Welcome to the Journey of Rebuilding Core Strength After Pregnancy
Welcome, moms! If you're here, you're likely ready to start building core strength after pregnancy, but you may have noticed that things don't feel the same as they once did—especially through your core. Many women experience a sense of weakness or disconnection to their core muscles when returning to exercise postpartum. This is completely normal, and with any new experience, it's understandable to feel uncertain about how to move forward.
Why Core Recovery Is Essential for Building Core Strength After Pregnancy
As a pre- and postnatal fitness expert, I highly recommend that every new mom undergo a dedicated core recovery program like my Killer Core Comeback course before jumping back into typical ab exercises or high-intensity workouts. During pregnancy, your body undergoes significant changes, and everyone develops some degree of diastasis recti (abdominal separation). For some, it may heal naturally within 8 weeks to 6 months postpartum, but about 40% of women require more time and potentially guided intervention to fully heal.
Even if you're among those whose diastasis recti heals within the first 6 months, a core recovery program can still speed up the process, strengthen your core, reduce urinary leaks, and help you safely return to the exercises you love. If you're unsure whether or not you still have diastasis recti, I recommend grabbing my Diastasis Recti Self-Check Video Guide. This guide will help you assess the severity of your separation and provide tips to start healing so you can experience benefits like a smaller belly, fewer urinary leaks, and reduced back or hip pain.
Steps for Building Core Strength After Pregnancy: Start with the Basics
Once you've taken steps to heal and strengthen your core, you can progress to more advanced exercises like leg lifts. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through safe, effective exercises to help you continue building core strength after pregnancy. We'll start with foundational movements, such as the bridge exercise, and progress all the way to double-leg lifts. But before we jump in, let's go over two key components for safe and effective core exercises: maintaining neutral alignment and using diaphragmatic (360-degree) breathing.
The Importance of Neutral Alignment and 360-Degree Breathing
To maximize your results and avoid injury, it's important to understand and practice neutral alignment and 360-degree breathing with every exercise. Neutral alignment refers to maintaining optimal posture—when standing, this means aligning your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in one vertical line, with your ribcage stacked over your pelvis. For the following exercises, where you’ll be lying on your back, it’s crucial to avoid tilting the pelvis, as this can increase pressure on your core and pelvic floor. Performing these exercises with a tilted pelvis can create additional strain, potentially doing more harm than good. In neutral alignment, while lying down, there should be a small natural space between your lower back and the floor. If you notice that gap increasing as you move through the exercises, it's a sign that your pelvis is tilting. You should regress the exercise until you can control the movement while maintaining proper alignment and connection to breath.
Bonus points if you incorporate pelvic floor activations with 360-degree breathing, as I teach in my Killer Core Comeback course. If you're unfamiliar with 360-degree breathing, I’ve got you covered—download my Video Tutorial to master this technique before progressing further.
Exercise Progression for Building Core Strength After Pregnancy
Note: Before progressing to the next level, make sure you can maintain neutral alignment, breathe properly, and avoid any coning or doming in your midsection, which are clear signs of diastasis recti.
Below are eight exercises designed to help you safely build core strength after pregnancy. They progress from simple supine exercises like the bridge to more advanced supine movements like double leg lifts.
Bridge
Lie on your back with your feet flat and your knees lifted.
Inhale through the nose, breathing 360 degrees in the ribcage, and exhale, engaging the deep core and pelvic floor as you lift your hips off the ground and lower.
Be sure to maintain neutral alignment throughout the exercise.
Heel Slides
Heel Slides are best done in socks.
Lie on your back with your feet flat and your knees lifted.
Inhale through your nose, breathing 360 degrees into the ribcage, and exhale through your mouth. Engage the deep core and pelvic floor as you extend one leg, slide your heel along the floor, and return to the starting position.
Be sure to maintain neutral alignment throughout the exercise.
If you feel your lower back arching off the ground with your leg extending, simply don't extend your leg as far.
Knee Lifts
Lie on your back with your feet flat and your knees lifted.
