Diastasis recti — the separation of the abdominal muscles down the midline — affects most women in late pregnancy and lingers for a great many afterwards. The common picture is a “mummy tummy” that no amount of crunches seems to shift, often with a telltale doming or coning down the centre of the belly when you sit up. Here’s the part that surprises people: the goal isn’t really to “close the gap” by force. It’s to restore tension and coordination across the connective tissue (the linea alba) so your abdominal wall functions as a unit again. When that happens, the gap usually narrows as a consequence.
Key takeaway: Diastasis recti responds to retraining the deep core — breath, transverse abdominis, and pelvic floor working together — not to crunches. Most cases improve substantially with consistent work, and it’s never truly too late to start. Avoid any exercise that makes your belly dome along the midline.
The most effective exercises for diastasis recti rebuild deep core coordination before adding load. Start by connecting your exhale to a gentle drawing-in of the lower abdomen and a pelvic floor lift, without bulging. Progress to heel slides, single-leg lowers, and modified planks, watching for any doming along the midline. Avoid crunches and sit-ups. Sophie Mercer, PMA-certified clinical Pilates instructor, designed an 8-week Postpartum Recovery protocol of 32 exercises that retrain the abdominal wall safely, stage by stage.
Can diastasis recti be corrected with exercise?
For the large majority of people, yes. The key is understanding what you’re correcting. The rectus abdominis (“six-pack” muscles) have drifted apart, but the real issue is that the deep stabilising system — the transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and the connective tissue between them — has lost its coordinated tension. Targeted exercise restores that coordination, which both improves function (less back pain, a stronger core, better continence) and typically narrows the separation.
What it won’t do is respond to crunches. Loading a disorganised core with flexion work tends to push the contents of the abdomen forward against the weakest point — which is exactly why you see doming.
What is the best exercise for diastasis recti?
It starts with something that doesn’t look like an exercise at all: connected breathing. Lie on your back, knees bent. As you exhale slowly, imagine gently drawing your lower belly toward your spine and lifting your pelvic floor — like the feeling of stopping the flow of urine, but soft. Your belly should flatten, not bulge. That connection between breath, transverse abdominis, and pelvic floor is the foundation everything else builds on.
Once it’s reliable, you layer it into movement — heel slides, single-leg lowers, and eventually modified loaded work — always maintaining that gentle tension and watching the midline. Coordination beats repetition every time here.
Is it ever too late to fix diastasis recti?
No — and I say this often because so many women believe the window closed years ago. The first few postpartum months are the easiest time to make progress, but connective tissue and muscle stay responsive to training indefinitely. I’ve worked with clients retraining their core a decade or more after their last pregnancy with real, visible results. Progress may simply take more patience the further out you are.
What exercises should you avoid?
Until your deep core can manage pressure well, steer clear of:
- Crunches and sit-ups — classic flexion under load that pushes against the midline.
- Full front planks — too much demand before the core can hold tension; modify on the knees first.
- Deep backbends and big overhead reaches that let the belly pop forward.
- Heavy lifting while holding your breath — this spikes intra-abdominal pressure.
The simplest rule: if a movement makes your belly dome or cone along the centre line, regress it. The doming is direct feedback that the load has outrun your control.
How the Postpartum Recovery protocol helps
Sophie’s 8-Week Postpartum Recovery Program is built around exactly this sequence — restoring breath and deep-core connection first, then progressively rebuilding the abdominal wall and pelvic floor without ever provoking doming. Its 32 exercises are staged so you always know what’s appropriate for where you are, whether that’s six weeks or six years postpartum.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have a large separation (wider than three finger-widths), a hernia, or ongoing pelvic floor symptoms, please see a women’s health physiotherapist before starting a new programme.