WOD & WINE
Women’s Workshop Series
Not just “6 pack abs”
Layers of the Abdominal Core
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What does the core do?
› Stabilizes and moves the spine
› Postural support
› Important for breathing
› Protects internal organs
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How do you know core is / is not working right?
› Low back pain
› Hip / Pelvic pain
What to do if core is not working?
› Strengthen the deep layers
 Static then dynamic

Find your Transverse Abdominis
What happens if the abs are split?
› difficulty controlling posture
› increased risk for injury.
 “Split abs” = Diastasis Recti
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When does a DRA become an issue?
› Not always painful
› Low back or pelvic or hip pain
› Poor posture
› Feeling weak through the midsection
› Sexual pain
› Urinary or bowel problems (incontinence,
leakage, constipation, etc)

What to do if you have DRA?
› Postural Training
 Postural control
 Training your other core muscles (transverse
abdominis, pelvic floor)
 Conscious of how you perform daily activities
› Stretching
› Bracing

Not okay

Okay to Perform
› Crunches/Sit-ups
› Pelvic tilt
› Pushups
› Heel drops
› Planks
› Bridge
› Roll ups/roll downs
› Fire Hydrant***
› Swimming
› Squat
› Certain Yoga poses
› Single leg balance
› Quadruped- hands/knees
› Laying over exercise ball
› Exercise that causes
abdominal wall to bulge out
› Lift / carry heavy objects

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Weakness can lead to
› Low Back pain
› Rotated Pelvis
› Sacroiliac Joint dysfunction
More common in women
•Anterior Rotation
•Tight ES / hip flexors
•Weak
Abdominals/Hamstrings
•Increased lordosis
•Posterior Rotation
•Tight
Abdominals/Hamstrings
•Weak ES / hip flexors
•“sucking in”

What to do to prevent rotation?
› Stretch
 What is tight
 erector spinae and hip flexors OR abdominals and
hamstrings
› Strengthen
 What is weak
 abdominals and hamstrings OR erector spinae and
hip flexors
 DEEP core muscles – transverse abdominis, pelvic floor
 glute complex
› Posture
 Natural lordosis

Anterior Pelvic Rotation
Stretches
 Low lunge (hip flexor)
 Cat / child’s pose (back extensors)
› Strengthen
 Planks, sit-ups (abdominals)
 Hamstring curls, single leg bridge
›

Posterior Pelvic Rotation
Stretches
 Supine with band or standing (hamstrings)
 Backbends (abdominals)
› Strengthen
 Straight leg raise (hip flexors)
 “Superman” (back extensors)
›
Questions???