Uncategorized – Tony Gentilcore

How Much Weight Should I Use? (revisted)

There are few questions that illicit my inner Jaws theme music than the title of this blog post. Other nominations include

Hey, do you do CrossFit? – DA NUM

So I saw something on Instagram about this detox tea that supposedly makes you shit out your spleen, but whatever. I heard it’s totally healthy and worth it. Thoughts? – DAAAAAA NUM

Babe, can you empty the dishwasher? – DA NUM, DA NUM, DA NUM, DA NUM, DA NUM…

Admittedly, it comes across as a bit weird and hoity toity that I’d roll my eyes at such an obvious question I’d receive given what I do to pay my bills. I mean, would an accountant be so crass as to be annoyed at a client asking whether or not they deducted business expenses from their taxes? Would a family doctor not expect to be pelted with questions about cholesterol or how to manage diabetes on a daily basis?

Would Han Solo be irked about constantly bragging about completing the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs?

I think not!

It all comes with the territory and is part of the job.¹

To that end, I try my best to be a reliable source of information for my clients and I try to keep things as simple as possible. We live in an era where OVER information is a thing and it’s not surprising to me that so many people are confused and seemingly paralyzed over something as inane and common sense as to whether or not an apple is viewed as a viable snack (and that eating it, despite (evil word) glyphosate!, you won’t cause you to grow a third nipple).

One question I receive on an almost weekly (if not daily) basis is ~~can your pecs cut diamonds?~~ how much weight should I be using on this exercise?

Again, it’s a very relevant question to ask given what I do for a living, and one that, unfortunately, takes a little time to answer. When working with people in person I have this handy protocol I like to call “coaching” where I’m able to give them instant feedback on a set-by-set basis.

I’ll tell them to increase/decrease/or maintain weight on any given exercise as I see fit.

Sometimes I give them a sense of autonomy and allow them to choose how much weight feels comfortable to them (and allows them to execute good form), and then we just make an effort to increase the load in subsequent sessions.

The idea is to give them a maximal training effect using the minimum effective dose without causing harm or pain. Challenge people, encourage progressive overload, but not to the point where they feel like they can’t feel the right side of their face during their workout.

Pretty self-explanatory stuff. Also, here’s a hint: if your client can’t feel their face, please call an ambulance.

Where things get tricky is when people are on their own and don’t have someone telling them what to do.

What then?

Here Are Some Options/Considerations/Whathaveyou

For Beginner Lifters

I like two options:

1. Pick Something

As I alluded to above, just have them (or you yourself) choose a weight that you KNOW can be done with good technique and feels “doable” to them. The research is pretty hefty on this front…

…beginners can use as low as 40% of their 1-rep max on any given exercise and still see strength gains.

In other words, they can look at a dumbbell and get stronger.

You DO NOT need to load them very aggressively at the start. The goal should be to acclimate them to what it feels like to be under load and to build familiarity with the exercise.

Progress from there.

2. Provide a Rep Window

Once the initial shock of lifting heavy things has passed and you’re gaining some competence then what I prefer to do is give a “rep-window” to adhere to. In simplest terms let’s say someone’s program says to perform three sets of bench press at 8-12 repetitions (the rep window).

The goal would be to stay with the same load until the upper rep limit is attained on every set. This could take anywhere from one session to several weeks. With the latter it may look something like this:

Week 1

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×10
– Set #3: 175×9

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDVuQi4gdtk

Week 2

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×10
– Set #3: 175×10

Week 3

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×12
– Set #3: 175×10

Week 4

– Set #1: 175×12
– Set #2: 175×12
– Set #3: 175×12

NOW the weight can be increased 5-10 lbs. and you start the process all over again.

ADDENDUM: While this approach works very well 95% of the time, one thing you have to consider is that some people will invariably undershoot themselves. You’ll give them a rep range to follow (8-12) and they will follow it (increasing load accordingly), but they’ll end up using a load that they can easily perform 20 reps with. Alas, it’s human nature to take the path of least resistance. In this case what I like to do is to toss in a pop-quiz of sorts and to test them to see if they’re pushing themselves enough. On their last set I’ll instruct them to do an AMRAP (As Many Sets As Possible) set. Ideally, if they’re locked in it should look something like 12-10-9-8. If they’re fudging it, it will look something like 10-10-10-17.

Cue death stare here.

For Intermediate Lifters

To set the tone, to me, an intermediate lifter is someone who has had at least 2+ years of (serious) strength under their belt. Meaning, they’ve made a concerted effort to consistently train with barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, machines, not Orange Theory for a minimum of two years.

