Abdominal Strengthening

Before doing more advanced abdominal exercises, it is important to check for extensive separation of the abdominal muscles. The abdominal muscle is divided by a seam; the muscle is really two halves that can often separate due to the size of the baby and the birth process.How To Check for Abdominal Muscle Separation1. Lie on your back and bend your knees, feet flat on the floor.2. Slowly put your chin to your chest and raise your head and shoulders until your neck is six to eight inches off the floor. Hold one arm out in front of you.3. With the other hand, check for a gap or a bulge in the middle of your abdomen. There may just be a soft region between the muscle. 4. If there is a gap wider than the width of two fingers, avoid further separation by:• Doing abdominal strengthening while crossing your hands over the abdominal area to support and bring together the muscles. • Always exhaling as you lift your head; this decreases pressure in the abdominal cavity and allows your abdominal muscles to work more efficiently.• Consciously tightening your abdominal muscles when lifting to avoid abdominal bulging or any straining.If you become dizzy, excessively tired, or begin bright red bleeding, STOP IMMEDIATELY. Reduce the number of repetitions or wait another few days before resuming the exercises. Consult your health care provider for his/her recommendations.