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September 27, 2011

Fantastic Results healing the diastasis recti through the Tupler Technique®

To those of you who have been told surgery is the only option – look no further!! I see amazing results everyday!! Look at your other options! I have seen so many great results recently, and I wanted to post a few of them!

Client SD:

This client is in her low 30s. She is a mom of 2 kids, and had an OUTTIE belly button. In only 2 weeks, here is what happened with her:

DIASTASIS	waist	upper	middle	lower
Week 1	29 3/4	3	5	4
Week 2	28 1/8	.25	1.5	2.5

Her belly button issues have totally been resolved! Instead of feeling the need to put tape over her belly button, her connective tissue was drawn inward and healed nicely, as well as her diastasis coming together signifigantly ESPECIALLY for just 2 weeks!! Not her waist size is down more than 1 ½ inches! ! She did 10 sets of 100 of Seated Tupler Contractions everyday, AND wore the splint.

Client HB

This client is also in her low 30s. She also has 2 kids, and had C sections.

DIASTASIS	waist	upper	middle	lower
Week 1	28 3/8	1	3	3
Week 2	26 7/16	.75	.5	.25

This client is clinically closed – but I know we can close that upper the rest of the way. Her technique was fantastic and in only TWO WEEKS she has gone down 1 ½ inches as well! She did 10 sets of 100 of Seated Tupler Contractions everyday, AND wore the splint.

Client SH

This client is 41 and has 2 kids. She in below her prepregnancy weight, eats PRIMAL, and works out with a personal trainer 4 times a week, and does a video the rest of the week (and now works with me). She literally just had the last piece of the puzzle to go – her belly. Unbeknownst to her, she had a large hernia, extending 4 ½ inches along her connective tissue. It protruded out 1 ¾ inches with just a little movement in her abdominal region.

DIASTASIS	waist	upper	middle	lower
Week 1	32	2	3	4 1/4
Week 8	30	1.75	2.25	.5

The big news here is the hernia!! Her waist is looking much better, and the diastasis, especially in the lower region has significantly gone down. But the HERNIA…! It is now only 2 ¾ in length, and protrudes only .25 inches – a FRACTION of what it was both in length and in depth!!! She has been fairly consistent with 10 sets of 100 and wears her splint religiously!

Client SH #2

This client (different than the previous) is in her late 20s. She had twins 7 years ago via C section, and a 3 child via C section. She is a doula (my doula actually!) and wanted to put things back together again.

DIASTASIS	waist	upper	middle	lower
Week 1	29 3/8	3	8	4
Week 4	27 3/4	1.5	3 shallow	2.5

Only working with this client 2 times – she had AMAZING results!! She brought her 8 down to 3 shallow – meaning her connective tissue is really healing nicely and it shouldn’t be too long before its totally together. Her other areas are looking much better as well – AND she lost 2 inches in her waist. She did the 10 sets of 100 Seated Tupler Contractions and wore her splint. Moms of Multiples –pay attention!! You can SO do this!!

More results and pictures to come!! It is so rewarding to see amazing progress, to see the hope restored in the women I work with, and to help restore their midsection!!!

September 12, 2011

Workshop button fixed for Diastasis Rehab Lose Your Mummy Tummy® Workshop

UPDATE: We have a larger room than originally thought – we can still seat 4 3 more!!

Hi All!!

There are only a couple of spots left for this week’s Diastasis Rehab Lose Your Mummy Tummy® Workshop – the last one for 2011 in the Chicagoland area!

Several of you have emailed me that they got an error trying to “add to cart.” I apologize! I have fixed it and you may now sign up without error.

A big thanks to those of you that brought this to my attention!

I will email you the address and details upon payment. I look forward to seeing you there!

September 1, 2011

What exercises can i do with a Diastasis Recti? Cardio? Sports? Abs? For Arms? Legs? Obliques?

So have you freaked out because you have a diastasis recti and don’t know what exercises you should do?

First, of COURSE, you should do the Tupler Technique® for at least 6 weeks WITHOUT other exercises. This will adequately strengthen your trasnverse, start healing your connective tissue, AND close the gap without possibility (and PROBABILITY) of stalling your progress.

I did have one client who played soccer – she LOVED it. Soccer is a fantastic sport – I have my own son in soccer. However, the moves, dives, positions she would put her body into would compromise her diastasis recti, which was 4 [fingerwidths] on top, 4 in middle, and 3 on the bottom. She progressed with me in 6 weeks only one fingerwidth of closure in the middle because her transverse was not strong enough to sustain the other movements she was doing. Sad also because her “belly” was the last piece of the puzzle for her.

