their torso looks like more like a self-storage
unit with everything but the roll-up doors. It’s
Fitness important to remember that you get fat from
Report: the inside out! Your abdominal muscles don’t
differentiate between the stretch from a fetus
and the stretch from fat. Either will induce a
stretch force, keeping the muscles long and
resulting in an unattractive abdominal wall, not
to mention increasing your chances of back
Flattening Your Stomach pain.
after Pregnancy
Today, many women have distended
abdominal muscles years after having children.
Sadly, this is unnecessary. The abdominal
muscles go through a unique lengthening
process when a woman becomes pregnant. As
the fetus grows, there is increased stretch
placed on the abdominal wall from the inside.
This stretch force causes the body to add
functional units called sacromeres to the
abdominal muscles, making them progressively
longer.
After childbirth, the stretch force is
reduced and the sacromeres begin reducing in
number. Normally, the muscles should return
to normal length. Unfortunately, this natural
rebounding process may not occur if the
woman becomes pregnant again too soon,
gains excess weight, or has a cesarean section.
If the female becomes pregnant again Cesarean sections can cause a lot of
before her body has fully restored itself to problems for females. I’ve rehabilitated
normal muscle length/tension ratio, posture numerous females with low back pain that
and body weight, there’s a greater chance with developed within 3 – 6 months after having a
each additional child that the body may not cesarean section. When the doctor cuts
remember what is should be like. I’ve noticed through the abdominal wall, the muscles are
that female clients who’ve had more than two wounded. There are three layers of muscle
children in a two-year period or less have a comprising the abdominal wall, and when the
high incidence of abdominal wall dysfunction. layers of muscle are sewn back together
In some American Indian tribes, it was scarring occurs, leaving significant adhesions
forbidden for a brave to get a female pregnant and causing dysfunction of the abdominal wall.
more often than once every three years. The Where there’s scarring and adhesions,
elders knew from experience that this muscle fibers, as well as independent layers of
weakened women so much that it was a threat muscle, lose their ability to slide across one
to the survival of the tribe. another effectively. The resulting pain always
Some women use pregnancy as an causes inhibition (weakness) in the muscles.
excuse to eat everything in sight. In no time, Women soon learn to avoid contracting the
painful muscles and develop faulty muscle therapist skilled in restoration of pelvic floor
recruitment patterns. This directly destabilizes and abdominal wall function. It’s important to
the back and indirectly destabilizes the entire understand that Heart Bottom Syndrome
body. places you at a far greater risk of orthopedic
Damage to the pelvic floor is a common and visceral injury when exercising and
occurrence during pregnancy. The muscles performing daily tasks because you cannot
can become damaged from the stretch effectively stabilize your spine.
pressure due to the expanding womb or from
an episiotomy. There may also be damage to The Solution
nerves, leaving the pelvic floor disabled to To restore abdominal muscles to their optimal
varying degrees. Because the deep abdominal, length, take these steps:
deep back, and diaphragm muscles all work as 1. Eat supportively for your metabolic type.
part of a system, when the muscles of the 2. Eat only high quality foods and drink
pelvic floor are damaged, the result may be adequate amounts of pure water.
the inability to use the abdominal wall muscles. 3. Consult a CHEK Practitioner for a
After about 6 - 12 months, a woman with this comprehensive assessment and
dysfunction will typically have what I call Heart corresponding corrective exercises.
Bottom Syndrome.
When the pelvic floor becomes
dysfunctional, the smaller portion of the butt
muscles, become hyper active as they assist in The preceding information was taken from
stabilizing the pelvis and its contents. This Paul Chek’s book, How To Eat Move and
leads to atrophy of the larger butt muscles and Be Healthy, the illustrations and information
prominence of the gluteus medius muscles on is copyrighted material and property of the
the side of the butt. C.H.E.K. Institute of Vista, CA.
For more information on this subject please
contact Amy Miller, at FLEX Fitness Center.
Amy is a student of Mr. Chek and is well
qualified to assist you with restoration of
proper abdominal function and can definitely
help you flatten your abs forever!
Amy Miller
C.H.E.K. Exercise Coach
FLEX Fitness Center
474 Century Lane
Holland, MI 49423
(616)396-2901 Gym
(616)510-5016 Mobile
If you think you have Heart Bottom
Syndrome or are frustrated with the inability to
[email protected]flatten your stomach, I highly recommend
consulting a CHEK Practitioner or a physical