At this point we’re likely past the point of utilizing a rep window to direct loading and we need something that takes into account day to day and week to week fluctuations in energy levels, stress levels, and general fuckery.

As I have been known to say in the past: some days we show up to the gym feeling like Thanos with all the Infinity Stones in hand and we can push the envelop with our training. Other days, not so much.

The stronger one gets and the more stress they’re putting on their body, the more important it is to understand that the “juice” isn’t always going to be there and that sometimes it’s just a matter of getting some quality reps in rather than hitting a pre-prescribed load or rep range. To steal a saying from a long-time colleague of mine, and owner of Bonvec Strength (located in western Massachusetts), Tony Bonvechio:

You need to teach people how to load themselves rather than telling them.

One tool to accomplish this is using the RPE or Rate of Perceived Exertion (although I prefer to say Effort) system.

Popularized by renowned strength coach, Mike Tuchscherer, the RPE system is a rating system that describes how hard or how much effort you should be applying to a lift.

Generally speaking it looks like this:

RPE 10: Maximal, no reps left in the tank

RPE 9: Last rep is tough but still one rep left in the tank

RPE 8: Weight is too heavy to maintain fast bar speed but isn’t a struggle; 2–4 reps left

RPE 7: Weight moves quickly when maximal force is applied to the weight; “speed weight”

RPE 6: Light speed work; moves quickly with moderate force

RPE 5: Most warm-up weights

RPE 4: Recovery; usually 20 plus rep sets; not hard but intended to flush the muscle

An RPE below four isn’t important.

So for example I may write in a program something like this:

A. Work up to 1×5 @ RPE 8 on Deadlift

B. then accumulate 15 total reps at 90% of top set above (3×5 or 5×3)

In this case if someone ends up ramping up to 1×5 @ 275 on their deadlift (at an RPE 8), then that means they’ll follow that with 3×5 or 5×3 at 90% of 275 which is 245-250 lbs. In this scenario I know that all subsequent repetitions are likely going to be “fast,” clean, and pristine and give the lifter an opportunity to accumulate training volume that won’t destroy him or her in the long-run.

To quote Coach Tuscherer:

If the RPE system seems awkward at first, don’t worry. You’ll get used to it and be able to use it quickly. An easy way to gauge the RPE of a set is to ask yourself how many more reps you could’ve done with a particular weight. This tends to be tough for the training hotheads who always want to go heavy but also for the timid who are afraid to push themselves. You must be disciplined to use this method effectively!

Is this approach perfect and a panacea for everyone. No. But I do find it provides a sound base for trainees to work off of and teaches them to listen to their bodies.

But like many people, I just haaaaaate repeating myself. I can thank the PTSD I got from working at Hollywood Video while in college and having to incessantly repeat myself on a Friday night to annoyed customers that Shrek 2 wasn’t available to rent. ↩︎

January 8, 2025January 8, 2025 Tony Gentilcore

Uncategorized

Peaks and Valleys of Training

Oh, hello.

Remember me?

It’s Tony.

You know, the guy who used to joke about having pecs that could cut diamonds¹ and who also wrote a ton of content on this site?

Well, as you can see 1) I’m still alive, and 2) the website has had a bit of a facelift since I’ve last posted anything. I’m still getting used to it myself. Looks pretty legit, right? RIGHT???

To update you on my life:

I opened a brand spankin new 5500 sq. foot gym here in Boston with my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis, called Core Collective.²
Julian is now in the 2nd grade.
The best movie I’ve seen so far this year is Sing, Sing.
I’m still jacked.
That’s pretty much it.

Although, if I am being honest, on that last point (the still being jacked part), I’ve been a little more “jacked up” than “jacked.”

I.e, the Cambridge Dictionary definition:

Having strong, well-developed muscles, especially as a result of working out

The fitness industry is likely one of the most fake and fickle industries out there. No where will you find more photoshopped images, self-aggrandizing, and exercises NO-ONE actually performs once the publish button has been pressed.

All of it in an effort to accrue maximum “likes,” comments, and/or potentially more clicks on that ~~industrial strength diarrhea inducer~~ detox tea affiliate link. More to the point, social media tends to be a facade of everyone’s best life. Decadent looking dinner plates on tables. Cat pics. Our best feats and accomplishments. Our best angles under good lighting.

I’m not judging or bemoaning anything. I do it too…to a degree.

Which segues into the inspiration behind my first piece of writing since the last solar eclipse.

