Pelvic floor is a hot topic with anyone prenatal or postnatal, and probably a lot of you know the basics. Kegel anyone? But while you might know that doing pelvic floor exercises is good for you, HOW to do them effectively is a different story. There are a lot of systems at play, and it’s not always so cut and dry as a simple squeeze and release. So, here are some things you should know!
It is just as important to RELAX your pelvic floor as it is to CONTRACT. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, some women suffer from hypertension in their pelvic floor muscles. Meaning they are tight and unable to relax. A tight muscle is often a weak muscle, and usually won’t perform well. Second, and they are related, you need to be able to relax the muscle in order to contract it. Try flexing your bicep muscle at about 50%, now try to go to 100%, it’s hard right? Now relax your bicep, and then do a full contraction to 100%, notice the difference? In order for a muscle to function to the best of its ability, we need to be able to both fully relax and fully contract it.
Using a diaphragmatic breath can be very useful in pelvic floor engagement. Your diaphragm sits nestled inside your lower ribs, and is the shape of an upside down shallow bowl. When you inhale it pulls down to fill your lungs, and expands your ribcage. When you exhale, it lifts up to push the air out of your lungs. This is how it is supposed to work. However, it is so common to breathe shallowly into our upper chest instead of using our diaphragm properly. So try it, wrap your fingers around your ribcage, and breath in a way where you can feel your ribs expand on the inhale. Feels good right! Now, as our diaphragm lifts on the exhale, the canister of our torso is in a great position to engage our abdominals and lift our pelvic floor. Try it! Inhale into your ribs, exhale feel the front of your ribs closing like elevator doors into the midline, pull your belly in like someone is about to tickle you, and lift your pelvic floor all together. Feel how it’s all connected?!
Your lower abdominals are connected to your pelvic floor. When functioning properly, if you engage your pelvic floor, you will also engage your lower transverse abdominals, which are your deepest lowest section of your abdominals. So try this! Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Find the bony protrusions of the front of your pelvis, and then wrap your fingers around to the inside of them. You should be squishing in there pretty well! Then lift your head up away from the floor as you exhale, lift your pelvic floor, and think about pulling your belly in while broadening and flattening your lower belly. You should feel your fingers being pushed out by some muscles in there. THOSE are your lower transverse abdominals that are connected to your pelvic floor! So anytime you’re doing work that includes both core and pelvic floor, think about engaging those muscles you just felt!
Your hips are the foundation of your pelvic floor. If you have tightness or restrictions in the mobility of your hips, this can often play a role in pelvic floor function. If your tight hips are causing a narrowing of the base of your pelvis, then it can be harder to access your pelvic floor muscles. This often happens when we are in external rotation (think duck feet) which is oh so common during pregnancy from all that extra weight we are carrying in the front. So! Try using a block, ball, or small rolled up towel between your legs, and as you squeeze it, imagine broadening the base of your pelvis. My two favorite positions to do this in are table top and bridge pose. In table top you’re on your hands and knees with your apparatus of choice between your knees or thighs. Take a big breath into your ribs, and on the exhale squeeze the block, lift your pelvic floor, pull your belly in (get those lower transverse abdominals involved!), and lift your knees one inch off the ground. This is one of my favorite shapes to get the inner thighs, pelvic floor, and core all working together with the breath! The other one you can do is bridge pose. On your back, bend your knees with your feet on the ground, and put the block between your knees or thighs so your hips, knees, and feet are all in one line. Take a big breath into your rib cage, and as you exhale squeeze the block, lift your hips, lift your pelvic floor, and engage your lower abdominals. Try these ones with and without the block and notice the difference!
I hope you enjoyed this article, and learned something new! If you’re a new mama or will be soon, check out my 5 Day FREE Postnatal Fitness Guide, where you can learn lots of useful info and exercises to help you in your postnatal recovery! Please comment below and let me know if this article was helpful, and if you’d like more like it!
Sending love,
Emma