Know Your Body

Diastasis recti… have you ever heard of it? Most people haven’t. Even more surprising, most women haven’t. Diastasis recti is the separation of the rectus abdominus muscles, the two vertical muscles of the abdomen, most of us call “six pack” muscles.

This separation most commonly occurs during pregnancy when the abdominal muscles are stretched in order to make room for the growing baby. It can also occur when we generally aren’t able to properly manage IAP, or intra-abdominal pressure, within the body.

For example, failure to properly use breath to engage deep abdominal muscles during exercise, or simply compromising form to increase weight, among other scenarios, can cause or even exacerbate diastasis. Most often you’ll see a bulge in the midline of the abdomen when exerting effort and may experience weakness or a lack of connection to the abdominal muscles.

So what can we do to avoid creating and worsening diastasis? Start with breath. Learn how to use your breath to properly engage your deep core muscles and, in turn, deepen your connection to this part of your body. Avoid exercises like sit-ups where the body is supine and you’re required to lift your head, neck, and shoulders. Additionally, avoid exercises like supine leg lifts. These can quickly cause IAP to become unmanageable.

The good news? If it hasn’t progressed to the point of requiring surgical intervention, diastasis can be managed and even improved through corrective movement. I’ve helped clients go from a three-finger-wide gap down to one. When the Pilates method is applied intelligently and intentionally, major changes are possible.