Name: Playbook - Heather Watkins - Early Postpartum Core 2.0
Uploaded: 2024-04-23T23:11:47.832Z
Duration: 12 min
Description: Early Postpartum Core 2.0

This is a beginner/intermediate deep core workout to help rehab your core during those early weeks postpartum. 

The key is being able to control the intra-abdominal pressure through appropriate breathing techniques with each movement. Take them slow and intentional focusing on mind to muscle and 360 breaths.

Sit up tall with your ribs stacked over your pelvis, your neck long, and your shoulders relaxed. 

Place your hands around your lower rib cage with your fingers in front and your thumbs in back – as you can see in the video.

Inhale through your nose, sending the air into your rib cage so that it expands 360° and pushes into your hands in all directions (front, sides, and back). Your shoulders should remain relaxed and down.

Exhale fully through pursed lips — extending your exhale for as long as you can so that no air is left in your lungs — feeling your navel draw toward your spine as a result of your exhale. 

It should feel as if you are tightening a girdle around you.

Repeat for several slow breaths. The exhale should take longer than the inhale.

Do 10 breaths at a time. 5-10 total minutes.

Diaphragmatic (360 degree) Breathing

-Begin on all fours in the tabletop position.
Place your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.
-Maintain a neutral spine by engaging your abdominal muscles.
-Draw your shoulder blades together.
-Raise your right arm and left leg, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor.
-Lengthen the back of your neck and tuck your chin into your chest to gaze down at the floor.
-Hold this position for a few seconds, then lower back down to the starting position.
Raise your left arm and right leg, holding this position for a few seconds.
Return to the starting position. This is one round.

Bird dog

-Sit on your butt with your hands firmly on the ground behind you 
-Extend your body into a reverse plank position
-Hold for as long as you can, aiming for 5-60 seconds. 
-1 rep = each reverse plank hold, you’ll do 3 total for today, 1 per round

Reverse plank hold

- Lay on the floor with your legs bent
- Push through your heels bringing your hips up 
- Squeezing your glutes 
- Lower back to starting position
- Add band/weight to increase the challenge

Glute Bridge

- Start in a T side plank hold
- Raise your upper leg
- Lower it back to the starting position and repeat
* Work both sides

Side plank + leg raise

Core circuit:

Early Postpartum Core 2.0

Very helpful and excited to start doing this!

Lana Scherer

Diaphragmatic Breathing/ Activating the Deep Core Muscles

Checking for Diastasis Recti

Felt good to add these in this morning! Great, quick burn

Laura

Christine Jones

Postpartum Core 1a.

Heidi

Abby

Such a good PP core workout! Dead bugs may be my favorite - definitely a good burn!

Mallory

Postpartum Core 2a.

Postpartum Core 3a.

I love core workouts. Would love to see some more in the app.

Lacey

Hannah

Katie Stagner

Postpartum Core 4a.

Allison

Heather

Advanced Postpartum Core

Good workout. I was a little slow my first time but made it through so that's a win.

Early Postpartum Core 2.0

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