Today I would like to share a more personal journey with you. It's something that affects more than 80% of our population and for most of us we chalk it all up to age and "That's just life". To begin with I was under the impression that this struggle was unique to woman but I now understand this issue is something that many people struggle with and are unaware that there is a solution to their pain and that solution is now available to people all over the world thanks to the work of Kelly Dean and
The Tummy Team in the form of their online
Core Foundations Program.
Core Foundations is an eight week
Core Rehab Specialist program designed to be done at home. It is a program which is presented to you by a qualified Core Rehab Specialist program who specializes in neuromuscular rehabilitation and home health .
I have taken the program to my personal Doctor who confirmed to me that all the information is 100% accurate and is now referring her clients to
The Tummy Team. I was pleasantly surprised at my own personal progress and in an incredibly short space of time. My waist measurement decreased by two inches within the first month and my active sitting time lengthened from around 5 seconds to over a minute.
I learned that the repair surgeries I have had were actually not necessary. My Doctor confirmed to me that the medical profession in general are unaware that Diastasis Recti, general back ache and hernia's
are symptoms of the deeper issue of a weak functional core. I was surprised to learn what a weak core and
diastasis looks like and it's something I've had since high school.
I have been empowered with knowledge, I am very excited about
Core Foundations and the enormous difference it is making in my own personal life and my husbands. My functional core strength was very low and it took me a whole month to recover from disconnection before I could progress. I have chosen to begin at the beginning and do the complete program over and document my journey and share it with you here on the blog on Mondays along with photographs and tips and insights I learn from my journey to being #Strong4Life.
How I found The Tummy Team
I was surfing Instagram one day when I came across a rather
intriguing graphic of a before core rehab pregnancy and after core rehab pregnancy. I went to the
account to find out more. There were the most amazing
before and after photographs of what Core Foundations could accomplish. I was rather surprised at the info graphics explaining that
Planking,
Crunches and
Cross-Over Crunches are really bad exercises for your core and your tummy and actually do not accomplish what we think they should. I was drawn to find out more about their program because Paul had been regularly exercising including doing planking exercises to strengthen his core but was still having pain issues and regular flare ups with his back.
Symptoms of Functional Core Weakness
- Low back pain - "Back pain is one of the most common symptoms of a weakened core. It is the result of other muscles trying to compensate when your transverse abdominis muscle lacks the strength to hold you up."
- Pelvic floor weakness
- Stress incontinence
- Diastasis Recti - a separation of the abdominal muscles
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Upper and/or Mid back pain
- Abdominal hernia's "Abdominal hernias typically appear in areas of weak or damaged connective tissue which results in portions of the organs bulging out of the abdominal wall. When this weakened area of connective tissue tears, portions of the intestinal track are at risk of strangulation requiring urgent medical attention and often surgical repair."
- Sciatica
- Prolapse
- Prostrate issues
- Tired back at the end of the day
- 'Preggy Belly' or Belly Bulge
- Incontinence
- Digestive issues - "Chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, recurring hemorrhoids, painful bloating and acid reflux are all common symptoms of a weakened core. Several vital organs, including the intestines, rely on a strong internal core for support. Without that support, the digestive system fails to work efficiently."
- Pelvis instability
- Menstrual issues
- Pain tolerance
How Online Core Foundations Works
After choosing and purchasing the right
Online Core Training Program for you, you will receive a invoice/payment receipt via email. This will be followed by a welcome letter explaining to you how to access your program and an email address where you can reach the team.
You do not receive access to the full program in week one. On the first day of each new week the new week's program will become unlocked. You will still have access to the previous weeks video's so you can watch them as often as you like. The reason is to encourage structure and accountability. Each week builds on the preceding week. Knowing I had limited access meant that I had to set aside regular time to watch the instructional video's it kept me motivated to come back.
- When you log in you will be taken to your online program. Navigation is super easy and you will be able to see at a glance each separate week on the left. On the right you will either see: Available Now or Not Available.
- In week one you are only given access to Core Foundations and Week 1.
- After that each subsequent lesson is released weekly. When a new week becomes available the team will email you a short note as soon as you have access to the
next class it will also have a note at the bottom detailing how many
weeks access you have left.