Training (and by extension…Progress) Comes in Peaks and Valleys

This past March, while walking from my car to the gym, I slipped on a patch of black ice and did what can only be described as the “World’s Fastest and Most Un-Graceful Sissy Squat.”Both of my knees slammed into the pavement and I felt a slight pop in my right.

Needless to say it didn’t feel great. Thankfully, when all was said and done, I didn’t suffer a catastrophic injury, having ruled out any ligament tears or obvious structural damage. However, in the month’s since it’s been an on-going nuisance working around things in order to train and workout the way I am accustomed to.

While I have still been consistent with my training…

#findyourtrainablemenu
#trainablemenu

…to say that I haven’t been frustrated would be an understatement. I’d say that from March of this past year to roughly two weeks ago, it’s been the worst stretch of training in my adult life. My desire to train was less than exemplary, there’s no question I was going through the motions, and not surprisingly all of my lifts took a bit of a hit.

And that’s kinda what I want to highlight.

I want to keep it real and remind people that there are always going to be inevitable speed bumps, road blocks, and general windows of clusterfuckery that will affect your training.

Progress is never going to be linear.

There will always be peaks AND valleys

Now, what causes those valleys to occur can be anyone’s guess:

Injury
Work and family obligations
Vacation
Season four of Slow Horses started.
Explosive diarrhea
It’s a Tuesday

The important thing to keep in mind is that, 1) despite what social media will lead you to believe, even those coaches/trainers/influencers you look up to the most have setbacks in their training (trust me) and 2) setbacks are normal and will undoubtedly happen.

There are a handful of strategies I’d encourage you to try when this happens.

1. Again, I can’t reiterate this enough…it’s normal

It won’t last forever, it will pass

2. Reframe and Prioritize a New Lift or Body Part

If your knees are cranky and you can’t hit your lower body as aggressively as you’d like, it might be an opportune time to prioritize your bench or overhead press or, I don’t know, your kipping pull-ups.

Except, there’s never an opportune time to prioritize kipping pull-ups because they’re absurd.

3. Find Your Trainable Menu

Pigging back on the above, focus on what you CAN do rather than what you CAN’T do. I have never had a client who was working around an injury show up for a session and not feel better by the end of it because they did something.

4. Choose One Lift, Do That, and Leave

I actually like this approach a lot when I am feeling beat up (or traveling). Psychologically speaking there’s something to it. I know that if my intention is to train one lift hard and that’s all I plan to do for that particular training session it helps set me up for success. As an example it may look something like this:

A. Barbell Romanian Deadlift – Work up to 1×5 @ RPE 8

B. Accumulate 15 total reps at 90% of top set above.

C. Wu-Tang is for the children.

Of course there are a plethora of other scenarios and options to choose from, but those are the ones that come up at the top of my head. I hope they help.

But I wasn’t really joking ↩︎
It’s pretty legit. Half of the space is dedicated toward appointment only personal training. The other half has dedicated “wellness” offices for physical therapy (Ripple Boston), chiropractic services (Stephen Laski), pelvic floor therapy (Dr. Mariam Taha), nutritional services (Cristine Seitz), and mental health therapy. Of note, 2% of the space is sequestered off for freestyle rap battles, Jason Bourne fight scene reenactments, and the occasional hug. Just because. ↩︎

October 17, 2024October 17, 2024 Tony Gentilcore

Uncategorized

CORE Collective is Happening: So Much Room For Activities!

After two failed attempts since 2019 – one due to a pandemic, and the other to what I’ll simply chalk up to as a bunch of shit-fuckery – CORE Collective is finally going to happen.

What Is CORE Collective?

Well, just so we’re clear: My first choice for this project was to call it “Tony’s Techno Palace of Deadlifts & Dreams,” but to no one’s surprise, that idea was quickly de-flamed when I realized that there was zero chance the Town of Brookline (where I live) would approve that for the name of a gym.

As most who read this blog know, my training studio is called CORE. I’ve been training people out of the space since 2015 after I left Cressey Sports Performance. It’s a space that serves its purpose…

…appointment only semi-private training where people get after it and do their best to increase their general levels of badassery.

In addition, I also sublet the space to other coaches in the Boston area. In this sense, the space is still generating revenue when I am not there using it myself, and, more importantly, it allows the opportunity for other fitness professionals to build and grow their own brand & respective businesses with limited risk.

In reality, their only responsibility (I.e., overhead) is to pay their monthly rent for usage of the space. And to also KNEEL BEFORE ZOD every time I walk into the room.

via GIPHY

It really isn’t too much to ask.

