Core Exercises During Pregnancy. The Ultimate Guide.
Introduction
Yes, you can and should train your abs during pregnancy.* Now more than ever, we need them strong, functional and engaged.
Not only does your core support your growing belly and lower back but helps you maintain the good posture. Effectively training your core during pregnancy means smoother postpartum recovery.
While some traditional exercises like sit-ups, V-Ups, flutter kicks may not be the best choice, there are many other exercises that will help you strengthen your deep abdominal muscles and your pelvic floor.
What Happens to The Abdominals in Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the abdominals undergo significant changes to accommodate the growing baby and support the expanding uterus. As the pregnancy progresses, the rectus abdominis muscles, commonly known as the six-pack muscles, tend to separate. This condition, called diastasis recti, occurs due to the stretching and thinning of the connective tissue between the muscles. This is normal and necessary. However if not controlled through intra-abdominal pressure, this separation can lead to a protruding belly and weakened core strength.
Benefits of Doing Core Exercises in Pregnancy
Engaging in regular exercise during pregnancy is highly recommended and core exercises can be a beneficial addition to your workout routine. While modified for safety, core exercises help to strengthen the deep abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis and obliques, which are crucial for maintaining good posture and supporting the growing belly. Strengthening these muscles can help reduce lower back pain and promote better alignment. Additionally, these exercises also improve core stability, which is essential for maintaining balance and stability as the body's center of gravity shifts during pregnancy.
Risks of Doing Sit-Ups in Pregnancy
As much as core exercises are recommended throughout pregnancy to strengthen the core, performing sit-ups or any crunch movement can pose certain risks that should be taken into consideration. Any bulging/coning vertically down the midline of your abdomen during sit-ups is a sign that you are not properly managing the intra-abdominal pressure. This puts extra strain and stress on already stretched linea alba and can cause slower recovery and also some other bigger issues postpartum.
Coning Abs During Workout
Coning occurs when the midsection muscles, mainly the rectus abdominis, separate or bulge outward, creating a cone-like shape. This can happen when there is excessive pressure on the abdomen, typically during exercises that involve heavy lifting or incorrect form. Coning is more common during pregnancy or postpartum due to the stretching and weakening of the abdominal muscles. It is crucial that you are mindful of proper diaphragmatic breathing, engage the core muscles effectively, and listen to your body's limits to prevent coning. Strengthening the deep core muscles, such as the transverse abdominis, can also help reduce the risk of coning and promote a more stable and sturdy midsection during workouts.
First video: This is me, at six months pregnant, not managing my intra-abdominal pressure properly during the movement. See the abdomen raising up as I move?
Second video: I connected my breath to my pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles (TVA) before I started the movement. Abdomen is remaining neutral even when there is added pressure - no coning.
How Can I Manage Intra-Abdominal Pressure?
There is no reason to freak out if you experience coning or doming during a certain exercise. Also, this does NOT automatically mean you can’t continue performing this exercise. Coning or doming is your body's way of telling you: "Hey I don't know how to properly manage the intra-abdominal pressure, and/or my deep core muscles are not strong enough for this at the moment". By the end of pregnancy 100% of women have some degree of diastasis recti - ab seperation, so no need to fear coning, it is time to be proactive about managing and reducing its severity.
So what can you do?
🔑 Learn diaphragmatic breathing and how to use it to engage deep core muscles. These deep core muscles support your growing bump, minimise Diastasis and can prevent pelvic floor dysfunctions.
🔑 Exhale right before the movement.
🔑 Focus on your posture - ribs over hips.
🔑 Make modifications to exercises or activities as needed until you feel strong enough to properly manage that intra-abdominal pressure.
Core Exercise Modifications in Pregnancy
Sit-ups, v-ups, toes to bar and similar might challenge your ability to hold intra-abdominal pressure at one point or another during your pregnancy. To stay in control, consider these modifications:
Dead bugs (spice it up with resistance bands)
Conclusion
DRA (diastasis rectus abdominis) can become a problem if the stretching and ab separation does not heal and recover after birth. A postnatal check with a healthcare provider, physical therapist, or a specialist in postpartum fitness will help you access your DRA and show you targeted exercises that will help strengthen the abdominal muscles and close the gap.
💜 Maintaining a strong core throughout the pregnancy is the best what you can do to minimise DRA.
*As long as you have uncomplicated pregnancy and no specific restrictions from your healthcare provider