So lets talk about what you CAN do. I have addressed this also somewhat HERE talking about planks, pilates and push ups, You also already know CRUNCHES are a joke and should be avoided at all cost, but there really is so much more to talk about! Having read a couple forums and discussion boards I see this is a topic of concern.

Second you must SPLINT with the Diastasis Rehab® Splint while doing the following exercises or you will COMPROMISE your results. I see it ALL the time! Many of my clients who LOVE to run (which is NOT me) will run with their splints and the splints will get nasty and sweaty. So they will get one for the sweaty stuff, and one to wear everywhere else.

NOW lets say you have strengthened for the 6 weeks, your gap is closed or close to being closed, what next?

ARMS:

DYNA BANDS: I LOVE dyna bands (also called resistance bands but WITHOUT the handles). I do sitting exercises for arms with my clients with these and also standing ones.
WEIGHTS are ok. They tend to be harder on their joints and you can readily change them as fast as you cant let out or bring in a band based on the ability of your trasnverse to stay AT THE 5th FLOOR THE ENTIRE TIME.
WORK ARMS DIFFERENTLY: When working arms I find it beneficial to see which arm of my clients is the weaker arm (usually but NOT always is the hand they don’t use as often). To work the arms with the same weights in most cases just seems silly to me. People tend to have better developed shoulders, biceps and forearms on the side of the hand they use most. So why work them the same? Better to even them out then to end up with weird compensations in your body to make up for the unevenness.
SQUEEZE SHOULDERBLADES: Also its important to make sure you do arm exercises that will not ROUND your shoulders. We women tend to have VERY rounded shoulders and horrible posture because of nursing, computer work, holding kids… Exercises that will facilitate squeezing the shoulder blades together will be VERY beneficial for the postural element…which will help your whole appearance (and SAVE your back).

LEGS

PILATES: This will surprise many based on my outspokenness on the pitfalls of Pilates, but SIDELYING pilates are for the most part pretty great! I do avoid the scissors for the most part with sidelying as I find the transverse becomes disengaged quite easily. The Windsor Pilates has some great sidelying options – just be ON GUARD of your transverse becoming disengaged…then you will know you should NOT be doing that one…skip to the next. (By the way – Joseph Pilates had a diastasis recti – I would estimate at about 4 fingerwidths. There is a great picture we show at the workshops..)
WEIGHTS with legs are fine AS LONG AS you can hold the transverse at the 5th floor. If you can’t, cut the rep short, or do the reps with less weight.

AEROBICS

RUNNING/WALKING: It is FANTASTIC to be doing walking and running while doing the Tupler Technique, even in the 1st 6 weeks. I put on my shape up shoes and walk with my hubby every chance I get – good for the body and the soul.
KICKBOXING beware – Many of these move need to be done only AFTER the diastasis is closed. However, there are SOME tweaks you can make – not punching ACROSS your body, but right in front will eliminate the danger or SHEARING your diastasis recti. Kicks can be ok – just beware the ones that go from the left to the right side of your body – which will also cause shearing. They are fine After you close the diastasis. However, there are many kicks that stay on one side and these should be fine with your diastasis recti (as LONG AS your trasnverse can stay at the 5th floor).
KARATE AND TAEKWONDO– I would say the same as above. Most of the martial arts you will want to do AFTER you close your diastasis recti.
STEP class GREAT!
SPIN class GREAT!
ZUMBA GREAT!
AVOID THE ABS they do in these classes.

YOGA

Yoga – mostly great.
Avoid the Chataranga or modify it by putting one knee on the ground.
Watch in the Triangle that you don’t let your transverse out of the 5th floor position.
Avoid the abs they do in those classes, and don’t get in and out of poses by jacknifing!

OBLIQUES

Most the ones I see CPTs do with clients or in classes involve a side to side motion. AVOID THOSE as they will shear the diastasis recti and make it bigger.
You can lay on your side, body elongated and in a slight pike position, and do the Tupler Contractions from 5th to the 6th floor. Make sure your waist is elevated.

SPORTS:

Basketball – great! Beneficial to do more AFTER the first 6 weeks of the Tupler Technique® program.
Soccer – great! Beneficial to do more AFTER the first 6 weeks of the Tupler Technique® program.
Swimming – Beneficial to do more AFTER the first 6 weeks of the Tupler Technique® program.
Water aerobics – Beneficial to do more AFTER the first 6 weeks of the Tupler Technique® program.
Tennis – WAIT UNITL AFTER the diastasis recti is closed!! To much side to side shearing of the diastasis recti.
Baseball – great! Beneficial to do more AFTER the first 6 weeks of the Tupler Technique® program.
Golf- WAIT UNITL AFTER the diastasis recti is closed!! To much side to side shearing of the diastasis recti.