For the past few years I have had an itch to expand my business. For starters, and admittedly, selfishly…to scale things and to (hopefully) increase my ability to generate more revenue as I ween away from coaching. Secondly, I have always felt there was a large gap in this industry between the commercial gym trainer and gym owner.

Commercial trainers sometimes (not always) feel trapped in their situation, stuck playing the corporate game with limited (if any) leeway to build autonomy and increasing their earning potential without having to put in more, and more, and more hours.

Gym ownership seemingly makes sense and the obvious “next step,” but many lack the means to make that happen.

CORE Collective will be designed to bridge that gap.

For Real This Time, Now I’ll Tell You About It

CORE Collective is a work environment for independently operating coaches and healthcare practitioners – physical therapy, massage, nutrition, psycho therapy, etc – who share a belief in holistic, synergistic care of people.

(And maybe also have an affinity for sick 90’s hip-hop beats).

via GIPHY

We work to improve health, wellness, performance, and life for our clients.

And we operate under the core values of:

✅Autonomy
✅Competency, and
✅Connection.

CORE Collective is a working environment in which we hope health & fitness coaches and practitioners can do their best work, and enjoy the benefits of working independently while also having the advantage of nearby and accessible colleagues & complimentary practices.

The new 5500 sq foot space, which is slated to open in March/April 2024 in the heart of Brookline Village with easy access to Boston, will be a combination of a strength & conditioning facility and healthcare offices.

The S&C facility will be managed by myself and the healthcare offices by my wife, Dr. Lisa Lewis.

Coaches and practitioners interested in becoming a part of the collective can “apply” to become a collaborator and to start the journey to grow their own brand & business. Collaborators are independent entities (LLC, INC, etc) who apply to sublet space at the Collective, who align with our mission, values, and culture.

A “team” spirit is encouraged and supported. Collaborators will have the opportunity to work together on client cases, and to learn from one another.¹

If you’re interested in learning more or to apply please shoot me an email via the contact form on this site.

September 11, 2023 Tony

Uncategorized

The State of Coaching 2023

Eric Malzone is one of my favorite people. I first”met” Eric several years ago when he invited me to take part in an invite only mentorship he was offering alongside several other fitness professionals he invited to take part.

It was a lovely experience and I met a handful of lifetime friends from that group.

Eric is a genuine soul and he’s given more to the industry than he’s taken. I love my chats with him, and my recent one with him – on his Future of Fitness Podcast – was no different.

The State of Coaching 2023

I can’t recall verbatim what we discussed in it’s entirety – I mean, we recorded this episode back in March – but what I CAN tell you is that we had an authentic conversation on what it means to be a coach and what it means to actually be coaching.

And, in all likelihood, there was a reference or two (or three) to deadlifts and Lord of the Rings.

You can listen to the episode wherever it is you tend to listen to such things:

Apple – HERE

Spotify – HERE

An Alternate Universe Where Everyone Who Claims to Have Squatted 405 (for reps) In High-School Must Provide Video Evidence – HERE

May 23, 2023 Tony

Uncategorized

The One Thing Many Lifters Fail to Understand: Easy Training Is Good Training

Forget the more esoteric nuances of things like Heart Rate Variability, the efficacy of cold baths, or whether it’s better to follow a concurrent or linear periodization training program for best results.

For superior results in the weight-room I’d make the argument that the ONE thing many lifters fail to appreciate and understand is that easy training is good training.

Easy Training Is Good Training

This past weekend I had the lovely experience of p~~erforming a rap battle~~ presenting (alongside my wife) at the Raise the Bar Conference in Dallas, TX.

One of the key talking points I attempted to drive home during our talk was this idea that easy training is good training.

I love to explain it like this:

10% of your workouts you’re going to feel like Mick Jagger on cocaine. I.e., The weights will just fly up and you’ll make a run at a PR (or two).
10% of your workouts you’re going to feel like Mick Jagger the day after. I.e., You feel like you got run over by a Mack truck. I.e., warm-up weights feel like they’re cemented to the floor.
80% of your workouts are the ones where you go in and just do the work. You show up, get your reps in, and leave.

I’d argue for most people, most of the time, they should leave the gym wanting more. This is what 80% workouts are all about.

Don’t get me wrong: there’s a time and place for workouts and/or programs that exist solely to be ass-kickers and make you hate life:

Smolnov
German Volume Training
Sheiko
Anything involving a chain saw.

The thing to consider, though, and what many fail to recognize, is that programs like the ones mentioned above are designed to be done once a year (if that) and only for a fraction of time.

A small window of hell if you will.

They’re not designed to be done week in and week out for an extended length of time.

