Slow and Steady Wins the Race
I started working with Sarah (not her real name) about 8 months ago. She was post partum almost two years and had a significant case of diastasis recti when we met for our first session. Diastasis happens when the tissue connecting abdominal muscles on the front of the body widens and the abdominal muscles separate from each other, usually to accommodate pregnancy. (This happens in all pregnancies to a degree, but this particular client had a more significant separation).
In her annual doctor’s visit last year, before we started working together, she told her doctor her goal was to fit into her old clothes and feel good in her body again. She recently called me after this year’s doctor’s visit to tell me that her doctor said her diastasis recti was almost completely gone and was impressed Sarah was able to accomplish this without hurting herself in the process. Amazing right?
There are many things that likely contributed to Sarah’s healing process. We did specific movements and exercises that targeted spinal mobility and strength for her to access various postures after carrying twins on the front of her body, pelvic floor and diaphragm coordination, and holistic core strength. She also started taking regular walks several times a week and made some simple changes to her eating habits that made her feel better.
But truly, the number one factor that got her to where she is now is consistency. Sarah works long hours, is a mother of twin toddlers, is fully engaged in her relationship with her husband, and temporarily lives with her in-laws while building a house. She is busy, to say the least. However, she made a decision to commit to reconnecting with her body and she knew this would require consistency by way of standing appointments on the calendar and a coach— aka accountability. We set a twice weekly session schedule together and have rarely skipped sessions since we started in October of last year. Throughout the span of our sessions, she has shown up whether she’s tired, stressed, energetic, or distracted. I’m not endorsing a “no pain no gain” situation— but I AM endorsing consistency. One of the key elements to our consistent sessions has been her ability to be honest with me about how she feels that day and my ability to meet her wherever she is, accommodating her however she shows up. The sessions aren’t grueling, they aren’t fast, they’re not full on hours of “core” work and they don’t leave her exhausted and sweat drenched. But over a span of several months, they have been enough to slowly but surely help her gain awareness and strength in the places she needed it most, and then some. None of her progress appeared overnight, and the beauty of working with Sarah is that she understood from the beginning that progress takes time.
We, as a society, are impatient. Social media along with the fitness industry heavily contribute to our desire to not just want things, but want them NOW. (I am soooo not immune to this). However, very few things in life that are worthwhile can be accomplished in a matter of a few weeks. Building businesses take time, mental health recovery takes time, strengthening strained relationships take time, healing emotional and/or physical trauma takes time. Whether it’s alleviating chronic pain, learning a new skill, or healing a postpartum body, it just takes time.
But it’s not time on its own, obviously. Consistency over time produces growth. Of course there are situations that call for more intense interventions. But more often than not, consistently showing up with open mindedness, presence, and patience will help us gain awareness and strengthen our bodies in a meaningful way over a longer period producing positive results.