What other exercises do you have questions on doing with a diastasis recti or after you have closed it to avoid reopening? I’m ALL EARS!!

August 23, 2011

UPCOMING TUPLER TECHNIQUE® EVENT TO TREAT DIASTASIS RECTI: "Lose Your Mummy Tummy" WORKSHOPS!!

SOME EXCITING NEWS!
I am doing a new format for teaching the Tupler Technique® which is the “Diastasis Rehab Lose Your Mummy Tummy®” Workshops.

Here is the rundown!
What do we do and learn at the workshops?

· This program is 6 weeks in length: 6.5 hours of instruction broken up into 3 sessions

· Learn what a diastasis is and how it creates the “Mummy Tummy”

· You will be given a strategy to meet individual abdominal needs, based on your diastasis

· Weekly check-ins, updates, and motivation from your instructor

· Unlimited access to your instructor via email, phone, text, and skype

LEARN THE FOLLOWING:

· Basic anatomy of the abdominals

· How to:

1. Close the diastasis, flatten the belly, and shrink the waistline

2. Splint the abdominals to approximate the two halves of the recti together

3. Perform B.A.K.S. exercises properly – the Tupler Technique® foundation

4. Get up and down correctly

**Each person will be measured for a diastasis in 3 different areas, and receive a personalized assessment for fastest results during the first class, and a follow up measurement at the last class to check progress

Held at:

Oak Park Yoga and Wellness,
327 Chicago Ave. , Oak Park, IL (708) 445-0392

DAY 1: Saturday, September 17,2011 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

DAY 2: Saturday, October 8, 2011 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
FINAL DAY: Saturday, Oct 22, 2011 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Many people have been emailing me asking me how to sign up. You can do that on this site. Look on the right hand side temporarily near the top so its easy to find. If you don’t have Paypal account, email me at bonniewayne1177@hotmail.com and I will work something out with you.

Hope to see many of you there!

July 11, 2011

Singer Jewel does Tupler Technique® during Pregnancy! Celebs catching the wave..

An article is coming out in Fit Pregnancy Magazine about Jewel encorporating the Tupler Technique® during pregnancy. I have read several sites lately of forums of those wondering if they can do the Tupler Technique® while pregnant. YES!! I did it during baby number 3 and 4 pregnancies (and after of course). Its sooo great to start early and do it DURING pregnancy. I can’t tell you the amount of women who have told me they SO wished they would have done it during pregnancy. Its a GREAT article – check it out!!

http://www.fitpregnancy.com/motherhood/celebs/jewel-sweet-wild-child

I would love to hear your thoughts or inquiries after reading- Please share!!

July 5, 2011

My Before and After picture of Diastasis Recti after baby #4

So AS PROMISED I am posting my before and after pics of my belly with baby #4. Here the before picture of my belly is actually going to be my pregnancy belly. I wanted to take a really great ugly shot of my abs after baby #4 since my waist was a full 2 inches bigger after baby #4 – it was 34 rather than 32. However, in my state of sleep deprivation and healing I failed to get that super ugly shot!

In this pregnancy shot – pregnant with baby #4, and my biggest baby of the crew, you can see the gully right at the belly button – which is my Diastasis Recti: This time it got to a 4 fingerwidths in the middle, and 3 fingerwidths on top, and 3 fingerwidths on the bottom.

Here is another belly shot where you can see how stretched out my belly got, you can see the outline of my diastasis at the weakest point of the connective tissue – the belly button.

Here is my recent after – I still have that last inch to go to get to 25 1/2 inches (currently at 26 1/2 inch waist)- but its a work in progress. This was taken 9 weeks after birth after closing my diastasis recti in week 6 and toning with the Tupler Technique®: I did 10 sets of 100 Seated Tuplers every day until my diastasis was closed. I also wore my Diastasis Rehab® Splint very diligently. I think that was a big factor to have closed my diastasis faster than after my 3rd pregnancy, when I didn’t wear the Splint nearly as often.

So that is that! Another baby down, another diastasis conquered!

July 5, 2011

My Before and After picture of Diastasis Recti after baby #4

Here is another belly shot where you can see how stretched out my belly got, you can see the outline of my diastasis at the weakest point of the connective tissue – the belly button.

So that is that! Another baby down, another diastasis conquered!