I mean heck, if you don’t believe me, take a deep dive into many of the most popular (strength) training programs of all-time (5/3/1, Juggernaut, Cube Method, any of Travis Mash’s programs). If you dissect any of them you’ll find the bulk of the work being done in those programs is in the 75-85% of 1RM territory.

Nothing hardcore or extreme to say the least.

It’s smart training, designed to ensure people feel fresh, recovered, and ready to attack every training session without, hopefully, all the bumps and bruises along the way.

In short: Focus on those 80% workouts. The ones you do on a random Thursday. Those are where you actually make progress over time.

Coming Soon – Strong Body, Strong Mind App

(The first app to combine BOTH strength training AND Mental Skills together from myself and Dr. Lisa Lewis)

Go HERE to learn more and be the first to know when it’s available.

March 1, 2023 Tony

Corrective Exercise Program Design Uncategorized

Programming Considerations: Shoulders

Fair warning: This will not be an all-encompassing post on how to train the shoulders or how to program around nagging shoulder injuries.

Frankly, I don’t think anyone wants to read a Dostoyevsky length diatribe on shoulder impingement or how improving scapular upward rotation leaves me sexually aroused.

Yep, I’m weird.

Instead I want to give a quick, bite-sized tidbit on programming for the shoulders that pretty much applies to everyone.²

Copyright: maxriesgo / 123RF Stock Photo

But Before I Continue…

Dean Somerset and I have put our flagship digital course, Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint AND (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – on sale this week at $50 off the regular price.

Why?

We moved both courses to a new platform which will make both the delivery and user experience more enjoyable and seamless.
Dean and I both have a bunch of new followers³ since we last put them on sale.
It’s a new year and as such a lot of fitness professionals will need to start thinking about ramping up their continuing education and getting their CEU requirements in order.
Last but not least, we’re awesome.

Go HERE to enroll in one (or both courses).

IMPORTANT: use the coupon code wutang50 to receive your $50 off credit at checkout.

Now to the Shoulder Stuff

We can easily make the case that the shoulders are the most annoying and often injured part of the body for many people, meatheads in particular. And, to be candid, there are any number of things to consider with regards to why:

Rotator cuff weakness
Poor scapular stability (<– better term would be Controlled Scapular Mobility)
Postural considerations
Acromion type
Scapular kinematics (inability to upwardly rotate, for example)
Poor programming choices
Poor technique
Losing an arm wrestling match to a Sasquatch.⁴
To name a few….

It’s weird, though, when it comes to programming for the shoulders there’s this dichotomous yin-yang approach we have to consider:

What’s best for optimal (shoulder) performance?

And.

What’s best for optimal (shoulder) health?

Shoulder Performance

I’m in the business of helping people get bigger, faster, stronger, and generally more dieselfied.

This usually (but not always) revolves around lifting objects of appreciable weight. Watch any strong person bench press, squat, or deadlift a lot of weight and there’s a common theme you’ll notice:

1. You’ll likely have to unclench your sphincter after watching someone do something you never thought humanly possible:

2. With regards to the shoulders – specifically the shoulder blades – there’s meticulous attention paid to their positioning.

Those bad boys are locked down. Retracted and depressed.

Or, in non-geek speak: They’re not moving.

Doing so provides an infinite more amount of stability to the joint and also provides a more stable base of support (particularly for the bench press) to push from. When it comes to the deadlift and/or squat it allows one to maintain a more “rigid” torso, stay tight, and decreases the chance of energy leaks.

Force is more efficiently transferred within the kinetic chain.

Also, in non-geek speak: Just fucking trust me.

I’m no Eric Spoto, but I know how to coach the bench press and what to consider when it comes to performing at a high(er) level and making it so your shoulders don’t hate you.

Bench Press Set-Up: Shoulders Together & Down

Shoulder Health

It’s funny, when Dean Somerset and I teach our Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint workshop I’ll spend half a day imploring attendees to adopt the strategies mentioned above.

“Lock them down.”

…is what I’ll tell them. Referring to the shoulder blades and how it’s crucial to recognize ideal placement for performance

Then, after the lunch break, I’ll do a complete 180 and spend the rest of the day saying something to the effect of:

“Let those fuckers move.”

The shoulder blades do a lot:

Retract and protract
Elevate and depress
Upwardly and downwardly rotate
Posteriorly and anteriorly tilt.

It’s imperative to have “access” to the full spectrum of scapular motion in order to obtain optimal shoulder health.

