Why Does My Upper Stomach Stick Out

The Real Reason Your Upper Stomach Sticks Out (It's Not What You Think)

The reason why your upper stomach sticks out isn't belly fat 90% of the time; it's a postural habit called 'rib flare' caused by a weak deep core. You've probably tried dieting and doing hundreds of crunches, only to look in the mirror and see that same frustrating bulge right below your chest. It makes you feel bloated and thick around the middle, even if the number on the scale is going down. The problem isn't your effort; it's your target. You're trying to burn fat off an area that's protruding because of its structure, not because of fat storage.

Imagine your torso is a canister. The top is your diaphragm, the bottom is your pelvic floor, and the walls are your abdominal muscles. The most important wall is the deepest one, a muscle called the Transverse Abdominis (TVA). It wraps around your midsection like an internal corset. When your TVA is weak, it can't hold your ribcage down. Instead, your lower ribs angle up and forward. This 'rib flare' shortens the space in your abdomen, pushing your internal organs forward and creating that distinct upper stomach bulge. It has very little to do with the 'six-pack' muscles (rectus abdominis) that everyone trains with crunches.

There are two other, less common culprits. The first is high levels of visceral fat-the internal fat stored around your organs. This creates a firm, pushed-out look all over the abdomen, not just the upper part. The second is diastasis recti, a separation of the abdominal walls, often seen after pregnancy. But for the vast majority of people searching for this, the root cause is a simple, fixable combination of a weak TVA and the resulting rib flare.

The "Invisible Corset" You're Not Training

Your body has its own built-in weightlifting belt. It's the Transverse Abdominis (TVA). This is the deepest layer of your abdominal wall, and its muscle fibers run horizontally, like a corset. Its primary job isn't to flex your spine forward like a crunch; its job is to compress your abdomen, stabilize your spine, and control the position of your ribs and pelvis. When you see your upper stomach sticking out, you are seeing a TVA that has stopped doing its job effectively.

The number one mistake people make is trying to fix this with more crunches, sit-ups, and leg raises. These exercises primarily train the rectus abdominis, the superficial 'six-pack' muscle. While important, this muscle does nothing to control rib flare. In fact, performing hundreds of crunches can actually make the problem worse. Each crunch increases intra-abdominal pressure, pushing outwards against the abdominal wall and upwards against the diaphragm. If your TVA is weak, this pressure has nowhere to go but forward, further encouraging your ribs to flare out.

Here’s a simple test you can do right now. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Relax and place your hands on your lower ribs. Do they feel like they are angled up and away from your abdomen? Now, take a long, slow exhale through your mouth as if you're fogging up a mirror. At the very end of the exhale, you should feel your ribs naturally pull down and in. If you can feel that movement, your problem is 100% muscular control, not your bone structure. You just need to train that 'pull-down' action to be your default, not something you have to force.

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The 3-Step Protocol to Pull Your Ribs Down

This is not a workout designed to make you sweat or burn calories. This is a neuromuscular re-education program. The goal is to teach your brain how to fire the right muscles in the right sequence so that a stable, non-flared rib position becomes your body's automatic setting. Perform this sequence 3 to 4 times per week. Consistency over a 60-day period is what creates permanent change.

Step 1: Master the 90/90 Breath

This is the foundation. It teaches you to use your diaphragm correctly and engage your TVA to control your ribs. Lie on your back and place your feet up on a wall, so your hips and knees are both at a 90-degree angle. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.

1. Inhale: Take a quiet breath in through your nose for 3-4 seconds. Let the air fill your belly first; the hand on your stomach should rise, but the hand on your chest should stay relatively still.
2. Exhale: Exhale slowly and fully through your mouth for 6-8 seconds, like you're blowing through a thin straw. As you exhale, focus on the feeling of your lower ribs pulling down and inward, toward your spine. Your stomach should flatten.
3. Hold: At the end of the full exhale, hold the tension in your core for 3-5 seconds before your next inhale. Feel the deep abdominal engagement.

Your goal is 2-3 sets of 8-10 breaths. The magic is in the long, complete exhale.

Step 2: Activate the TVA with Dead Bugs

Once you can feel your ribs move with your breath, you need to teach your core to stay braced while your limbs are moving. This is the core function of stabilization.

