I’m often contacted by new mom’s who are looking to get back into shape. I sit down with them for a consultation and explain my holistic approach of utilizing exercise, nutrition and lifestyle strategies. This approach usually seems common sense to most, however, as the expression goes, the devil is in the details.
When it comes to exercise, C.H.E.K Practitioners, like myself, follow a formula of progressing participants through four stages: Flexibility, Stability, Strength, and Power. With new mom’s, the stability phase is quite important as the abdominal wall, a main stabilizer, has been through quite an ordeal with pregnancy and usually results in at least one if not more dysfunctions. This simply means that when these muscles are required to activate, they don’t! This causes other muscles that aren’t designed for the work at hand to activate, causing altered movements, pain, and with enough time, an injury. If you have started an exercise program and aren’t able to move correctly or have pain, stop immediately. If you are looking to start back into fitness, I suggest starting with strengthening the inner unit.
The inner unit is a term that describes a functional chain of muscles that create a girdle like action around the midsection. It is these inner unit muscles, such as the pelvic floor and transversus abdominus (muscle that pulls the belly button inward), that are usually dysfunctional in post natal women. When a dysfunction is present, the girdle action of the inner unit cannot perform, leaving the spine, pelvis and rib cage unstable and the body vulnerable to an injury. No stability equals no platform for strengthening!
There are many inner unit exercises to choose from but the three that I have outlined have had repeated success with hundreds of clients in my practice. These three exercises are the Four Point Kneeling Tummy Vacuum, Horizontal Horse Stance, and Lower Abdominal #1. These corrective exercises for the inner unit can be done at home as it requires minimal equipment: floor space, a yoga mat and a dowel rod or broom stick.
Four Point Kneeling Tummy Vacuum
1. Assume a kneeling position with your hips directly over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists.
2. With your spine in neutral, take a deep diaphragmatic breath and let your belly drop towards the floor.
3. Exhale and draw your belly button in towards your spine, ensuring your low back does not move. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds.
4. Relax for 10 seconds and repeat this process for a total of 10 repetitions. Rest for 1 minute after completing a full set. As you are able to, build up to completing three sets.
Horizontal Horse Stance
1. Assume a kneeling position with your hips directly over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists.
2. Elbows should be turned back towards the thighs with fingers directed forward.
3. Place a dowel rod along your spine. The rod should contact the back of the head, mid back and tailbone. A small curve in the low back should be present and should be the thickness of your palm.
4. Once the belly button is engaged, raise one arm up to a parallel position with the floor and 45 degrees off the midline of the body as seen in figure 3. Keep the thumb pointed upwards. Simultaneously raise the opposite leg up to a parallel position to the floor without altering your curve in the low back.
5. Hold this position for 10 seconds, ensuring the three points of contact of the body with the dowel rod and parallel position of the limbs.
6. Relax for 10 seconds and then alternate sides following the same form.
7. Each side should be performed 10 times for a complete set with a rest of 1 minute. As you are able to, build up to completing three sets.
Lower Abdominal #1
1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Place your hand in the small of your back, directly underneath your belly button.
2. Once in place, pull your belly button toward your spine and roll your pelvis backward, slightly flattening your back against your hand and the floor
3. Hold this pressure steady for 10 seconds. The pressure should be enough to feel but you should be able to talk as full force is not necessary.
4. Relax for 10 seconds and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions. Rest for 1 minute after completing a full set. As you are able to, build up to completing three sets.
It is very common for the inner unit muscles to have poor functioning after pregnancy. Typically, these areas are neglected from group training classes, boot camps, and at home exercise programs, even those targeted towards post natal training. I recommend following the inner unit program listed below three to four times a week as an individual workout. If you are involved in another program, I recommend implementing one of the three exercises listed below at the end of the workout, alternating the exercise each time.
| Exercise | Reps | Tempo | Rest | Sets |
| Four Point Kneeling | 10 | 10/10 | 1:00 | 1-3 |
| Tummy Vacuum | ||||
| Horizontal Horse Stance | 10/side | 10/10 | 1:00 | 1-3 |
| Lower Abdominal #1 | 10 | 10/10 | 1:00 | 1-3 |
This program can be performed for up to four to six weeks, at which point the inner unit should be successfully conditioned and ready to be integrated with more functional or compound movement. Enjoy!
Chris Leblanc, B.P.H.E, is a certified exercise, nutrition & lifestyle and golf performance coach and owner of CHI Training Studio. He is certified through the C.H.E.K Institute, a globally recognized professional school teaching in corrective, holistic, exercise kinesiology. Chris has been working in the fitness industry since 2003 and is currently the highest accredited C.H.E.K Practitioner in Ottawa. For more information about Chris and CHI Training Studio, please visit www.chitrainingstudio.com or contact him at .
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