We spend so much time telling people to squeeze their shoulder blades together – which, all told, isn’t a bad cue in of itself, but can cause a whole host of shoulder ouchies; downward rotation syndrome for starters – that it’s no wonder I get a range of quizzical looks whenever I tell people to let them move.

Protraction (or reaching) is a game changer for many.

1-Arm Quadruped Protraction

Easy Scapular Winging “Fix”

To go a step further and outside the “corrective” realm, when I coach people through a push-up or any kind of row variation a common mistake I find people make is keeping their shoulder blades pinned or glued together.

With push-ups I try to tell my clients to push away or “finish” at the top.

I don’t want their shoulder blades making out the entire time.

And with rows…

This Makes Me Sad

You’ll notice my shoulder blade isn’t moving at all; it’s staying in the retracted position throughout the duration of the set. This often leads to bicep tendon issues and anterior shoulder instability, amongst other things.

Instead I try to tell people I want their scapulae to move around their rib cage. After all that’s what they’re meant to do.

That’s More Like It

It’s profound how much this seemingly minor tweak will help with a lot of shoulder woes.

That’s It

Pretty easy, right?

Short, precise, and won’t require a book report.

Making a concerted effort to recognize and address both ends of the shoulder performance-health spectrum can and will make a huge difference and help you write more effective programs.

January 23, 2023 Tony

Uncategorized

How to Correct Diastasis Recti and Turn It Into a Bulletproof Core

As a card carrying member of the Y chromosome I did not write today’s article.

This isn’t to say I lack the confidence or knowledge to do so – in fact, I’ve gone out of my way in recent years to educate myself more on postpartum issues so that I am better prepared to work with & help my female clients.

It’s just I feel this is a topic in better hands with a woman. And not only that, a woman who has had firsthand experience with diastasis recti.⁵

I don’t feel this is a controversial take.⁶

If you’re someone – man or woman – who works with postpartum clients it will behoove you to read this article via Certified Personal Trainer and Postpartum Exercise Specialist Gina Paulhus.

She does an excellent job providing actionable solutions to a complex problem.

I Can Teach You How to Improve Diastasis Recti with Exercises Anyone Can Do

Have you been told you have diastasis recti? Or have you figured it out on your own while spending some quality time with Google? While it can be scary to think that you have a “hole” in your abs, take heart – there are many non-surgical options available.

I have healed my own diastasis as well as two large hernias with a natural, exercise-based approach. This outcome was confirmed by ultrasound. My healing happened after several surgeons told me that my only solution would be to get total abdominal wall reconstruction – with mesh!

Note From TG: puh!

What is Diastasis Recti, Exactly?

To answer that question, a bit of anatomy is in order. The two sides of your abdominal wall connect in the middle on a line of fascia called the linea alba.

This line appears between each and every person’s “six pack” muscle, otherwise known as the rectus abdominis. When that tissue in the midline thins out beyond a certain point it’s known as diastasis recti. Pregnancy is the most common reason a person develops a diastasis.

While more women develop diastasis, it can totally happen to dudes as well.

Certain workouts and non-optimal daily movement patterns can both make a diastasis worse, which is why it’s important to identify when you have a diastasis so that you can take steps to nip it in the bud.

Hey, Fancy-Pants: You Can Measure Your Own Diastasis

You can measure your diastasis by barely lifting your head and checking the width and depth between the two sides of the rectus abdominis muscles. Anything greater than two and a half finger widths is going to qualify you as a card-carrying member.

You also want the area to feel on the firm side – think trampoline-like. Broken trampolines are no bueno. A doctor, PT or Postpartum Exercise Specialist will be able to assist you in checking if you’re unsure. It’s always going to be a bit of an estimate when using fingers. Ultrasound is the gold standard on whether or not a diastasis is present.1

Every pregnant woman has a diastasis at their due date, so it’s normal at that point in time. By some estimates 39% of women have a diastasis at six months postpartum.2 Because of that peeps, we can’t necessarily assume that everyone will bounce back the same way after giving birth! In other words, stay clear of those show offs on the ‘gram who are hoisting cars overhead a few weeks out from giving birth. The other thing to know is that diastasis can become a greater problem with each subsequent birth because the tissues will stretch faster the more times they have been stretched out before.

Oftentimes if a woman is “fine” after one child she is shocked when, by her second or third child, things have changed a lot in her abs. For other women, the first pregnancy has already led to a diastasis that didn’t resolve.

Everyone is different and each pregnancy is different. I CAN’T EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH. The nice thing is, once you know how to correct diastasis recti, the same principles can be utilized during any future pregnancies to keep yourself safe.

And then maybe, you too can hoist a car after giving birth next time (I mean, I wouldn’t).

