscles as well as the external obliques. To work the horizontal fibers you should also perform the "Reverse Trunk Twist."

Reverse Trunk Twist

Start with 5 repetitions and increase gradually.


Lie on your back with your arms out to your sides, palms down, and your legs raised 90 degrees from the floor. Bend your knees slightly.

Lower your legs to the right and touch the floor with the outside of your right foot. Keep your shoulders and arms on the floor at all times.


Return to the starting position and repeat, alternating sides on each repetition. (After a time, you will notice increased flexibility of your midsection while performing this exercise.)
Advanced action:

Begin with the same starting position but with your legs straight (but loose). Keep your legs straight as you lower them to the side. Be sure to press your back to the floor as you come toward the center each time.

Note: If your shoulders come off the floor as you drop your legs to the side, have someone hold them down. This person should be on all fours with his or her hands on your shoulder joints (not the neck area), arms straight, and shoulders directly above yours. As flexibility and strength increase, you will not need assistance.

If you have difficulty keeping your legs straight when performing the advanced exercise because of tight hamstring muscles, bend your knees slightly but keep your legs together. The more you bend your knees, the easier the exercise is to perform. Doing it in the straight leg position is the most effective, so try to work up to that.

The "Reverse Trunk Twist" works all portions of the internal and external obliques, tightening the front and sides of the abdominal wall much more than any other abdominal exercise. This exercise also strengthens the spine because it uses the small muscles -- both the deep and the surface muscles -- that hold the bony vertebrae together and twist the spine. Strengthening these muscles eases the typical overuse backache and may help prevent injuries that occur when you execute quick, twisting movements.

The U-Seat

Start with 5 repetitions; progress to a maximum of 20.

Lie on your back with your arms behind your head, knees bent, and feet on the floor.

At the same time, slowly raise your head and begin raising your knees toward your chest. Continue the movement, raising your shoulders and buttocks off the floor simultaneously. (Do not push your head and neck forward with your hands -- rest your head in your hands, and let your shoulders do the work.) Continue both actions and try to touch your knees to your chest. At the end of these movements, your pelvis and upper body should be off the floor. Do not lift your lower back from the floor.


Return to the starting position and repeat.
Note: Bring your knees up smoothly, using the abdominals. If you need momentum to make it easier to raise the pelvis, raise your knees relatively quickly, but do not jerk.

Think of the exercise as two steps: 1) raise head and knees, then 2) raise shoulders and buttocks. This timing allows for proper coordination and smooth movement between pelvis and chest.

Performed correctly and smoothly, "The U-Seat" exercise maximally involves both the lower and upper portions of your abdominals.