Strong pelvic floor and effective workout - Tips for gym goers

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Written by: Maternity Sports Academy. Commercial partnership.

Effective muscle training often involves exercises that strengthen large muscle groups. In this case, the exercises strengthen the superficial muscle groups that produce movement, such as the muscles of the legs, arms and core, which are important muscles when we move.

But when was the last time you turned your attention a little deeper into your core? Have you strengthened the postural muscles that keep you upright and in good posture? A healthy pelvic floor is part of the deep support of your midsection, your core. By strengthening your pelvic floor, you're not only improving your workout results, you're contributing to your overall well-being.

Why is the pelvic floor important?

The pelvic floor plays many important roles in our bodies. It supports the internal organs above, such as the bladder and rectum, provides retention and is an important part of the deep muscular system.

The pelvic floor works with the diaphragm, deep abdominal and back muscles to provide strong support for the midsection during muscle training movements. Poor deep muscle condition can put you at risk of back pain during exercise, for example. This deep muscle group is therefore responsible for supporting the posture and is an important part of the workout for this reason too.

How to strengthen the pelvic floor in the gym?

Pelvic floor muscle training does not have to be a separate muscle contraction, but can be incorporated into other gym workouts. Here are some tips on how to incorporate pelvic floor strengthening into your gym workout:

Breathing: The pelvic floor muscles work in tandem with the diaphragm muscles and you can get them active by remembering to breathe during your workouts. Exhaling is a good way to do the heavier work of a movement, such as standing up from a squat, to activate the pelvic floor at the same time. Inhaling relaxes the muscles.

Attention to your seat bones: if you want stronger support for pelvic floor movements, pay attention to your seat bones. The sit bones are located in the lower part of the pelvis and you will feel them well when sitting on a hard bench. When you're standing up from a squat or doing a deadlift, think about bringing your sit bones towards each other. This way, you can activate the entire pelvic floor area without tiring the muscles too much.

Core exercises: combine your workout with some core exercises done at a leisurely pace. The deep muscles of the core are strengthened during Pilates-style exercises. It is best to place the movements at the beginning of the workout to activate deep support before moving on to heavier movements.

Body care and recovery: don't forget body care. After heavier workouts, it's important to restore your muscles. Do small final exercises and stretches. During these, guide your breath down towards your pelvic floor and feel your breathing movement all the way to your pelvic floor. This will also help to relax the good muscles.

Pelvic floor programmes at the Maternity Academy

If you want to achieve a stronger pelvic floor, check out the Pelvic Health Mastery programme designed by the experts at the Academy of Maternal Exercise. The programme will help you identify your pelvic floor muscles and learn how to strengthen and relax them effectively.