How to do the 'Rec Test'

The 'Rec Check' is a helpful test for you to see if abdominal separation took place during your pregnancy or labour.

Abdominal separation can be anything from 2-3cm to 12-20 cm long and occurs between the two recti abdominus muscles (otherwise known as six pack), it usually reduces 6 weeks after the baby is born, however there are some cases where the separation may stay for longer.

This test will indicate if your abs are still separated past 1.5 - 2cm and therefore the are certain exercises you must avoid which would make the condition worse.

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat to floor. Make sure your lower back just brushes the floor underneath you - avoid pressing it too flat into the floor or over-arching it.

2. Take your index finger and third finger together and vertically place them just under the bra strap (breast bone). Then turn them horizontally. and pass them, quite firmly, down the cenre of your front (known as the linea alba). It is the line from the breasts bone down to the belly button.

3. Now, inhale and exhale - just pulling in slightly the abdominal muscles at the same time lift your shoulders off the floor. Press your fingers down your vertical line (as in 2)., keeping gentle pressure. Take the fingers down to the belly button quite quickly.

4. Notice if the gap between the stomach muscles is greater than your two fingers. If so, there is still some separation, which indicates some instability.

If the gap is greater - we would concentrate on pelvic floor exercises/tilts and lower abdominal strengthening. You would avoid any kind of stomach crunches until the gap is smaller than the width of the two fingers.

With care and correct exercises, the gap will reduce and more advanced stomach exercises including crunches and curl ups could commence.

No more Backache

No more Backache ...strengthening the stomach muscles will help.

Many new mums experience back ache – either in the lower back or sometimes – all down the back.

One of the most common post natal complaints, along with the other aches and pains that can be experienced.

The pain is usually experienced in the lower back although women may feel it all down their back.

As a mummy’s role involves constant lifting and bending - bending over to change nappies, lifting and placing a car seat, carrying and lifting the baby around or putting him into the bath or cot. The spine and pelvis can easily be twisted or placed under strain – performing these demanding actions.

On top of that, the stomach muscles have been stretched and weakened during pregnancy -causing them to become weak and less able to support the spine as effectively. Just when you need your back to be strong!

If the large muscles of the legs are not used for bending and lifting this can also contribute to placing strain on the spine and back.
So what can be done to reduce the pain?
The back and spine are supported by the abdominal muscles, the key muscle being the transverses abdominals, which wrap around the centre of your body from one side of the lower back to the other.

Strengthening this muscle will create a flat, long stomach and also means it will then give support and stability to the lower back.

Key factors need to be considered when strengthening the abdominals post natally:

1. Technique – poor technique can result in using the incorrect muscles and not strengthening the ones you want to.
2. The amount of abdominal separation the female experienced during pregnancy – this affects the choice of stomach exercises some would be inappropriate, so the muscles remain weak and stretched.

How do I get a Flat Tummy post baby?

How do I get a Flat Tummy post baby?

After having a baby many women have distended stomach muscles for years afterwards making them feel that they will never get flat abs again. Why??

Let me explain, I’ll try not to get to technical.

The stomach muscles go through a stretching and lengthening process during pregnancy. As the fetus grows, there’s more of a stretch on the abdominal (stomach) wall from the inside and it causes them to separate. This is normal and painless part of pregnancy. The technical term is diastasis.

After the baby is born, this stretch starts to go back so the muscles of the stomach wall return to their normal length.

However if the woman becomes pregnant again quite quickly the chances pf the stretch naturally reducing are less. If the postural changes that happen are not restored or if a female gains excess weight or has a cesarean the stretch may stay and not reduce. Multiple births or repeated pregnancies also increase the risk of the stomach wall remaining separated and becoming dysfunctional.
I’ve noticed with experience that mums who have had two children within a two year period are more likely to have dysfunctional abs.

What happens is the stomach muscles ‘switch off’ - the body and muscles forget what they should be like and how to function.

This results in the muscular imbalances and an impaired movement plus increases the chances of back pain. You can feel ‘de-conditioned’ and often discouraged about ever getting flat abs!

The wrong type of stomach exercises can exuberate the problem and give the stomach a ‘domed’ appearance or ridging.

A poor diet – (sometimes pregnancy is an excuse to eat everything and anything!) or ‘disordered’ eating will worsen this too as your stomach doesn’t know the difference between stretch from a fetus and stretch from fat – either will cause a stretch force, keeping the muscles long.

Traditional sit-ups and crunches will make the problem worse.

The good news is – you can get flat abs, post pregnancy!

My approach:
To get your abs back, take these steps:

1. Eat ‘quality’ food – real food with good balance
2. Drink water
3. Perform some core function tests (the rec test) and corrective core work. Core work such as the plank is more effective.

Five Myths to getting a flat stomach

"I want to get my stomach back!"

One request I get asked for very frequently from new Mummys!

Before I reveal the best methods on Friday, I must first set the record straight on a few flat stomach MYTHS, that I see or hear of - five things that will NEVER work to get you that streamlined stomach.

1. So-called "health foods" e.g low fat, 'good for you' ranges etc., These are often cleverly disguised not-so-good foods. Fat is often removed but in order to keep the product tasting good, they add sweetener or other sugars using different terms (like corn syrup, maltose etc.,) instead. Low fat", "sugar free", "low-carb.", or "whole grain" are good for you, right? Think again!

2. Ab exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines are actually the LEAST effective method of getting back your stomach muscles.

3. Long, slow cardio-vascular exercise routines such as treadmills, cycling at a low intensity are NOT the best way to lose fat from the stomach.

4. Expensive "fat burning or weight loss" pills or other dodgy supplements don't work either.

5. Ab rollers, ab-belts that shake, ab-loungers, and 'abby- fabby' - gimmicks don't work either.. they're all a complete waste of your time and money. Despite the adverts and photos of fitness models with flat abs they did not get their perfect bodies by using an "ab contraption".

So you want to know why and what will work, right?

Stay posted for Friday's blog and I'll reveal some top, key tips and we'll bust that belly!