What’s the Big Deal About Having a Diastasis?

A huge part of our core’s job is to be able to handle pressure generated in our body. This pressure is generated when we work out as well as during daily activities. We generate pressure in our core in order to protect our spine. If pressure is generated poorly, it can result in a diastasis forming.

By learning how to fine tune our pressure management, we put our bodies into a position to undo the damage. HOW COOL IS THAT? IT’S LIKE MAGIK.

How do you know your limit of how hard you can push? If you see a doming out of your midline during exertion, it’s a telltale sign that you have a diastasis and that what you are doing is making it worse. A poochy lower belly that sags and protrudes is another red flag to watch out for.

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Can’t I Just Have Surgery For My Diastasis?

Yes, surgery is an option. However, I will warn you – even if you choose to get surgery, that doesn’t mean your work is done.

If you haven’t taught yourself how to better manage pressure in your core, the diastasis could very well return. And if it does, the additional scar tissue you will have accumulated might cause more problems.

via GIPHY

You also will become weaker while you lay dormant waiting for your surgery to heal – the exact opposite of what a diastasis needs, which is more core strength!

Rather than skip immediately to surgery, I would much rather see folks learn how to manage pressure in their core.

This sets them up for success in healing a diastasis naturally, as well as leads them to the best possible post surgical outcome if surgery is chosen. Either way, learning proper pressure management is where it’s at when it comes to healing a diastasis.

There are particular muscles that need to be called out and worked when you’re looking to correct diastasis recti.

Learning to contract a special “corset” muscle deep in your abs called your transverse abdominis (TAs) before you perform an exercise can help create tension across your midline. Once that tension is in place, it means that you get the green light to work your core. And working your core is what you so desperately need for healing. Fascia requires stress to heal. But like goldilocks, not too much and not too little is best.
Your pelvic floor works as a team with your TAs, so we want to make sure that it is up to snuff. It may be tighter or looser than we want for optimal functioning. Leaking pee when coughing, sneezing or exerting is a sign that things are amiss.
Working on how you breathe can go a long way toward healing a diastasis. When our breathing technique is off, it loads excess pressure on your diastasis, preventing the fascia from healing. The diaphragm is a critical muscle for our breathing function.
Other muscles can affect how our core loads too. Take inventory of your serratus muscle (the muscle just in front of and under your armpit) as well as your glutes. Both can have a huge impact on healing a diastasis.

Muscles need time to heal after getting stretched out due to pregnancy or other causes. Rushing right back into all the exercises you did before is a recipe for keeping a diastasis present – or for making it worse. DON’T FEED THE MONSTER! Fascia can heal when we support it with the right environment, but the timing of when we challenge it versus when we let it rest matters. A lot.

Tackle Correcting Your Diastasis in these 4 Steps

Step 1: Work On Your 360 Breathing

This exercise will help improve the amount of pressure that is pushed out toward your diastasis, whether we are talking during exercise or during everyday life. Bad habits in daily life can undo a lot of high quality exercise, FWIW.

Step 2: Find Your TAs, Otherwise Known As Your “Corset” Muscles

You’d be surprised how many people’s TAs are completely out to lunch! It’s common for the bigger ab muscles to do all the work after a diastasis has formed. Unless we specifically perform an exercise that forces them to come back on board, the TAs could be lost forever.

Don’t let that happen people!

Step 3: Test How Stable You Can Keep Your Core While You’re Moving Your Limbs

If you feel any movement at all in your pelvis, slow the move down, or simply don’t extend your leg as far. This exercise will greatly improve the stability of your core – something everyone with a diastasis so desperately needs.

Step 4: If You’re Having Trouble With Any of the Above Exercises, You Might Need to Do Some Release Work

While a professional massage is great, ain’t nobody got time for that on the regular. This technique is great to do at the beginning of your workout to make performing the above exercises easier. And heck yeah, who wouldn’t want to make exercises easier?

What’s Up With Those Abdominal Binders?

They can be a good idea when you’ve just had a baby to use something to help support the abs. But hold up – after the first six weeks I don’t recommend wearing one, and here’s why.

Binding the abs can create more pressure down on the pelvic floor, which can contribute to other issues developing such as pelvic organ prolapse. Bottom-up support in the form of a pair of supportive shorts are safer if you must use some external support.
As I said before, fascia needs some stress to heal. It’s similar to the idea of wearing an ankle brace for the rest of your life – if you do that, your ankle will never get stronger.