1. Setup: Lie on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your legs in a tabletop position (hips and knees at 90 degrees).
2. Brace: Perform the exhale from Step 1 to 'set' your ribs down and create tension in your core. Your lower back should be flat against the floor. This is your starting brace.
3. Movement: While maintaining that brace, slowly lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor. Go only as far as you can without your ribcage flaring up or your lower back arching. The goal is *not* to touch the floor; the goal is to maintain a perfect core.
4. Return: Bring your arm and leg back to the start, and then repeat on the other side (left arm, right leg). That is one rep.

Your goal is 3 sets of 6-8 slow, controlled reps per side. If you feel your back arching, you've gone too far.

Step 3: Build Endurance with a Proper Plank

A plank is not a passive hold; it's an active position. Most people do it wrong, letting their hips sag or their ribs flare, which defeats the purpose.

1. Setup: Get into a forearm plank position. Your elbows should be directly under your shoulders.
2. Engage: Instead of just holding, actively create tension. Squeeze your glutes hard. Gently tuck your pelvis under (a slight posterior pelvic tilt) to flatten your lower back. Think about pulling your elbows toward your toes and your toes toward your elbows, without actually moving them.
3. Breathe: Use the same breathing pattern from Step 1. Inhale into your belly, and as you exhale, feel your core tighten and your ribs stay locked in place. Do not hold your breath.

Your goal is 3 sets of a 30-60 second hold with perfect, active form. It is better to hold a perfect 20-second plank than a sloppy 60-second one. When your form breaks, the set is over.

What to Expect: Your 60-Day Timeline

Fixing a postural issue that has developed over years doesn't happen overnight. It requires consistent, mindful practice. This isn't about getting sore; it's about re-wiring your brain-to-muscle connection. Here is a realistic timeline for what you should feel and see.

Weeks 1-2: The Awareness Phase

You will likely see no visible change in the mirror. Success in these first two weeks is purely sensory. You will start to feel the deep, subtle contraction of the TVA during the 90/90 breaths. You'll feel how unstable you are during the dead bug. This phase is about building awareness. You'll start to notice your flared rib posture throughout the day, which is the first step to correcting it.

Weeks 3-4: The Control Phase

By now, the exercises will feel less awkward. You'll be able to initiate the core brace before the dead bug without thinking so hard. You may start to notice your standing posture feels different-more 'stacked' and stable. Visually, the upper stomach bulge might look 10-20% better, especially in a relaxed state. You're building control.

Weeks 5-8 (Month 2): The Automatic Phase

This is where the changes become visible and automatic. Your default standing and sitting posture will have improved, with your ribs naturally sitting lower. The upper stomach area will appear visibly flatter, especially from a side profile. The change could be a 50% reduction or more. Your plank will feel strong and integrated. This new, stronger core position is becoming your new normal. If you've been consistent for 60 days and see absolutely no change, it's time to consider that your issue may be primarily driven by visceral fat, which requires a nutritional approach focused on a sustained 300-500 calorie deficit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What If I Have Diastasis Recti?

These foundational exercises-90/90 breathing, dead bugs, and glute bridges-are the gold standard for early diastasis recti recovery. They strengthen the deep TVA muscle without creating the forward pressure that makes the separation worse. Avoid all crunches, sit-ups, and even traditional planks until your TVA is strong and the gap has significantly improved.

Can Bloating Cause This?

Yes, chronic bloating can make an upper stomach bulge look much more pronounced. Bloating pushes the contents of your abdomen outwards against the abdominal wall. If that wall (your TVA) is weak and your ribs are flared, the visual effect is amplified. Strengthening your TVA creates a stronger 'container' that can help minimize the look of bloating.

How Often Should I Do These Exercises?

Aim for 3-4 times per week. You can perform this 10-15 minute routine as a warm-up before your main workout or as a standalone session on your rest days. Consistency is far more important than intensity. This is about skill acquisition, like learning an instrument, not about fatiguing a muscle.

Will Losing Weight Fix Rib Flare?

Not on its own. Losing overall body fat will reduce the fat layer on top of your abdomen, which can improve the appearance. However, if the root cause is a weak TVA and poor rib positioning, you can become very lean and still have a flared ribcage. The structural issue must be addressed with corrective exercise.

Are There Other Exercises to Avoid?

Yes. Besides crunches, be mindful during heavy overhead lifting (like an overhead press) or any exercise where you tend to arch your lower back. This arch is almost always accompanied by rib flare. Focus on keeping your core braced and ribs down during all your lifts to reinforce good posture, not undermine it.