- Each lesson is equivalent to a one on one consultation with Kelly.
After selecting the week you are working on you will open a new page. At the top there is a
Focus of the Week section. This is a concise summary of what you will be working on.
Below this text box you will see the Week number and the
Video Instruction box along with a note on how many video's there are to watch. To the right of the video is the title of the video along with a note.
Kelly is a very articulate instructor. She takes time to explain your anatomy, the process and more importantly the why behind every step of your core rehabilitation instructions. There is currently a blind lady doing the course and Kelly's instructions are so clear that this lady is successfully completing her journey to wellness.
Kelly's focus is on empowering you with knowledge to help equip you with the tools you need to become
strong for life. She is a Core Rehab Specialist who specialises in neuromuscular rehabilitation and home health. Kelly is passionate about to fully understanding the neuromuscular, postural, and alignment issues that contribute to core weakness and abdominal separation. Her combination of multiple approaches specifically treats these conditions for
long-lasting changes.
The thing I appreciate about learning from Kelly is that she is speaking from personal experience. She was facing major hernia repair surgery with a large Diastasis Recti and other health issues. As I
watched her personal testimony I could identify with many aspects of her personal journey to being strong for life and reclaiming health. Kelly recognizes that each of us have our own story and it is these very things that influence how our bodies are going to heal.
The best part of the program is the simplicity. Above is a sample of the first exercise you learn to do:
Below the video section is a helpful box containing your downloadable handouts and a section of what to expect as you follow your core rehabilitation program for the week. I have been very surprised at the accuracy of the list of what to expect. I love the handouts because I have written instructions I can refer to anytime I need to refresh myself on what I have learned and I can go back and re-do the week anytime I want. The charts are helpful for keeping myself accountable.
What does each week cover?
- Week 1
- Initial Measurements
- Understanding Your Transverse
- Rehabilitation of your Core
- Functional Integration of the Core
- Why We Splint
- Week 2
- Potty Posture
- The Transverse, the Lumbar Multifidis & Lower Back Pain
- Abdominal Massage
- Preparing Your Environment
- Week 3
- Progression of Transverse Exercises
- More Functional Integration
- Neutral Pelvis Training
- Modifications
- Week 4
- The Transverse and Pelvic Floor for Women
- The Transverse and the Prostate for Men
- Pelvic Floor Strengthening
- Initial Fitness Choices
- Neutral Pelvis Training
- Week 5
- Neutral Rib Cage & Upper Back Activation
- Weaning from Your Splint
- Week 6
- Core Integration with Functional Activities
- Safe Core Stretches
- Week 7
- Rehabilitation versus Lifestyle versus Fitness
- Transition to Fit2b.us
- Core Integration into Fitness - Fit2b.us
- Love Handles Lost - Fit2b.us
- The PMS Routine
- Week 8
- Core Strong Lifestyle
- Final Diastasis Check and Personal Plan
- Core Strong Workout
- Full-Body Tummy Team Workout
- Thank You from Kelly
Some Nuggets to Protect your Core
What do you get with the program
- Eight weeks of personal Core Rehab Specialist instruction. This are presented by a Core Rehab Specialist in pre-recorded video sessions you can access in the comfort of your own home.
- A set of instructional online video's added each week.
- Each week there are pdf sheets containing a summary of the weeks lesson. Where appropriate a exercise tracking sheet and online support handout. These are the same handouts are a written summary of the key elements of your program for the week.
- Access to a private client forum on Facebook. On this forum you can ask any question and one of the Tummy Team Core Rehab Specialists will answer you. Most questions are answered within a couple of hours.
- Tools to help you become strong at life
- Ten weeks of online access which begins immediately after purchase
Please note there are
two purchase options for each program
- BUY
NOW, START NOW - means your ten week access starts immediately upon payment of your program.
- BUY NOW, START LATER - means you get a voucher that you use
when you are ready to start your program.
Learn More
Connect on Social Media
I would like to thank Kelly Dean and the Tummy Team for sponsoring me with
Core Foundations. It is revolutionizing my life and I look forward to sharing my journey and progress here on the Blog. Next week I will be sharing my experience with Gillian Sukachevin, MPT and our
Skype Session.
Blessings
Chareen
