If you’ve been doing planks or crunches hoping to flatten your postpartum belly pooch—but your belly still looks the same (or worse)—you’re not alone. Many new moms are unknowingly making their condition worse by doing the wrong kind of core exercises. The truth is: crunches and planks can actually exacerbate diastasis recti, the most common cause of a persistent belly bulge after birth.
- Why Crunches and Planks Are Harmful After Pregnancy
- The Problem with Intra-Abdominal Pressure
- What Is Belly Doming—And Why It’s a Red Flag
- How These Moves Can Widen Diastasis Recti
- Warning Signs You’re Doing More Harm Than Good
- Safer Core Workouts That Promote Healing
- How the Tupler Technique® Rebuilds Your Core Safely
- More Postpartum Pooch Resources
- FAQs
Why Crunches and Planks Are Harmful After Pregnancy
Crunches and planks may be go-to moves in fitness classes, but postpartum bodies need a different approach. If you have a postpartum belly pooch, there’s a high chance you also have diastasis recti. These exercises place intense pressure on the midline of your belly—often causing that stretched or weakened connective tissue to become even more compromised.
The Problem with Intra-Abdominal Pressure
Here’s what most people don’t realize: your core isn’t just muscles—it’s a pressure system. During moves like crunches and planks, you create high intra-abdominal pressure. If your connective tissue can’t handle that pressure, the force escapes through the weakest point—usually down the middle of your abdomen, right where the separation exists.
What Is Belly Doming—And Why It’s a Red Flag
If your belly forms a cone or dome shape when you do a sit-up or get out of bed, that’s called doming. It’s a visible sign that your abdominal muscles are separating under pressure. Instead of engaging and supporting your core, your muscles are pushing outward—worsening the postpartum pooch and increasing the risk of injury.
How These Moves Can Widen Diastasis Recti
When you perform crunches or planks incorrectly—or before your core is ready—the force generated from the movement pushes out on the linea alba (the connective tissue between your abs). If that tissue is already weak from pregnancy, these exercises may:
- Delay healing of the diastasis recti
- Worsen separation between the rectus muscles
- Stretch or thin the connective tissue further
- Aggravate symptoms like lower back pain or pelvic instability
Warning Signs You’re Doing More Harm Than Good
If you experience any of the following while exercising, it’s time to pause and reevaluate:
- Belly cones, domes, or bulges during effort
- Increased pressure or pain in the pelvic floor
- Low back strain or instability
- Feeling of your belly pushing outward, not inward
Safer Core Workouts That Promote Healing
Instead of pushing your body harder, the solution is to train smarter. Start with gentle, controlled movements that strengthen your transverse abdominis—your natural corset muscle. These include:
- Seated or lying core contractions with breath work
- Transverse holds in neutral spine positions
- Wearing a splint to support muscle alignment
- Correct breathing to train intra-abdominal pressure
How the Tupler Technique® Rebuilds Your Core Safely
The Tupler Technique® was developed specifically for healing diastasis recti. It teaches you how to:
- Engage the transverse muscle properly
- Support and protect your connective tissue
- Avoid movements that increase pressure
- Safely rebuild core strength for long-term stability
If you’ve been unknowingly making your condition worse with planks or crunches, don’t worry—it’s not too late. With the right approach, your belly can flatten and your core can heal.
More Postpartum Pooch Resources
Read more in our series about the real root of the belly bulge and what to do about it:
- What Is a Postpartum Belly Pooch (And Why It Doesn’t Go Away)
- How to Tell If Your Postpartum Belly Pooch Is Actually Diastasis Recti
- The #1 Mistake Women Make Trying to Flatten a Postpartum Belly Pooch
- Join the Free Introductory Workshop
