Hip Flexors vs Abs

KatyAverill
KatyAverill Posts: 166 Member
edited December 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Whenever I do ab workouts, I feel them in my hip flexors and hardly anything in my abs. I had my first baby almost 9 months ago, and my core is the weakest it's ever been (can't do a full sit-up and have a hard time tightening my stomach for very long). What can I do to target my abs and keep my hip flexors from overcompensating?

Replies

  • DreesPerformanceTraining
    DreesPerformanceTraining Posts: 187 Member
    Most ab exercises you should be working both. Your abs isometrically contract to keep your pelvis from moving and your hip flexors move your legs up and down. I would just really focus on keep your pelvis and ribcage connected by preventing your hips from rolling anteriorly and posteriorly.
  • socalrunner59
    socalrunner59 Posts: 149 Member
    Research diastasis rectis. It's the separation of the ab muscles from pregnancy.

    When I lost a lot of weight, I opted for a tummy tuck to get rid of the loose skin. All 5 plastic surgeons said the standard tummy tuck practice is to permanently stitch the ab muscle together in women who have given birth because diastasis rectis. While I too had it, I had managed to tighten my ab muscles. But I still opted to have my abs stitched. Apparently the tendons never return to the original tautness, so gaps will always be there. But you can recondition the muscle. Most surgeons I consulted said my abs were strong, so said the stitching wouldn't be necessary. But the surgeon I eventually chose recommended stitching since I was going through the pain and expense. Also if my weight changed, and it did, The gaps could become issues again.

    Some exercises will aggravate it, so research it well, including consulting your doctor, then decide what is the best way to treat it.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    sit ups mainly work the hip flexors not so much the abs,look for core exercises to strengthen the area.it may also help to find hip flexor stretches as they may be on the tight side and this will help loosen them up some. certain exercises would do that for me. are you trying to target your abs to slim your belly? or just to strengthen things? if its to lose fat you need a calorie deficit.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Stomach vacuums, push ups, compound lifts
  • KatyAverill
    KatyAverill Posts: 166 Member
    Thank you all for the advice! My daughter is getting bigger every day and I want to make sure that I'm strong enough to keep up with her and prevent injuries! :smiley:
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