Day #3: Fire Up Your Entire Core

Focus of the Day

• Take 2 post-it notes. Write "Do 3 kegels NOW" on one of post-it and "Do 3 Correct Core Activations NOW" on the other. Put one of the post-its on your bathroom mirror and the other on the refrigerator door. Every time you see the notes today, do what is written on them.

Build a Solid Foundation for Your Core

The pelvis floor is the floor of your core. Pregnancy and labour is strenuous for the pelvic floor. The strength of the pelvic floor is recovered via activating the muscles of the pelvic floor. You do that through pelvic floor exercises aka kegels – no big surprise here.

There is no getting around it ... Forget that is may be a bit tedious and take pride in getting it done. Remember to release the tension completely between each kegel. It takes a little body awareness, so be patient - it will become easier and easier.

What is a Correct Core Activation? 

A Correct Core Activation is one of the key components of the technique we use in my online exercise programme for moms: Superfit Core. It is absolute key to getting a strong core back!

There are 4 steps to the Correct Core Activation (or CCA). First you need to be in neutral position, then you exhale. Then you activate your pelvic floor and then you gently draw navel to spine. Holding the activation of the core muscles until the next inhale where you release and start over.

This is especially great work for the deepest of our abdominal muscles, the transverse abdominis (TVA). A strong TVA is extremely important for a flat stomach and strong back.

You learn all about the Correct Core Activation in my online exercise programme Superfit Core.

Background

The abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor are probably the two muscles groups that are affected the most after pregnancy ande delivery.

Not only do the abdominal muscles shrink back to normal length and the pelvic floor must recover from the large expansion and any ruptures there might have occurred during the delivery.

The natural automation build into these two muscle groups when functioning normally must also be rehabilitated. This automation is important. Along with a generally good muscle strength in the pelvic floor it is this automation that makes sure you don't need to consciously think of doing a kegel to not pee yourself when a higher abdominal pressure occurs, for example when you cough, sneeze, laugh, lift or during exercises.