How to Fix Ab Doming With These Core Exercises

When you’re working hard on your abs, noticing your belly bulging or “doming” during exercises can be concerning. It’s common to see your midline push outward when you do sit-ups, crunches, or planks—but this doming isn’t just a cosmetic issue. It’s a sign that your core muscles aren’t engaging correctly.

Learning how to fix doming during ab exercises is crucial for preventing injury, protecting your pelvic floor, and building real, functional core strength. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain what doming is, why it happens, and exactly how to fix it with safe techniques and corrective exercises.

What Is Doming During Ab Exercises?

Doming refers to a visible bulge or ridge that appears along the center of your abdomen—usually from your sternum down toward your belly button—when performing core movements. It’s most noticeable during sit-ups, leg lifts, or planks.

This bulge forms when intra-abdominal pressure pushes the abdominal wall outward, often through the linea alba (the connective tissue between your left and right abdominal muscles). This happens when your deep core muscles, particularly the transverse abdominis, aren’t properly engaged.

Why Doming Happens

Doming can occur for several reasons, and understanding the cause helps you fix it effectively.

1. Weak or Underactive Deep Core Muscles

The transverse abdominis (TVA) acts like a natural corset, pulling your abdomen inward and stabilizing your spine. If the TVA isn’t activated, your rectus abdominis (six-pack muscle) takes over, pushing the abdomen outward.

2. Diastasis Recti

Doming is a common sign of diastasis recti, a separation of the abdominal muscles that often occurs during or after pregnancy. When the connective tissue between the abs stretches or weakens, pressure causes a visible bulge.

3. Poor Breathing Mechanics

Holding your breath or breathing into your chest during core work increases intra-abdominal pressure, causing your stomach to push out rather than draw in.

4. Incorrect Form

Improper exercise technique—such as pulling your neck in crunches or letting your lower back arch during planks—can cause your core to disengage and pressure to build outward.

5. Overtraining or Progressing Too Quickly

Jumping into advanced ab exercises (like hanging leg raises or V-ups) without mastering foundational core control can lead to doming because your deep core isn’t yet strong enough to stabilize your body.

How to Identify Doming During Your Ab Workout Exercises

You can check for doming by following these steps:

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
2. Lift your head or shoulders slightly, like a small crunch.
3. Look at your stomach—if you see a bulge or ridge forming along your midline, that’s doming.

You may also notice doming in planks, push-ups, or leg lifts. Any time your abs push outward rather than flatten, your core isn’t properly engaged.

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Doming

Doming is more than just a visual issue—it signals core dysfunction. Ignoring it can lead to:

• Worsening diastasis recti
• Pelvic floor problems (leaking, prolapse, or pressure)
• Low back pain
• Weakened posture and instability

Addressing doming early helps rebuild proper core strength and ensures your workouts enhance—not harm—your body.

How to Fix Doming During Ab Exercises

The goal isn’t to stop exercising your abs—it’s to retrain your core muscles to work safely and effectively. Below are proven strategies and exercises to correct doming.

Step 1: Rebuild Core Connection with Breathwork

The first step is learning to control your breath and engage your deep core correctly.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

This helps you reconnect to your transverse abdominis and pelvic floor.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back, knees bent.
2. Place one hand on your belly and one on your chest.
3. Inhale deeply through your nose, letting your belly rise.
4. Exhale slowly through pursed lips, feeling your belly flatten.
5. Repeat for 5–10 breaths, focusing on drawing your belly button inward.

This type of breathing reduces pressure and teaches your body to stabilize your core naturally.

Step 2: Engage the Transverse Abdominis (TA)

Once you’ve mastered diaphragmatic breathing, you can activate your deep core.

TA Activation Exercise

1. Lie on your back with knees bent.
2. Inhale through your nose.
3. As you exhale, gently draw your belly button toward your spine without flattening your lower back.
4. Hold for 3–5 seconds, then release.

This “corset” action is the foundation for all future ab movements. You should feel your lower abs tighten without pushing outward.

Step 3: Modify or Avoid High-Pressure Movements

During your recovery or retraining phase, avoid exercises that cause doming:

• Sit-ups or crunches
• Leg raises
• Planks or push-ups (until you rebuild core control)
• V-ups or roll-ups

Instead, start with low-pressure core exercises that strengthen your deep abdominal wall.

Safe Ab Exercises to Prevent Doming

Let’s explore effective exercises that retrain your core and eliminate doming.

1. Heel Slides

A gentle way to strengthen your core while maintaining abdominal control.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with knees bent.
2. Engage your core and slowly slide one heel away from your body.
3. Keep your stomach flat and spine neutral.
4. Return to start and repeat on the other leg.
   Reps: 10–12 per leg.

2. Dead Bug Doming Ab Exercises

This exercise improves core stability and spinal alignment.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with arms extended toward the ceiling.
2. Lift knees so they’re bent at 90 degrees.
3. Engage your core (belly drawn in).
4. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor.
5. Return to center and switch sides.
   Reps: 8–10 per side.

3. Modified Side Plank

A great way to engage the obliques and deep core muscles without high pressure.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your side, knees bent, elbow under shoulder.
2. Engage your core and lift hips off the floor, forming a straight line from knees to shoulders.
3. Hold for 15–30 seconds per side.

