Abdominal Exercise Program

Belly exercises should start the day after baby is born! The sooner you start strengthening exercises the faster you will recover and return to your desired shape. Here are some simple exercises to get that belly shrinking!

Belly Activation / Bracing

Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Tighten and draw the lower part of your belly (the part beneath your naval) in towards the bed or floor you are lying on. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds and then relax. Repeat this contraction again. Once you are able to ‘belly brace’ in lying then you can do this in any positions.

Pelvic Tilt

Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent. Activate your belly muscles with a ‘belly brace’. Now roll the small of your back into the bed or floor (flattening the lower back) while pushing the lower part of your pelvis upwards toward the ceiling. This movement is called a pelvic tilt as the whole pelvis moves upwards with the help of the lower belly muscles. Tile the pelvis slowly backwards and forwards. You can do a pelvic tilt in any position!

Heel Sliding

Lie on you on your back with your legs down and do a ‘belly brace’. Slowly bend one knee at a time, sliding your heel up towards your bottom as far as you can go. Return the leg back to the straightened position and then do the same thing with the other leg.

Toe Tapping

Lie on your back with your knees bent and do a ‘belly brace’. Keeping your knee bent lift one knee up towards your belly and then back down towards the bed or floor and lightly touch the tip of your toes to the bed or floor. Lift the knee back up towards the tummy and then lower your leg back down into the bent position. Do the same thing with the other leg.

Bridging

Lie on your back with your knees bent and do a ‘belly brace’. Tighten the muscles in your bottom and legs and slowly lift your bottom off the bed or floor. Hold this lifted position and make sure you are tightening your bottom. Legs and belly. Slowly come back down into lying.

Mini Sit Up

Lie on your back with your knees bent and do a ‘belly brace’. Straighten your arms by your sides. Reach your straightened arms upward and down towards your feet, slowly lifting the top of your neck and back off the bed or floor. Stop once your shoulders have lifted off the ground or if your experience any pain. Roll slowly back down toward the ground.

My belly strengthening exercises work wonders! You can do them as often as possible with as many repititions as you can manage. I recommend doing each exercise 5 times each, 3 times a day to start with and to increase this to as much as you can handle. It is important to listen to your body while exercising. If the exercise you are doing causes any sudden pain or discomfort I advise you to slow it down or stop the exercise altogether.