Core Strengthening for Diastasis Recti: Where to Start

TL;DR: Building on the Basics — Core Exercises for Diastasis Recti Recovery

If you have read the introduction to diastasis recti, you already understand what is happening in your body and why the foundational work matters. This post picks up from there. Here is what we cover:

• The non-negotiables before adding any core strengthening exercises

• How to know if an exercise is appropriate for where you are right now

• Six exercises that build real core strength without aggravating your recovery

• How to progress with confidence over time

Before we dive in → grab my Pregnancy & Postpartum Core Guide — a simple, progressive program to help you move your body safely and rebuild core + pelvic floor strength, wherever you are in your journey.

Start Here If You Have Not Already

This post is the second in a two-part series. If you have not yet read the first post, be sure to check it out here. It covers what diastasis recti is, how to identify it, why it is a functional issue rather than just an aesthetic one, and the four foundational elements of healing — breathwork, deep core activation, pelvic floor coordination, and pressure management.

The exercises in this post build directly on that foundation. Skipping it would be like jumping to week four of a program without completing weeks one through three.

Before You Add Any Exercise

Two things need to be in place before you introduce the exercises below — and if they are not, the exercises themselves are far less effective and can create more strain than benefit.

Diaphragmatic breathing. Every exercise in this post is coordinated with breath. Inhale to prepare, exhale through the effort. This is not a cue to think about occasionally — it is the mechanism through which your deep core and pelvic floor engage together to manage intra-abdominal pressure. If this still feels unfamiliar, spend more time there before continuing.

Awareness of coning and doming. Coning or doming — a ridge or peak that appears along your midline during an exercise — is a signal that the load exceeds what your system can currently manage. It is not dangerous in isolation, but it is feedback. If you see or feel it during any of the exercises below, stop, reset your breath, and either reduce the range of motion or return to foundational work. The goal is always to find the level where you can move well, not to push through a compensation.

These two pieces are the difference between exercises that support your recovery and exercises that simply feel like effort.

A Note on What to Avoid

In early diastasis recovery, traditional crunches, sit-ups, and full planks are not the right tools. They generate a level of intra-abdominal pressure that most people cannot yet manage effectively — which means the load gets absorbed by the linea alba rather than distributed through a coordinated core system. As your strength and pressure management improve, many of these movements can be reintroduced. But at this stage, the exercises below will build more functional strength with less strain.

Core Strengthening Exercises for Diastasis Recti

These are some of the most effective starting-point exercises for building real core strength during diastasis recti recovery. Work through them in order — each one is slightly more demanding than the last. Stay at each level until you can complete it cleanly and without coning before moving on.

Alternating Toe Taps

A gentle way to challenge your deep core stabilizers with moving load.

Starting position: lie on your back, knees bent to 90 degrees, feet lifted so shins are parallel to the floor. Inhale; as you exhale, slowly lower one foot toward the floor, tapping lightly, then return. Alternate sides. Keep your lower back flat and your lower belly drawn gently inward throughout. If your back arches or you feel pressure in your midline, reduce your range of motion.

Isolated Press Into Thighs

Builds awareness of transversus abdominis engagement without moving load.

Starting position: lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Place your hands on the tops of your thighs. Inhale; as you exhale, press your hands into your thighs while simultaneously pressing your thighs back into your hands — creating resistance without movement. Hold for 3–5 seconds, release, and repeat. Focus on feeling the deep abdominal contraction rather than any visible movement.

Glute Bridge

Targets hip extensors and integrates pelvic floor engagement with movement.

Starting position: lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Inhale at the bottom; as you exhale, gently engage your pelvic floor and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly and with control. Optional progression: place a small ball or folded towel between your knees and gently squeeze as you lift — this adds inner thigh activation and helps stabilize the pelvis.

Modified Side Plank

Builds lateral core strength — the obliques and quadratus lumborum — which are often undertrained in early postpartum recovery.

Starting position: lie on your side, bottom knee bent, top leg extended or stacked. Prop yourself up on your forearm. Inhale; as you exhale, lift your hips off the floor, creating a straight line from your head to your top foot. Hold for 3–5 seconds and lower with control. This is a significant step up from the previous exercises — only progress here when the earlier movements feel solid.

Bear Plank

A more demanding core stabilization exercise that challenges the deep system without the spinal load of a full plank.

Starting position: on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips. Lift your knees just one to two inches off the floor, keeping your spine completely neutral — no rounding, no arching. Hold for 5–10 seconds, breathing steadily. The goal is stillness; if you notice your lower back sagging or your midline coning, return to the modified side plank and build more time there first.

Bird Dog

A classic anti-rotation exercise that trains the core to resist movement while the limbs create load.

Starting position: on hands and knees. Inhale; as you exhale, slowly extend your opposite arm and leg simultaneously, keeping your hips level and your spine neutral. Hold for 3–5 seconds, return to start, and alternate sides. Keep the movement deliberate and controlled — this is not about range of motion, it is about maintaining a stable center while the limbs move.

The Practical Summary

Healing your core after pregnancy does not mean doing more. It means doing the right things, at the right time, with enough consistency for the adaptation to take hold.

The exercises in this post are a bridge — from the foundational breathwork and deep core awareness you built first, toward the progressive strength training that protects your bones, supports your pelvic floor, and builds the kind of body that holds up for decades. Each stage matters. Each one earns the next.

Start where you are. Move well. Progress when you are ready.

Ready to go further?

If you would like more support, here’s where to begin:

👉 Download the Pregnancy & Postpartum Core Guide
👉 Explore our Postpartum Recovery Guide

This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding your bone health.