June 27, 2011

Belly after Twins and Triplets= Major Diastasis Recti after Multiples

Lets face it – having twins or triplets (not to mention just ONE child) can REALLY do a number on your belly! Apart from the stretch marks, the loose skin, and most likely a C section scar, you have to deal with the elephant in the room – The gap in the recti muscles – the diastasis recti!

Needless to say, several of my clients are moms of multiples. I can’t fathom having multiples and NOT knowing the Tupler Technique®!!

One of my moms in my classes right now is the biggest diastasis I personally have ever worked with – it was 10 fingerwidths apart. This mom is in her upper 30s and has twins – they were both a little over 5 lbs when born. She is about 5 ‘4. I had actually run out of Diastasis Rehab® Splints by the time I got to her and I felt terrible! Here was someone who needed the Splint worse than anyone I had ever worked with and I ran out! I ordered new ones but they didn’t come in time for the class that next week! I felt even worse! I got them in the next day but had to wait the full week to see her again to get her splinted. She STILL managed to bring her 10 fingerwidth diastasis recti to a 7 in the middle in 2 calendar weeks withOUT a splint, which is really incredible.

UPDATE: As of 1 week after this post, this woman diminished her diastasis by half,with the help of the Splint, and 5 to 8 sets of 100 Seated Tuplers per day, and good body mechanics (getting up and down correctly, keeping transverse in on the work part of EVERYTHING she did – lifting kids, doing exercises, etc).

Just 3 weeks ago, she was the largest diastasis I have worked with at 10 fingerwidths, and 3 calendar weeks later – she is a 5 Semi SHALLOW (meaning her diastasis is no longer the deep cavern it once was – it is diminished to a shallow gap. AMAZING! Most Ob gyns and Surgeons would have told her she would DEFINITELY need surgery. Proven wrong once more!!
She told me tonite she noticed her pants fit SO much better and her waist feels much smaller.

Usually the thing I run into with people that have had multiples is that their recti are so split (if they didn’t do the Tupler Technique® DURING pregnancy) that their mind-body connection of the muscle is completely nil. The Diastasis Recti® Splint not only approximates the muscle so the exercises are more effective, but it helps with the mind body connection BECAUSE the muscles are more approximated – its a great synergistic effect.

Of course most OB GYNs would refer the moms of multiples to a surgeon with a diastasis recti, and most surgeons would tell you that surgery is the only way to go. Like I have mentioned in previous posts, most medical professionals only learn about the diastasis recti for a PARAGRAPH in med school. When they do residency, their mentors refer these patients to a surgeon, so that is what THEY do. The process is perpetuated. And surgeons CAN* fix a diastasis recti but artifically sewing weak muscles together – but without strengthening and having the right body mechanics (getting up and down properly, lying in and out of bed preperly and avoiding crunches and other bad abdominals) they can blow RIGHT through their stitches and the recti can also resplit (not to mention the high risk of infection and lengthy recovery time).

But moms of multiples do NOT NEED a surgeon to fix their diastasis recti or mummy tummy – they can learn to train to transverse muscle to bring the two halves of the recti together! This can be done DURING AND AFTER pregnancy! The Tupler Technique® is so important for putting your body (specifically your belly) back together again, getting rid of the back pain (by closing the recti and strengthening the transverse), and essentially restoring your pre-pregnancy midsection!

So moms of multiples – DONT get discouraged over your “Mummy Tummy” – the Tupler Technique is the absolute BEST thing you can do for your body!! Your weird belly button issues can BE RESOLVED! You DONT NEED surgery – training your muscles to bring the recti together are SUCH A NECESSITY for you!!

Many people ask about loose skin – skin is age and genetics (although contouring creme can be a welcome addition) – but the muscles and connective tissue healed underneath the skin will improve GREATLY the look of your skin. Staying hydrated and eating things that keep your skin more elastic will help – think dark green veggies, lemon water, and good HEALTHY protein – fish, soy, etc.

All of you moms of multiples out there – what questions do you have about your bellies, your abs, or any other body-restoring question? Lets bring to light all those questions that will help you put yourself BACK TOGETHER again after having your multiples!!

June 27, 2011

Belly after Twins and Triplets= Major Diastasis Recti after Multiples

Needless to say, several of my clients are moms of multiples. I can’t fathom having multiples and NOT knowing the Tupler Technique®!!