4. Bird Dog Doming Ab Exercises

Strengthens the back and abdominals while improving balance.

How to do it:

1. Begin on all fours.
2. Engage your core to keep your spine neutral.
3. Extend your right arm and left leg simultaneously.
4. Hold for 2–3 seconds, then return to start.
5. Switch sides.
   Reps: 10–12 per side.

5. Pelvic Tilt

Ideal for reconnecting to your core and correcting posture.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back, knees bent.
2. Flatten your lower back against the mat by gently tilting your pelvis upward.
3. Engage your abs without doming.
4. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax.
   Reps: 10–15.

Tips for Preventing Doming During Ab Workout Exercises

Even as you progress to more advanced moves, these cues help prevent doming:

1. Exhale During Exertion

Always breathe out on the hardest part of the movement—like lifting your legs or crunching up. Exhaling helps activate your deep core and control pressure.

2. Watch Your Belly

If you notice any bulging or coning, stop and reset your form. Focus on pulling your belly inward.

3. Engage Your Core First

Before any movement, take a deep breath, exhale, and gently draw your belly button toward your spine. Then perform the exercise.

4. Use Modifications

You don’t need to skip ab training—just modify. Try:

• Crunches with one foot on the floor
• Planks on your knees
• Leg lifts with bent knees

These variations reduce abdominal strain while allowing you to strengthen safely.

5. Avoid Holding Your Breath

The Valsalva maneuver (holding your breath during strain) increases internal pressure, making doming worse. Keep your breathing smooth and controlled.

When to Seek Professional Help: Doming Ab Exercises

If doming persists despite corrections, consider consulting:

• A pelvic floor physical therapist (especially post-pregnancy)
• A certified postpartum trainer who specializes in core rehabilitation

They can assess whether diastasis recti or pelvic floor dysfunction is contributing and design a personalized recovery plan.

Advanced Core Progressions (Once Doming Is Fixed)

After mastering core control, you can gradually add more challenging movements. Focus on maintaining a flat abdomen and proper breathing.

1. Forearm Plank with Core Engagement

• Keep your spine neutral.
• Draw your belly button inward.
• Exhale as you maintain tension.

2. Stability Ball Roll-Outs

• Kneel with forearms on a stability ball.
• Engage your core and roll the ball forward slightly.
• Keep your abs flat and spine straight.
• Return to start.

3. Standing Cable Rotation Doming Ab Exercises

• Use a resistance band or cable.
• Engage your core, exhale, and rotate through your torso.
• Keep your hips stable and abs drawn in.

These controlled, functional exercises help strengthen your core safely once you’ve retrained your deep muscles.

The Connection Between Doming and Diastasis Recti

For many women, especially postpartum, doming indicates diastasis recti, where the abdominal wall has separated due to pregnancy or strain. The strategies to fix doming—breath control, core activation, posture—are the same techniques used in diastasis recti recovery.

Over time, consistent practice can reduce the separation, restore tension in the connective tissue, and flatten your abdominal wall.

Core Safety Checklist Doming Ab Exercises

Before performing any ab exercise, ask yourself:

Am I breathing steadily?
Is my belly flat or slightly pulled inward?
Is my spine neutral (not arched or rounded)?
Do I feel my deep core working rather than pushing out?

If you answer “no” to any of these, reset your form or modify the movement.

Lifestyle Habits That Support Core Healing Doming Ab Exercises

Healing from doming isn’t just about exercise. Daily habits also affect your core health.

1. Watch Your Posture

Stand tall with ribs stacked over hips. Avoid letting your belly hang forward, which strains your core.

2. Lift with Core Engagement

When picking up kids, groceries, or weights, exhale and tighten your core gently before lifting.

3. Manage Constipation

Straining during bowel movements increases intra-abdominal pressure, similar to doming. Drink water, eat fiber, and practice proper breathing.

4. Avoid High-Impact Movements Too Soon

Running, jumping, or heavy lifting can worsen doming if your core isn’t ready. Rebuild stability first.

The Importance of Patience and Consistency With Doming Ab Exercises

Fixing doming isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about retraining your core from the inside out. With consistent practice, most women notice improvement within 4–8 weeks, depending on severity and daily habits.

Consistency in breathwork, engagement, and mindful movement will help restore your core’s integrity and make your abs not only look stronger—but function better.

• Doming means your core isn’t managing pressure correctly.
• It’s often caused by weak deep core muscles, poor breathing, or diastasis recti.
• Focus on breathing, posture, and core activation before doing traditional ab work.
• Avoid high-pressure exercises until your deep core strength improves.
• Healing takes time—but with patience and proper training, you can safely rebuild your core.

Doming during ab exercises doesn’t mean you should stop working out—it means you need to train smarter. By rebuilding your deep core foundation through breath, control, and proper activation, you’ll not only eliminate doming but also improve your overall posture, stability, and strength.

Remember: a strong core starts from within. Train your body to move with awareness and your abs will follow.

Want more workout and video guide?
Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Subscribe to our Newsletter and Stay tuned for FREE downloads of our App coming soon!