9 Rectus Abdominis Stretches To Reduce Tightness

In this article, I’ll show you how to stretch your rectus abdominis muscle. Stretching this muscle will help you reduce tightness in the abs/stomach region.

You will also learn:

• How to tell if you have tight rectus abdominis
• Causes of tight rectus abdominis
• How to release tight rectus abdominis
• Why you should stretch rectus abdominis
• Safety tips when stretching rectus abdominis

9 Best Rectus Abdominis Stretches to Reduce Tightness (From Easiest to Most Advanced Stretches)

Supine Rectus Abdominis Stretch

• Start by lying on your back (supine position)
• Tilt your pelvis forward and lift your arms above your head
• Push forward with your belly button while holding your ribcage fixed
• Hold this stretch for 30s.

Seated Stretch for Rectus Abdominis

• Sit on a chair
• Place your hands behind your body
• Tilt your pelvis forward (anterior pelvic tilt) and extend your torso
• Push your belly button forward
• Hold this stretch for 30s

Basic Prone Rectus Abdominis Stretch

• Lay down on your stomach (prone position)
• Place your hands in line with your chin
• Gently push against the floor with your hands, lifting your torso from the ground
• Hold this stretch for 30s

This is one of the most common rectus abdominis stretches. Be careful with lumbar extension when experiencing discomfort and pain in this area.

Standing Rectus Abdominis Stretch

• Start from a standing position
• Place your hands on your hips
• Rotate your pelvis forward
• Extend your upper body (torso) until you feel nice stretch in your abs
• Hold for 30s

Advanced Prone Stretch (Cobra Pose)

• Start from lying on your stomach (prone position)
• Place your hands above your head
• Push your upper body with your hands until you extend your elbows
• Hold this stretch for 30s

Lower Rectus Abdominis Stretch

• Lay down on your stomach
• Place a yoga ball under your ankles, making your hips in slight extensino
• Lift one leg backward.
• Repeat this stretch ten times

This is the best way to stretch your lower rectus abdominis.

Basic Yoga Ball Stretch

• Place your back on a yoga ball
• Extend your elbows to both sides
• Push forward with your belly button
• Hold this stretch for 30s

Intermediate Yoga Ball Stretch

• Everything is the same as a basic yoga ball stretch, but perform this stretch with arms extended and lifted above your head

Advanced Yoga Ball Stretch

• Place your back on a yoga ball
• Place your hands on the ground
• Extend your torso
• Hold this stretch for 30s

This exercise is similar to the ‘bridge’ exercise, but with yoga ball you have more control over the stretching intensity. That’s why I prefer this exercise over conventional bridge exercise.

How to Tell if You Have Tight Rectus Abdominis?

Feeling uncomfortable while stretching your rectus abdominis is a sign that you may have tight abs, especially during simpler stretching exercises.

This applies to stretching your abs while lying on your stomach or side.

You can easily palpate your rectus abdominis and feel the tightness in this muscle. Also, tight rectus abdominis can cause postural changes like thoracic kyphosis and posterior pelvic tilt.

This muscle runs from the ribcage down to the pelvis, and when it becomes tight, it reduces the usual distance between these two structures.

What Causes Tight Rectus Abdominis?

Slouching, sitting for long hours, and a sedentary lifestyle, in general, are contributing to increased tightness in rectus abdominis muscles. Lifting heavy weights in combination with excessive repetition can lead to tightness in this muscle. Poor upper body posture can lead to chronic rectus abdominis tension as well.

How do you Release Tight Rector Abdominis/Trigger Points?

The best way to release tight rectus abdominis is by daily stretching for several weeks.

Additionally, you can perform trigger points release technique with a ball. Place a ball on the painful spots and hold for 10s.

The trigger points for rectus abdominis are in the upper part, just below your ribcage.

Make sure you don’t apply too much pressure because you can irritate this muscle and increase the pain.

Why you should stretch Rectus Abdominis?

Learning how to stretch your rectus abdominis will help you improve your posture (rounded shoulders, posterior pelvic tilt) and will make your daily activities easier. Having a strong and flexible core of your body is the first step in building a functional body.

Safety Tips When Stretching Rectus Abdominis

• Perform dynamic warmup before stretching rectus abdominis
• Don’t bounce into a stretch
• Breath deeply to inhibit the stretch reflex and improve the range of motion in your abs
• Don’t overstretch. Listen to your body when stretching and don’t stretch for too much.
• Focus on stretching other muscles in the lower back/hips area also. This includes quadratus lumborum, erector spinae, iliopsoas, hamstrings, tensor fascia latae, and quadriceps.

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