The Quick & Easy Way to Strengthen Your Postpartum Abdominal Muscles

The below information on strengthening your postpartum core is brought to you by AllCore360.

What if I told you that you could strengthen your postpartum core without a single plank hold, sit up or bird-dog pose? What if I also told you that instead of doing those exercises or any others to combat the dreaded “mom pooch,” all you had to do was sit in a chair? Sounds gimmicky, right? I thought so too until I tried the new AllCore360 Therapy and Training System.

The Science Behind AllCore360

After finding physical therapy to be too painful for core injuries, Scott Bertrand, D.C., set out to find another way to rehab his core. Using the research of Stuart McGill, PhD, the leading spinal biomechanic researcher in the world, Bertrand discovered isometric contractions (where the joint angle and muscle length do not change during contraction) were more effective at healing the core than the typical dynamic core methods we are used to performing. With this knowledge, he combined the small movements with gravity and 360-degree strengthening to create the AllCore360 Training System.

How AllCore360 Works

Thanks to gravity, the AllCore360 therapy essentially forces your core to engage, giving you no choice but to activate the muscles. After strapping yourself into the AllCore360 rotating chair, a ball is placed in between your knees. Your feet rest on a platform, and your toes slide under a bar to keep your feet from moving too much. You then interlock your fingers and place your hands over your heart. While there is a back to the seat, it is not there for you to lean against. The idea is to not allow your feet, legs, back or arms to do any of the work.

Once settled in the proper position, you will be tilted backwards. Yep, rotating in a chair upright won’t do much for your core, but when you tilt it backwards at a certain degree, you will most certainly be engaged. The goal for each visit is to drop the degree at which you rotate. As the chair begins to move, and you try to stay in the proper position (remember don’t lean back, sit up tall and try not to use your arms or legs) you will feel your core muscles begin to work. The AllCore360 then rotates in a complete circle 10 times, each time around taking one minute. You will switch between going clockwise and counterclockwise, depending on what you did during the prior visit, ensuring that every muscle gets equal attention.

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I started on 65 degrees and ended on 50 degrees. It was always a challenge, but it definitely got tougher the more the chair leaned backwards. On my second-to-last visit, I was sweating and shaking while trying to carry on a conversation with the employee helping me. But it’s not a workout, or at least not in the traditional sense. AllCore360 advertises that you don’t even need to wear workout clothes to do it. Despite the fact that I was perspiring a little, I never left drenched in sweat or exhausted. In fact, I always felt refreshed and even a little amped.

How AllCore360 Can Benefit You Postpartum

So, as a mom why would you need something like the AllCore360? During pregnancy, your abdominal muscles widen to make room for your growing baby.  This is completely normal, and sometimes, the gap closes after birth. But if it doesn’t, you may suffer from diastasic recti, and if not fixed, it can lead to a whole slew of postpartum problems. You also might have developed some back pain during pregnancy — or even afterward from lugging the car seat everywhere — not to mention possibly dealing with the dreaded “mom pooch” caused by weakened abdominals during pregnancy. The AllCore360 addresses these problems by strengthening the 50 key muscles around your core, improving your posture and helping to close the gap. An added bonus is that participants tend to lose weight and/or inches off their waist.

When I started AllCore360, I was 12 weeks postpartum after having my third child, and I had a small gap in my abdomen. I am happy to report that after 12 sessions, the gap has closed and my waist went down one inch. I think that’s excellent progress without having to drastically alter my lifestyle.

In addition to helping moms regain their core strength, the AllCore360 helps athletes enhance their performance, treats patients with back pain and stabilizes and improves the performance of spinal injury patients.

Special Offer for Jax Moms Blog Readers

It is recommended to visit AllCore360 three times a week for a minimum of eight weeks, but you can continue to use the system to maintain and further increase strength for as long as you’d like. Pricing is $175 a month and includes up to 12 sessions a month. Located near St. Johns Town Center, AllCore360 Jacksonville is offering Jax Moms Blog readers three free sessions, plus a $10 Babies “R” Us gift card upon completion. If you decide to sign up, you will receive a $50 discount off the monthly membership at $125 through December 31, 2017. Simply mention Jax Moms Blog to receive offer.

Jena Pugh
Jena Pugh is a stay-at-home working mom, a wife to her adoring husband Paul, and mama to two spunky girls. She currently writes daily blogs for Entertainment Benefits Group, a travel company that sells discounted tickets to Orlando theme parks (BestofOrlando.com, OrlandoFunTickets.com) and Las Vegas (BestofVegas.com) shows and attractions. Her blogs include happenings in both Vegas and Orlando as well as celebrity sightings in Sin City. Jena also teaches group fitness classes with Jacksonville Stroller Strength and is certified as a nutrition coach.

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