You can always apply tape to your abdomen while trying to bridge the gap between wearing a binder and going with nothing. I know many folks who have healed their diastasis who swore by the tape. I like Rocktape best for this, although KT tape can also work. And you also get to cover yourself in brightly colored strips so that randoms can ask you questions.

It’s a great ice breaker.

What are the Keys to Healing a Diastasis To Completion Once and For All?

Why, I’m glad you asked.

1. Build a more efficient and effective breathing pattern.

Good breathing patterns help our structure and also prime our nervous system to push out the optimal hormones to heal. The 360 breathing drill in the video above is a great start.

2. Improve posture.

Poor posture puts a ton of pressure out on a diastasis, preventing healing. Good posture, in a nutshell, involves stretching tall and stacking our ribcage over our pelvis well. Make grandma proud, yo!

3. Perform exercises that strengthen the full body.

When the rest of your body is strong, less pressure is applied to the abdomen. Strong glutes and a strong pelvic floor in particular really matter for how a diastasis heals! Since your pelvic floor can be too tight or too weak for optimal functioning, it’s important to figure out what’s going on with yours. See my article on prolapse here for more information on the pelvic floor.

You can also read more about leaking here.

4. It’s not enough to have strong abs.

They need to be balanced! A corrective exercise specialist can check out how your muscle balance is looking and prescribe a workout plan to help. If you need help with the other muscles I mentioned as well, such as the serratus or the glutes, once again a corrective exercise specialist can save the day.

5. Whatever you do, STOP DRAWING IN YOUR BELLY in an attempt to support your diastasis!

This is only going to make things worse since it interferes with the natural functioning of your core. Take my word for it. The halter tops will have to wait.

Remember, I have healed my own diastasis as well as 2 large hernias with this exact full body approach. This outcome was confirmed by ultrasound. My healing occurred from committing to an exercise plan after a few different surgeons told me that my only solution would be to get total abdominal wall reconstruction with mesh!

About the Author

Gina Paulhus, CPT and PCES Certified, has been a personal trainer for over 20 years. Through her company Home Bodies she offers in home as well as Zoom 1:1 Personal Training. Gina’s passions include helping men and women heal from a diastasis as well as from hernias. She is a two time author. Gina is also the creator of the world’s first Adult Gymnastics Camp.

Sources

1 A T M van de Water 1, D R Benjamin 2. Measurement methods to assess diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle (DRAM): A systematic review of their measurement properties and meta-analytic reliability generalisation. 2016 Feb;21:41-53. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2015.09.013

2 Patrícia Gonçalves Fernandes da Mota, Augusto Gil Brites Andrade Pascoal et. al. Prevalence and risk factors of diastasis recti abdominis from late pregnancy to 6 months postpartum, and relationship with lumbo-pelvic pain. Observational Study Man Ther. 2015 Feb;20(1):200-5. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2014.09.002.

August 31, 2022 Tony

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How to Deadlift: The 9 Best Coaching Tips

I know this seems very uncharacteristic of me and something I normally don’t write about, but I recently collaborated with my good friend Andrew Coates and wrote an extensive article on ~~hornets~~ deadlifts.

I don’t know the exact number, but it’s around my 37th article on T-Nation on the topic…;o)

Deadlifts: A Complete Guide

Andrew and I spent a lot of time on this article attempting to peel back the layers and to focus on the cues, tips, and programming suggestions that really matter for most lifters in order gain the most benefit from the exercise and to stay safe.

I’m biased, but I think this article turned out great.

Check it out HERE.

August 23, 2022 Tony

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Standing Out From the Crowd: Appearance On the Your Fitness Money Coach Podcast

I was recently invited onto the Your Fitness Money Coach Podcast hosted by Billy Hofacker. Some of you may recognize the name because Billy has penned several informative guest posts on this site surrounding financial literacy in the past year.

HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

I was thrilled to post his content here because he has expertise in a topic that many fitness professionals need dire help with. To speak candidly, I wish I had access to this kind of content earlier in my career.

Nevertheless, Billy invited me onto his show to discuss what ended up being a bevy of topics. He ended up titling it “Standing Out From the Crowd,” and I think it was the right call. I mean, I personally would have gone with something like “Tony is the Wind Beneath All of Our Wings,” or “Tony’s Pecs Had me at Hello,” but whatever.

I’m not here to split straws.

Standing Out From the Crowd

Billy is an excellent conversationalist and I enjoyed going back in time to discuss how I went about differentiating myself from the masses creating content and building my own brand from scratch.

I hope you give the episode a listen and be sure to check out more of Billy’s stuff. I’m not kidding: He’s an abyss of information and practical knowledge around business and finances.