Two Exercises to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

Nov 22

Woman standing with right hand on her pelvis.

These easy to learn movements will get you started on your journey to a healthy pelvic floor.

Equipment suggested: Blanket or mat for comfort.

The pelvic floor is a term used to describe a set of tissues including muscles, ligaments and fascia within the pelvis. Better described as a pelvic bowl, the engagement of the muscles within the pelvis is best accomplished using the co-contractors of the abdomen and inner thighs. The two exercises described below utilize the fact that your body habitually uses these co-contractors to support engagement of the pelvic floor.

Woman with hands on her pelvis, laying on her back.

Pelvic Tilts - Lie supine (on your back) with your knees bent and your feet grounded in the floor. Making sure your back and shoulders have no tension, bring your arms to your side. Inhale to allow your pelvis to neutral, a small, natural curve in the lumbar spine lifts it away from the floor. Exhale using your oblique muscles to shorten the distance between the bottom of your ribs and the hip bones. Inhale to release.

Woman on a yoga mat, on her hands and knees. This is called an All-Fours position.She is preparing to practice Pregnant Cat.

Pregnant Cat - Start on all fours, your knees under your hips and your palms under your shoulders. Make sure that your hips, spine, neck and head are in neutral alignment (if possible do this one in front of a mirror to check). Breathe in and as you exhale draw your bellybutton to your spine but do not change the angle or position of your spine. Inhale to release allowing your abdomen to expand and get big. Exhale to pull in on the abdominal wall from the pubic symphysis to the ribs and wrapping around the entire midsection but not changing the angle of the spine.

Find This Helpful?
Sign up for our newsletter to review additional tips sent straight to your inbox.

Pin to save for later!

Easy to pin for saving to Pinterest; it reads “Two easy exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor”

Resources and Articles

What is Fascia?

Fascia is both a tissue and a system. It is your soft skeleton and the fascial net is one continuous structure throughout the body. We know it as the silvery white material that is flexible and sturdy in equal measure. It surrounds and penetrates every muscle, coats every bone, covers every organ, and envelops every nerve. Fascia keeps everything separate yet interconnected.

The relationship between form and function - habits in alignment

The habits of the body- unconscious ways of holding and positioning yourself – are just that, habits, and finding the most efficient habits can help you decide if yours are serving the purpose of healthy movement.