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Restore FAQ: M6 Q1 Should I try to kegel when I run?

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Restore FAQ: M5 Q2 I only feel hip flexors during ab work. Tips?
Restore FAQ: M6 Q2 I can’t feel my lower abs. Tips?

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Pelvic Health Mastery

Try this on yourself and tell me what you discover Try this on yourself and tell me what you discover! 👇

We do this quick test often with private training clients and I can't wait to cover it at this weekend's Belle Teacher Training Retreat! 

All you need is a pashmina or scarf. ✨

This easy self-test helps determine where to prioritize your training as you improve overall function. Should you focus more on rebuilding your abdominal wall, or prioritizing more glute strength? 

Of course, both are SO important. Think of this test as tool to help you understand where the driver of your compensation patterns might be coming from. For me it’s definitely my right glute and piriformis! 

Note - I don’t recommend this test during pregnancy as it won’t give you accurate feedback. 

Try it and let me know what you discover! ❤️

#postpartumrecovery #corerehab #pelvicfloor #postnatalfitness #diastasisrecti #postpartumbody #thebellemethod #absafterbaby #postnatalpilates
Comment PLAN for 5 free Core Restore workouts plus Comment PLAN for 5 free Core Restore workouts plus a free workshop. 

Arms overhead is a massive tool in diastasis recti rehab & rib flare. You'll feel it waaaay more than toe taps or dead bugs from the floor with arms by your side (which I see on IG constantly as the be all of DRA rehab). 

I tried to make this concept concise and "reel" friendly in less than 20 seconds 😆. But I could go on for hours. 

Does the silly putty analogy make sense to you? You can also picture taffy candy. What happens when you pull it and stretch it? It thins, loses tension, and becomes distorted. 

Long story short, try arms over head to help you build back tension in your abs and improve diastasis recti. 

The Core Restore course covers this all and more, plus a 12 week program for rehabbing it ALL and understanding WHY you're doing what you're doing. 

Live classes start Oct 7 if you want more accountability and support from me. 

Comment PLAN for a taste of 5 free postnatal workouts plus a free workshop. 

It's not too late. You're not broken.

#diastasis #diastasisrecti #thebellemethod #abrehab #corerestore #postnatalfitness #absafterbaby
Comment PLAN for a [free] postnatal core restore w Comment PLAN for a [free] postnatal core restore workshop + 5 days of workouts. 👇

Not a fan of the term "belly pooch" but it's the term people seem to use most when asking this in my 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 or join the Oct-Dec session starting in 2 weeks. 

It's never too late to restore your core. 
Link to Core Restore is in profile. 

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). 

Using the @tuneupfitness coregeous ball 

#thebellemethod #diastaseabdominal #diastasisrecti #abrehab #absafterbaby #postnatalfitness #momworkout #momoftwo #postpartumfitness #abseparation #csection #csectionrecovery #diastaseposparto
It feels like skinny is trending again, and as som It feels like skinny is trending again, and as someone who graduated high school in the 90s, I remember it well. We all wanted to look heroine chic like the Calvin Klein models that flooded magazine covers. 

So here's a little content today to remind you of the importance of taking up space, feeling strong and building muscle. 

Stronger leg muscle muscles are associated with better cognitive health as we age. And more muscle mass will also make perimenopause a lot smoother (hello better bone health and faster metabolism). 

I have legitimate concerns over the popularity of GLP-1 drugs that seem to be going more and more mainstream for women who "just wanna lose" that last 10 to 15 pounds, at the expense of their muscle mass. 

OF COURSE these drugs have their place (don't come at me y'all), and can even save lives. What I'm talking about is the sense of a cultural movement happening right now towards thinness again. And as someone who lived through it once, I would love to open up this discussion and hear what you have to say. 

Let's talk about it. 

Love, Nikki 

#thebellemethod #glp1 #musclemass #menopause #perimenopausehealth #womenshealth
Have you experienced bladder leaks? The stat is 1 Have you experienced bladder leaks? The stat is 1 in 4, but many estimate it's higher. And 83% of you polled in stories said yes, you've had bladder leaks. 

Studies have shown that strengthening the hip muscles along with your pelvic floor, can significantly improve urinary incontinence. 

Doing kegels at a stoplight, or while washing dishes isn't nearly as effective. We need movement, breath, and glute muscle strengthening. 

Leaking does not have to be part of womanhood. Please a pelvic health physiotherapist. Find a movement teacher who understands the pelvic floor (hello nice to meet you!) and remember your body is resilient and largely capable of healing. 

My very first Belle teacher training is happening this September 25-28, and I am so excited to be training 24 new instructors on pelvic health focussed pilates so they can bring this information back to their studios and communities from all around the world. Seriously - from Finland to Norway to California - they are flying in from all over the globe. 

And I cannot WAIT! 

Here's to your pelvic floor. 

Love 

Nikki

#incontinence #bladdercontrol #pilates #pelvicfloorpilates #bladderleakage
The Sept/Oct Push Prep Live Class session starts t The Sept/Oct Push Prep Live Class session starts tomorrow night at 8 pm Eastern. Recordings provided. 

Not sure? Comment PUSHPREP for a taste with a free 30-min workshop and 5 days of free prenatal workouts from the course. 

Push Prep may be the single greatest investment you make in your pregnancy, and for your future postpartum self. ✨

Birth education, expert prenatal specific Pilates workouts to train your pelvic floor to both engage AND release for pushing, live weekly workouts to stay accountable and build community with fellow pregnant moms, on-demand workouts to follow to reduce prolapse and diastasis recti, nutrition prenatal-specific meal plans, birth partner workshops, breastfeeding classes, VBAC resources and SO much more. 

The sooner you start in pregnancy, the better. 

It's all you want, all you didn't know you needed, and then some. 

I got you, no matter what kind of birth you're hoping for. 

With love and some big sister energy,

Nikki
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