Is it normal for women to have a low belly pooch?
Core Health Mini Series
Part One: Is it normal for women to have a low belly pooch?
Part Two: Your Low Belly Pooch Isn't Fat
Part Three: The Real Reason Crunches Aren’t Shrinking Your Waist
Part Four: Why Hypopressive Training is the Best Low Belly Pooch Exercise
Feeling like your jeans are too tight? Tired of looking in the mirror and seeing a protruding lower belly, despite eating well and exercising regularly? You've tried crunches, planks, and every core exercise you can find. Many women come to my practice frustrated because no matter what they do, they can't seem to get rid of that stubborn low belly pooch.
However, that low belly pooch isn’t there because you haven’t done enough traditional core workouts. For many women, it's actually a sign that your organs are out of position. This is incredibly common, especially if you've had children, have a job where you sit all day, or struggle with bloating and digestive issues.
So, let’s talk about what's normal and what's not when it comes to the low belly in women.
Is it Normal for Women to Have a Low Belly Pooch?
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I hear this question daily. Women are frustrated because their jeans don't fit anymore. They avoid getting dressed up because nothing looks right. They're confused because despite their healthy diet and regular exercise, the low belly pooch won't budge.
Just like I tell all my clients - having some body fat is completely normal and necessary for women's health. Your body needs a certain amount of fat for proper hormone function, menstruation, and overall wellbeing. When body fat drops too low, serious health issues can develop - irregular periods, hormone imbalances, and compromised immune function, even if you look "fit" on the outside.
But here's something most women don't know: that stubborn low belly pooch often isn't about body fat at all. It's actually caused by improper positioning of your internal organs. When your core muscles aren't functioning optimally, your organs shift downward and forward, creating that protruding lower belly appearance.
Where Low Belly Pooch Comes From
If you have a low belly pooch that means your organs are too low and compressed. Low and compressed organs are a result of a core muscles that are dysfunctional. The core muscle dysfunction of the "low belly pooch" most commonly presents one of two ways: It starts with a diaphragm that is too tight, and/or abdominal muscles that are inhibited.
A Tight Diaphragm
When someone has a tight diaphragm- the mechanics of breathing are significantly altered. The diaphragm should be able to move laterally (outward) as well as up and down. When the diaphragm is too tight, it can only move down. If the diaphragm moves only downward (instead of laterally) with breathing, this will cause the organs to be pushed downward with every breath you take. When the organs are stuck in a low position, this makes the lower abdomen chronically protrude, leading to the low belly pooch. A tight diaphragm is commonly a physical manifestation of stress. It is also common in people who have chronic pain, asthma, allergies, and/or chronically cough. I also frequently see tight diaphragms in women who have a dance background or do a lot of Pilates, because of the cuing they receive during these activities. These are typically very fit women, who do indeed have abdominal muscle definition, but the shape of their abdomen protrudes in the low belly, because their core muscles are dysfunctional, stemming from a tight diaphragm.
Inhibited Lower Abdominal Muscles
Inhibited lower abdominal muscles are most common post partum in women after giving birth. The abdominal muscles were stretched to their max for 10 months, and require specific breathing exercises to return to normal. If the abdominal muscles and fascia do not receive the proper rehabilitative input post partum, the lower abdominal muscles become inhibited and no longer support their pelvic organs. This leads to the pelvic organs sitting in a low position and also protruding outward. Abdominal muscle inhibition is also common in women who struggle with digestive issues and bloating. The chronic inflammation in the abdomen and pelvis is irritating to the abdominal muscles and puts them on a constant stretch. This is the same mechanism that occurs during pregnancy- the abdominal muscles are on a constant stretch and this eventually inhibits their normal activation patterns.
Healthy is More Important than “Perfect”
There is nothing wrong with wanting to look better and have a flat and toned belly. However, when aesthetics becomes the sole focus, we are missing the key foundational piece of the puzzle. The low belly pooch essentially comes from core muscles that are not functioning properly. When the core muscles resume their proper function, the shape of the belly automatically changes, the waist shrinks, and the low belly pooch disappears.
My approach focuses on achieving optimal function first, and aesthetic “improvements” are a natural result of having optimally functioning core muscles. When your core muscles work properly, they support your organs and keep them in their proper position. This creates both optimal organ function and leads to that flat, toned stomach you're looking for. Optimal organ function means a bladder that doesn't leak or give your unnecessary urgency, a digestive system that is able to break down food properly and has regular and healthy elimination, a menstrual cycle that is pain-free and regular, and a uterus that is fertile and lifted. When all of this is achieved by optimizing organ position, a nice bonus is a toned, flat belly.
This is exactly what I teach inside the Core Recovery Method®. You’ll learn exactly how to train your core muscles to automatically lift and center your organs, giving you both the healthy organ function as well as the appearance you want.
The Core Recovery Method® is an online program that guides you step by step through my protocol for optimal core health. Through breath work, postural exercises, subconscious nervous system training, self massage and trigger point release and core hygiene practices, you are able to quickly resolve core muscle dysfunction and permanently lift and center your organs so the low belly pooch can be a thing of the past.
Life Changing Transformations
"The Core Recovery Method® has totally transformed my body. Aesthetically speaking (because who doesn't also want to look a little extra fit), for the first time I have definition in my core without ever, and I mean ever, doing traditional 'core work'. I now recommend Angie's course to all of my friends, family, and nutrition clients! If you're on the fence considering this program please just commit!! I promise if you stick with it you will feel a total body transformation you never expected, and your core will thank you."
-Katie E.
