Experiencing ab separation?
Boxing is an incredible way to rebuild strength through your shoulders and tone your arms. However, it requires movement through your core which can be detrimental to rebuilding your abdominal layer postpartum.
Let’s talk about boxing for postnatal mumma’s!
What is ab separation?
As your belly grows during pregnancy, your abdominal muscles stretch and change. Your deepest layer of abdominals acts like a corset which wraps around from your spine and joins together at your front. This layer has a close relationship to your breathing and pelvic floor muscles – two key elements of abdominal connection and core strength. During pregnancy, this layer stretches and thins which can impact this relationship. This is what we refer to as ab separation.
Rebuilding your abdominal layer and finding the connection between your abdominals, breath and pelvic floor is an important process in your postpartum recovery.
What movements do I need to avoid?
Any rotation or dynamic movements through your core can bring pain or further damage to your abdominal layer. It is important to focus on combining your breath with slow, controlled abdominal work as you rebuild connection and stability in your abdominals.
Boxing for Postnatal Mumma’s
- Using 1kg hand weights, or no weights, start in a staggered leg position with one foot in front, both feet tracking forward. Unlike the usual boxing stance, keep both feet flat on the ground to ensure you are stable and grounded. You want to avoid any rotation through your core so it is important for both feet to be tracking forward and parallel.
- Inhale and on the exhale, feel your core engage and connect. Imagine your ribs knitting together. Raise your hands up in front of your face, with your elbows in, tight to your ribcage.
- Find a target directly in front of you, and maintain direct eye contact with your target.
- Begin your punches, avoiding any rotation through your centre or pivoting through your feet. It is important to stay grounded and forward-facing, only increase your pace to the point in which you can maintain this position.
- Ensure full extension of your elbow, turning your knuckles over at the end of each punch.
- Keep your chin down, looking towards the end of your knuckles.
This is a great way to create space through your chest and shoulders, build upper body strength and tone in your arms. This is extremely important for postnatal mumma’s, to perform functional movements such as carrying, lifting and feeding your baby.
