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It's never too late to improve your core and pelvi

It's never too late to improve your core and pelvic floor. I want everyone to know this!!

Hot tip: Strengthening the pelvic floor together with the hip muscles has been shown to improve stress urinary incontinence (when you lose bladder control during coughing, sneezing, running, jumping, etc.)

Simone A A Marques et al. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2020 Mar-Apr.

The glute and lumbo-pelvic muscles are a huge focus in workouts inside the Prenatal Push Prep and Core Restore courses.

Yes, you can improve leaking and prolapse, even during pregnancy and even years after birth ✨

#thebellemethod #prenatalpilates #postnatalworkout #postnatalfitness #incontinence #bladderleaks #pregnancyfitness #pushprep #prolapse #pelvicfloor

12 years ago I did a huge course all about Diastas

12 years ago I did a huge course all about Diastasis Rehab. The belief at that point was that we should avoid all crunches because it would put too much pressure on the tissue and make the gap worse.

So we all taught A LOT of TVA work. Toe taps, leg slides, wipers, dead bugs, bird dogs - amazing exercises for deep abdominal activation and stability!

But we didn't progress beyond that. Traditional Pilates work for diastasis recti was deemed as "unsafe". I actually got a lot of flack for continuing to teach forward flexion (hundreds, bicycles, roll ups etc).

Intuitively I knew it helped. My students were getting stronger and the gaps in their abs were narrowing.

I even remember doing this "unsafe" postpartum ab work for myself after birth and not sharing here publicly because I feared the diastasis police would come after me (not even kidding!).

I'm over this now 🥰 And research is catching up.

The truth: Our abdominal wall needs progressive overload like any other muscle if it's going to get stronger.

Of course there is nuance, and nuance doesn't do well in a 25 second reel on Instagram. So if you've read the caption this far, just know this: Start by learning how to fire your deepest layer of core. Build tension in your tissue. Connect with your pelvic floor. Find your TVA. Breathe to move your diaphragm. Mobilize your rib cage.

And then once you've built this foundation, add more LOAD.

The whole point of this post is to encourage movement and reduce fear. And to hopefully help people realize there is no safe vs unsafe core exercise - it depends on HOW and WHEN in your rehab journey you do it.

Special shoutout to my friend and mentor Professor @dr.sinead for being such a beacon of knowledge and research in this field! Check her out and even just google some of her research.

Sinead, thank you for putting up with my random text messages and rambling thoughts on this topic. 🤓

You are not broken ❤️

#diastasisrecti #thebellemethod #corerehab #abrehab

Comment PUSHPREP for a free workshop to push past

Comment PUSHPREP for a free workshop to push past fear and protect your pelvic floor in birth.

If you only master 2 moves in pregnancy, let them be these...✨

...a deep functional squat and a strong deep core coordinating your diaphragm, transverse abs and pelvic floor.

Squatting prepares your pelvis and ligaments for birth in a number of ways (and is helpful during labour!)

A functional deep core & pelvic floor will prove its weight in gold throughout pregnancy, labour, pushing, postpartum recovery and way beyond.

It's why the Prenatal Push Prep course combines birth education WITH movement. And friends, even if you birth by cesarean, practicing these movements will make for a smoother recovery.

Check out this excerpt from the paper "Squatting, pelvic morphology and a reconsideration of childbirth difficulties."
(Gorman et al, 2022)

"Regular squatting has enormous implications for childbirth. Even temporary squatting can substantially increase the width of the pelvic outlet, and evidence exists that this posture was likely preferred during parturition (childbirth) before the advent of modern obstetrical practices advocated women be supine (on their back)."

So much to say on this topic! Our March/April Prenatal Push Prep Course is in session and you can still join!

Or do it on-demand in the course dashboard with 50+ prenatal pilates workouts (at all levels), technique tips and 8 modules expert education.

You can train mentally and physically for birth ✨

#thebellemethod #pushprep #prenatalworkout #birthprep #39weekspregnant #pelvicfloor #pregnantlife #momtobe #duedate #prenatalfitness #prenatalpilates #expecting

Not a fan of the term "belly pooch" but I'm using

Not a fan of the term "belly pooch" but I'm using it because that's a big question I get in DMs.

"How can I lose my low belly pooch?"

There are many variables to this question, and the answer is not as simple as "just do these 5 exercises." However, these 5 exercises above are fantastic for improving tension in your abdominal wall at and below the navel (lower diastasis).

All you need is a mini band and a Pilates ball.

I highly recommend addressing tension through your cesarean scar (if applicable) to improve the low belly "shelf" that often happens. Scar massage, cupping, acupuncture, and the dolphin neurostim are fantastic options that have worked wonders for so many of my Pilates students.

Once you've mastered the deep core breathing, don't be afraid to challenge your abdominal muscles!

Hot tip: your gut health has a big impact on how well you will improve your diastasis recti. Chronic inflammation, and IBS symptoms can essentially create micro tears in your abdominal wall.

So as much as the muscle activation and specific exercises are key, we also have to look at DRA recovery holistically. That's why the Core Restore Course includes dozens of dietician-creates nutrition plans specifically to improve gut health and reduce systemic inflammation.

You can join now and get started right away on demand. Next live session starts in July!🔥

It's never too late to restore your core.

If you're pregnant, you want to do the Prenatal Pilates work in Push Prep to underload your abdominal wall (these are examples of overload).

#thebellemethod #diastaseabdominal #diastasisrecti #abrehab #absafterbaby #postnatalfitness #momworkout #momoftwo #postpartumfitness #abseparation #csection #csectionrecovery #diastaseposparto

I could write a novel. The first group fitness I e

I could write a novel. The first group fitness I ever taught, I was 18 years old. It was LA Fitness gym, 1999. I taught cardio hip hop (true story). My current students know my affinity for 90s R&B 🤣

The fitness industry has certainly evolved, but some things have remained the same.

You don't always need to go harder. You don't need to follow the latest trends. Getting sweaty doesn't necessarily mean it's a good workout. The foundation matters. Your pelvic floor is not broken. Your breath is the secret.

Also - you already deserve that cookie. No go move for your mental health ❤️

Love,

Nikki

Ps. I wanna know which one of these speaks most to you! 👇

Do you like reformer pilates classes? Do you find

Do you like reformer pilates classes? Do you find them too expensive to do regularly? (Around $40 a class in my neighbourhood!).

Pssst: it's not the $15,000 Pilates megaformer that gets you the results. It's the teacher that shows you HOW to connect to your muscles with the right form and technique.

And that my friends, can be done with very inexpensive props from the comfort of your living room.

Said with love from a Pilates Instructor of almost 20 years who has owned reformers over the last few decades.

There's so much you can do with minimal equipment. Don't let the cost of reformer classes be a barrier to experiencing the benefits of Pilates.

You want more "reformer dupe" videos? Let me know!
These exercises are all in my Core Challenge program!

Love
Nikki

#reformerdupe #thebellemethod #pilatesathome #matwork #athomeworkout #reformerpilates #pilatesworkout

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