I learned so much about the importance of proper core and pelvic floor health during my training with MUTU System™ almost 5 years ago. I went through the MUTU Pro™ training to better help pregnant and postpartum women strengthen and heal their core and pelvic floor after pregnancy.
Now, as many of you know, I’ve never been pregnant BUT the breathing protocol and exercise in this program showed me that I had a weak and very tight pelvic floor. TMI? Maybe…sorry. The important thing I took from my own experience at the time was that ALL women needed to do this work to either gain or maintain a strong, healthy pelvic floor.
But…what about the guys?
I gave a presentation at a local OBGYN office and she asked, “Are you helping your male clients with this too?” No, I wasn’t…but now I do. She said pelvic floor work is especially helpful for men following prostate treatment.
Think of it this way, the pelvic floor muscles are no different than any other muscle you have, they have to work!
What is the pelvic floor? I had the same question 5 years ago!
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that attach from the pubic bone in the front to the coccyx or tailbone in the back. It is like a hammock as you see in the photos below.
If your pelvic floor is weak, the support for your spine is weak.
If your pelvic floor is weak, your core is weak, at least in one area.
Your core is not just your ab’s. Your core has four sides: the diaphragm at the top (this is why proper breathing is so important) + the abdominal wall in the front + the pelvic floor at the base and the paraspinals in the back. If you have weakness in any of these areas it will result in issues throughout your entire, four-sided core.
Female photo courtesy of MUTU System™
Not only do pelvic floor muscles provide support for the organs just above it, but also for our spine! That is why a weak pelvic floor an add to back pain and even hip pain, let alone causing issues related to continence or prolapse.
So, hopefully it makes better sense as to why you need a strong pelvic floor that is able to engage AND relax! Usually you can do this by retraining your pelvic floor muscles through proper breathing along side contracting/lifting and relaxing the pelvic floor. I’ve added instructions for ladies and gents below.
If, after trying to work through the exercises below, you still can’t feel your pelvic floor engage or relax I highly recommend seeing a pelvic floor PT. Locally, I send all of my clients to Dr. Mara Towne at Physical Therapy Specialists. I love that the PT’s at Physical Therapy Specialists take a whole body perspective in their treatment; meaning they will asses posture alongside any issue you have in order to make sure they are treating the root issue.
For the ladies:
Sitting on the floor or chair or ball x 1 minute
Sit on a chair or exercise ball
Inhale through your nose, expanding your ribs 360º (meaning belly, sides and back expansion) as if an umbrella is opening up in your ribcage.
You want to relax the pelvic floor during the inhale. You can even press down slightly as long as you are not experiencing any prolapse symptoms.
Exhale fully, often times through pursed lips as you do a kegel by closing the openings of the pelvic floor and lifting the pelvic floor up inside
As if drawing a tampon up inside (thanks for the great cue MUTU System™).
Be sure to keep your glutes relaxed, don’t clench your butt in other words.
Repeat x 10
Hooklying position
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Knees and feet only 4 to 5 inches apart with a straight line on the OUTSIDE of the foot…don’t let your feet point outward
Inhale through your nose, expanding your ribs 360º (meaning belly, sides and back expansion) as if an umbrella is opening up in your ribcage.
You want to relax the pelvic floor during the inhale. You can even press down slightly as long as you are not experiencing any prolapse symptoms.
Exhale fully, often times through pursed lips as you do a kegel by closing the openings of the pelvic floor and lifting the pelvic floor up inside as if drawing a tampon up inside (thanks for the great cue MUTU System™).
Be sure to keep your glutes relaxed, don’t clench your butt in other words.
Relaxing it all on inhale is AS IMPORTANT AS engaging it on exhale
Repeat x 10
For the gents:
Sitting on a chair or exercise ball:
Inhale a chair or exercise ball
Inhale through your nose, expanding your ribs 360º (meaning belly, sides and back expansion) as if an umbrella is opening up in your ribcage.
Draw your pelvic floor up (see next line) & engage core as you exhale through pursed lips or making SSSS sound…a gentle, slow blow out
Draw pelvic floor up inside you as you exhale as if you are stopping the flow of urine
Think about drawing scrotum up
Think about shortening the penis at the base (most important action)
You should also feel anus tighten, but not the gluteal muscles contracting – keep those relaxed
Inhale & FULLY RELAX the core and pelvic floor – letting everything drop and relax
Relaxing it all on inhale is AS IMPORTANT AS engaging it on exhale
Repeat x 10
All in all, if you have low back pain, your pelvic floor may be part of the problem. Practice these breathing with lifting and relaxing techniques to help strengthen the bottom section of your core!