Modifications For Diastasis Recti

Diastasis Recti Awareness and Modifications

Until you have regained strength post-injury, here are suggested modifications.

Squats and Lunges

• During squats and lunges your core will want to bulge out and touch the thigh.
• So while doing these exercises, you need to take it slow and pull your core muscles in towards your spine before you lunge or squat. Keep those core muscles tight during each rep.
• When doing a Sumo squat, you must tuck your tailbone in towards your inner thighs and keep your back flat as you lower down

Upper Body

• Weighted moves are ok if your arms stay below your shoulders.
• If you are not recovered from your injury, you should not use weights on any move where your arms go above your head, like shoulder presses, or pull ups or lat pull downs because upper ab tears can happen with that much load on your core.
• You can do these movements without weights only.

Plank Position

• Full plank is not allowed when your injury is not yet healed.
• You must start on your hands and knees with your hands below your shoulders and knees directly below your hips. Make sure your upper back is not sagging so your shoulder blades are touching – press your upper back up and slide your shoulder blades towards your shoulder joints to rise up.
• Also, your lower back should not be dipping down, it should be held in a straight line by pulling your core muscles in.
• As you get stronger, you can move your knees back and your core can handle the extra load, just make sure you make a straight line from your head to your knees and tuck your pelvis.
• Then you can progress to a position where you can put one leg back into plank position and your whole body in a straight line with one knee down and alternate which knee is down.

On Your Back

• Do not go to a laying down position on your back by sitting on your bottom and rolling straight back.
• You need to turn sideways and use your arm to lower your down to laying on your side and then roll to your back. Reverse that to get up.
• No sit ups or V-ups are allowed.
• Always tuck tail bone and pull in your core.
• You can do core moves by modifying so that your head and one leg or foot is on the group.

An overview of these tips is provided in this video https://youtu.be/_vk0TD7G190

If you are doing the 21 Day Fix with me as your coach, request the modification videos I have for doing each workout with the appropriate modifications to protect your core and back.

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