I imagine like most women the first bit of advice you were given to resolve your pelvic health condition was to do pelvic floor exercises, perhaps you were given a leaflet or advised to use the squeezy app. I also imagine you either diligently did them or found it hard to follow or know if you were doing it correctly. Months have passed & you don’t see any difference so what now? Go back to doing the only recommended exercise that didn’t really make sense or work for you or try something else?
I know how you feel because that was me too! I felt the same way & what I found actually worked was moving more of me instead of constantly trying to isolate my pelvic floor by doing pelvic floor lifts & Kegel exercises. That was when I started to create my Whole Body Pelvic Health method.
In my last blog, I taught you the importance of breathing as your first step to healing your pelvic floor now I will explain what pelvic floor exercises to start with.
The exercises need to be varied just as we vary the exercises for the rest of our bodies. Your pelvic floor is designed to be highly flexible, adaptable & responsive. Therefore, the exercises you do need to reflect this & the varied roles of your pelvic floor. Its role is not solely to hold up your internal organs. Your pelvic floor is part of a suspensory system where everything near & far is linked & interacts. It connects to your deep hip, spine & leg muscles & diaphragm & more which means that all of the movements of your spine, pelvis, hips & legs influence your pelvic floor & vice versa. I know that is not generally how we are taught to think of our pelvic floor & there is more, it has been repeatedly proven that squat movements are the most effective & reliable way to strengthen your pelvic floor. Drop the mic moment!!
So your first step after you have read my Pelvic Floor Breathing Blog & do the exercise in there you then stand up & down out of your chair aka squat 10 times per day. Job done, the most effective way to start exercising your pelvic floor.
Let’s not stop there though let’s think about other daily activities that can stimulate the responsiveness of your pelvic floor. Walking, yes walking with a long stride is going to help you find all important balance through your pelvis. Sitting, not just sitting on a chair, can you get on the floor cross your legs & then cross them the other way. Finding more balance & releasing some tightness you might feel through your hips.
These simple steps create environments for your pelvic floor to restore, respond & rejuvenate