Core strength help

That's brilliant. Good example of how these problems aren't 'just part of having had DC' and women don't just need to put with it. Glad you're getting better now and I agree that there should automatically be some pelvic physio after birth, especially difficult and/or complicated births.

Sounds good - you'll be sorted! DR and pelvic floor are all connected so if one is weak the other probably will be. Any chance you could report back?

Tbh, I think your exercise classes are too advanced - or at least, the abs sections of them are. Russian twists and crunches shouldn't be attempted by someone with an unhealed dr and will probably make it worse.
Have a read of the Mutu info, might shed some light.

Neck muscle exercises that cure ankle problems?

Pfffffttttt.

Walking miles in Loose fitting shoes is what gave me Achilles tendonitis.

I'm logging off now to listen to something credible tales of the Trump Administration soap opera.

Accordjng to the Mutu programme, we shouldn't be doing crunches anyway as they're not that effective and they can be damaging to the back, as well as exacerbating and diastasis recti problems.
The woman who runs Mutu trained with Katy Bowman, from the Nutritious Movement blog mentioned upthread, and devised her own programmme for healing diastasis recti. I find KB rather circuitous and confusing but there's dome useful information there.

If you do videos, Jillian Michaels's Six Week Six Pack is good for building core strength. Just do what you can with good fotm. You WILL get better.

The core are all muscles from neck to pelvis

HTH

"Upper" and "lower" abs that people like to talk about don't really exist, that part is all one muscle and any abdominal exercises should help you to build that muscle up. Reverse crunches get the bottom part to contract a bit more so you will feel it there, but really it doesn't make a difference. Weighted crunches on an exercise ball are my favourites for building my abs but just do whichever exercises you are comfortable with. You'll see results eventually, it is just a slow process. Best of luck

Working on the core stabilises your whole body. A weak core puts extra strain on the rest of your body and makes you less stable. So rather than make ankle tendons stronger, it could reduce excess strain on ankle and help stabilise the body, which in turn reduces likely-hood of injury.

Also I disagree with "core" not being a good way of describing it. The definition of core is - the part of something that is central to its existence or character. A strong core is central to us keeping physically (and thus mentally) well and thus has a huge impact on our lives and the activities we can do, which to me means it is central to our existence and character. Plus it is a very simple to remember and shorter than saying all the parts involved. So to me it's a perfect description / name for it.

How does working on abdominal muscles make ankle tendons stronger? (intrigued)

Someone further up the thread posted a link to the programme I did & I would recommend it, maybe ask the physio if they've heard of it? There's also another group I've seen online recently running classes nationwide, I think they're called holistic core restore. I thought they looked interesting, I would have tried those if they'd been around after my pregnancies.

What types of tendonitis do you get, OP? I used to be prone to all sorts.

I don't like "core" b/c WTF is a "core" ?

Oh... it's your abdomen, your back, your shoulders (or whatever else, I still don't actually know).  Give me real names for real body parts.  You won't find "core" on an anatomy chart that's why I don't understand.  

Don't get me started on the stupid term "clipless pedals".   

Start small, otherwise you will use other muscles to compensate and you won't actually be improving core muscles. Try an exercise called the 'dead bug' to start with. Lie on your back with knees bent at 90 degrees and arms straight up in the air. Concentrate on making sure your whole back is in contact with the floor all the time. Really push your Lower back down. If it feels easy you're doing it wrong. This is a good starter and then once your core improves you can move on to; single leg lowers - reverse ab curls - bicycle etc. Try googling some of those if not I can give you descriptions. I had no core whatsoever, these have all helped. I can now do press ups, sit ups, V sits - loads of stuff I couldn't before. I did it all by going to bootcamp. Good luck

Yes, I have to concentrate hard to get them right.
And then have to remind myself that I ought to do all the right things, in the right order AND breathe - it's the breathing that i seem to forget...

Pelvic floor is central to everything but there are also specific TvA exercises to really work that bit. It's not easy as the exercises require concentration... it's not like doing a sit up. I find them frustrating sometimes!

Dawson, lie on your back, breath in, then breath out, have your spine in a neutral position. Then put the tips of your hand in your groin, along the natural skin fold where your upper thighs meet your lower torso. Clench your pelvic floor and you will feel the above mentioned transverse abdominal muscle contract in unison.

If you get your deeper abdominal muscles engaged you will gain a more defined waist, you will protect yourself from lower backpain and continence issues in later life.
Middle-age spread is a combination of weight gain, gain of visceral fat (inside the abdominal cavity, NOT the inch you can pinch) and lack of deeper abdominal muscles, not the much valued six-pack which may currently be fashionable but is actually not all that valuable in terms of normal function.

The 'oooff' that escapes me when I sit down on a lowish seat is lack of core strength.
Getting in and out of the car while holding my heavyish case without using my arms/hands to brace myself is reasonable core strength
I'm working on it and it certainly CAN be improved.

Yy to Squeeze App, best 69p I have ever invested.

I had no idea that pelvic floor exercises also helped lower abs, I thought they were a different set of muscles? Or is it that by exercising pelvic floor you end up exercising lower abs as well?

You need to exercise your transverse abdominis with gentle Pilates like moves rather than things like crunches. Harder to do as you have to really concentrate. Best to be shown which ones and how by a professional. And YY to pelvic floor. Get the NHS Squeezy app. Your pelvic floor is central to all of this so even if you don't have any obvious issues with it, it still needs attention.

Sorry I have no advice but watching with interest as I have the same issues! I've been looking for ways to do a sit up, without doing a full sit up!