Inhale through the nose, breathing 360 degrees in the ribcage, and exhale, engaging the deep core and pelvic floor as you lift your knee over your hip and lower back to the starting position.
Be sure to maintain neutral alignment throughout the exercise.
Supported Single-Leg Leg Lifts
Lie on your back with one foot flat and your knee lifted. Extend your opposite leg with the toes towards the ceiling.
Inhale through the nose, breathing 360 degrees in the ribcage, and exhale, engaging the deep core and pelvic floor as you lower your extended leg towards the ground and lift back to the starting position.
If you feel your lower back arching, simply don't lower the leg as far down - focus on maintaining neutral alignment.
Alternating Heel Taps
Lie on your back with your legs lifted and 90 degrees at the knees.
Inhale through the nose, breathing 360 degrees in the ribcage, and exhale, tapping the heel to the floor as you move your thigh away from you and lift back to the starting position.
Alternate the legs, taking an inhale in between each movement and exhaling and engaging the core throughout the movement.
Be sure to maintain neutral alignment throughout the exercise.
Single-Leg Leg Lifts
Lie on your back with your legs lifted and toes pointing towards the ceiling.
Inhale through the nose, breathing 360 degrees in the ribcage, and exhale, engaging the deep core and pelvic floor as you lower your leg to a hover and lift back to the starting position.
Focus on maintaining neutral alignment throughout the exercise.
Alternating Single-Leg Extensions
Lie on your back with your legs lifted and 90 degrees at the knee.
Inhale through the nose, breathing 360 degrees in the ribcage, and exhale, engaging the deep core and pelvic floor.
With your core engaged, begin to extend one leg while maintaining 90 degrees at the opposing knee.
Alternate the legs while maintaining core engagement throughout the exercise with soft inhales and strong exhales.
Focus on maintaining neutral alignment throughout the exercise.
Double Heel Taps to Double Leg Lifts
Lie on your back with your legs lifted and 90 degrees at the knees.
Inhale through the nose, breathing 360 degrees in the ribcage, and exhale, tapping both heels to the floor as you move your thighs away from you and lift back to the starting position.
Be sure to maintain neutral alignment throughout the exercise.
You can gradually progress this exercise by extending the legs a bit more and lowering further to a hover until you are able to do Double Leg Lifts. If you find your pelvis tilting as you lower and lift the legs or have trouble connecting your breathing properly to each movement, regress to the previous version.
Modified Double Leg Lifts
Double Leg Lifts
Understanding Progressive Overload in Postpartum Core Training
Progressive overload is the gradual increase of stress placed on the body during exercise. It’s an essential part of any fitness program, especially when it comes to postpartum core work. By slowly increasing the intensity or difficulty of exercises—whether by lifting both legs instead of one or holding a movement for longer—you’ll safely challenge your muscles, leading to improved core strength and stability.
As you perform the exercises, always prioritize quality over quantity. Progressing too quickly or skipping key steps may lead to injury or setbacks, especially when healing from diastasis recti.
How to Know When You’re Ready to Progress
You’re ready to progress to more challenging movements when you can:
Maintain neutral alignment throughout the exercise
Breathe using your diaphragm without holding your breath
Avoid coning or doming of the abdomen
Perform the movement without straining your lower back or pelvic floor
Remember, your journey to building core strength after pregnancy is unique. There's no rush—take your time and listen to your body.
Building Core Strength After Pregnancy is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Rebuilding your core strength after pregnancy takes time and patience, but the results are worth it. By following a structured, progressive program and focusing on the fundamentals—like neutral alignment and 360-degree breathing—you’ll lay a strong foundation for both your core and overall fitness.
Whether you’re 6 weeks or 6 years postpartum, it's never too late to start building a stronger, healthier core. Remember, if you’re unsure about your diastasis recti status or want more guidance, my Diastasis Recti Self-Check Video Guide is an excellent tool to help you on this journey.
Keep showing up for yourself, and know that every step you take towards core strength is a step towards better overall health and well-being!
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