Of course most OB GYNs would refer the moms of multiples to a surgeon with a diastasis recti, and most surgeons would tell you that surgery is the only way to go. Like I have mentioned in previous posts, most medical professionals only learn about the diastasis recti for a PARAGRAPH in med school. When they do residency, their mentors refer these patients to a surgeon, so that is what THEY do. The process is perpetuated. And surgeons CAN* fix a diastasis recti but artifically sewing weak muscles together – but without strengthening and having the right body mechanics (getting up and down properly, lying in and out of bed preperly and avoiding crunches and other bad abdominals) and strengthening their transverse with the Tupler Technique® they can blow RIGHT through their stitches and the recti can also resplit (not to mention the high risk of infection and lengthy recovery time).

But surgery is NOT NEEDED to fix this condition! EVEN IF THE RECTI ARE SPLIT TO 10 FINGERWIDTHS! And you can start doing the Tupler Technique® DURING your pregnancy, and within 1 week if you had a C section, and within 24 hours if you had a vaginal delivery.

So moms of multiples – DONT get discouraged over your “Mummy Tummy” – the Tupler Technique is the absolute BEST thing you can do for your body!! Your weird belly button issues can BE RESOLVED! Your back problems can be addressed by working your recti and transverse muscles proplerly through the Tupler Technique®. You DONT NEED surgery – training your muscles to bring the recti together are SUCH A NECESSITY for you!!

Many people ask about loose skin – skin is age and genetics (although contouring creme can be a welcome addition) – but the muscles and connective tissue healed underneatht he skin will improve GREATLY the look of your skin. Staying hydrated and eating things that keep your skin more elastic will help – think dark green veggies, lemon water, and good HEALTHY protein – fish, soy, etc.

June 16, 2011

What other exercises should I do? Planks? Push-ups? Pilates?

As asked by two different clients. GREAT questions! You don’t want to undo all the work you have done to bring your diastasis back together!

You SHOULD absolutely compliment the Tupler Technique with other exercises!! Anything aerobic is GREAT! Walking, Running, etc.

Yoga is mostly fine – just watch how you get into and out of postures – no jacknifing and avoid the abs they do.

Pilates is full of quagmires for getting your diastasis back together – avoid it for several weeks until you know HOW to modify things that can backtrack you back to step 1, or make you worse, like Pilates 100, Corkscrew, Teaser, /Scissors, Saw and (of course) Jacknife. I will modify a few of these for my clients – like Pilates 100, Scissors, and Teaser, and avoid doing the other ones ALTOGETHER!

The Eliptical is great, Treadmill is great…

Watch that you avoid any Crossover movements – like punching (with kick boxing), golf and tennis until your diastasis is all the way back together. Avoid lifting weights until after you have strengthened at least 4 weeks so you don’t undo any of the work you are doing to heal your diastasis.

PLANKS – be CAREFUL, be CAREFUL, be CAREFUL!

Doing the side plank you will want to not put both feet all the way extended – bend one leg to support yourself with and extend your body and the leg on the top, keeping the transverse to the spine.
Doing the plank where your belly is parallel to the floor can be VERY hard on the transverse that it can’t engage very easily. Avoid until after you have been through the 6 week program and/or have closed the diastasis, and even then have CAUTION because with the gravity factor can be hard, as well as the strength demanded by the transverse. Even seasoned Tupler Techniquers beware of this one. I would drop ONE knee and bend at the wrist rather than the elbow and get the same extension of the body.

PUSHUPS – two words: GIRL PUSH UPS (you know, with your knees on the ground) or PUSH-UPS (while standing) against the wall. The latter might not sound like anything to write home about, but do these slowly and methodically, bringing your body weight all the way against the wall with the transverse to the spine, and you will be feeling it my friend. ABSOLUTELY Fantastic for all you preggos out there!! Can’t say it enough! But great for anyone as your transverse will not be compromised, but your arms will look GREAT after doing these!

Have any specific exercises you have questions about? List them in the comments section and I will tackle them for you!!

Beautiful After the Belly

Latest Posts

Fantastic Results healing the diastasis recti through the Tupler Technique®

Workshop button fixed for Diastasis Rehab Lose Your Mummy Tummy® Workshop

What exercises can i do with a Diastasis Recti? Cardio? Sports? Abs? For Arms? Legs? Obliques?

UPCOMING TUPLER TECHNIQUE® EVENT TO TREAT DIASTASIS RECTI: "Lose Your Mummy Tummy" WORKSHOPS!!

Singer Jewel does Tupler Technique® during Pregnancy! Celebs catching the wave..

My Before and After picture of Diastasis Recti after baby #4

My Before and After picture of Diastasis Recti after baby #4

Belly after Twins and Triplets= Major Diastasis Recti after Multiples

Belly after Twins and Triplets= Major Diastasis Recti after Multiples

What other exercises should I do? Planks? Push-ups? Pilates?

2024 UPCOMING WORKSHOPS!

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