Part Four: Making it work!
Check out part 3, here!

Can we just be really real and intimate with each other for a moment?

1 in 4 women experience bladder problems (Leaking!)
1 in 3 experience bladder problems and/ or pelvic pain during sex
P.S. a healthy pelvic floor will keep embarrassment out of the bedroom and make sex more enjoyable.

I am not an exception to any of the above statistics! In fact I once went to the hospital due to inexplicable pain and the doctors were totally stumped. It was only after learning more about my Pelvic Floor that I realized the culprit was likely Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. While incontinence and pain are very common, it’s not normal and it can be prevented and helped.

Let’s recap what we already know from this blog series. We know where the Pelvic Floor is located. We know the Pelvic Floor has a special relationship to our Inner Core and that it must be strong and flexible.

Well, if all of this wasn’t enough, it also needs to know how to move at different speeds! This final step is what is going to get us to those goals!

We need the muscles of our Pelvic Floor to maintain a constant engagement throughout our days to hold up the contents of our abdomen and we need those muscles to be able to react quickly against sudden abdominal pressure: LAUGHING, SNEEZING, COUGHING, running, jumping and all our other pregnancy and mom goals! For simplicity, lets say that we need to know how to work our Pelvic Floor in a powerful, plyometric style (exerting maximum force in short intervals), “fast twitch” and for endurance (the ability to withstand wear and tear, lengthy physical stamina), “slow twitch“ engagement.

Here are some exercises to help you find both types of engagement.

A complement to our Wide Leg Stretch last post, this Wide Leg Squat in Parallel (or Plie in 2nd) can help to build proper strength.

Separate the legs just wider than the width of your shoulders, preferably with the knees and toes facing forward (alternatively, this can be done with legs turned out, but this should be avoided if there is a known issue with any sort of prolapse) Put a little more weight into our heels than toes and squat – bending and stretching your knees. Try to keep your torso upright (this time, don’t lean forward)

Using your “Core Breath” with the squat- Inhale to bend your knees and Exhale to straighten your knees. Do these squats slowly, matching the length of your breaths to the length of the movements. Keep your Pelvic Floor engaged and lifted throughout. This works the endurance or slow twitch fibers of the Pelvic Floor.

Parallel squat
  

Turned out squat
                       

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Let’s add on…

Pause when you’re almost at the deepest part of your squat. Push into your heels to help activate your glutes (bum cheeks) and your hip muscles, and start to come up but stop yourself from coming all the way up with a short, fast Exhale to engage your core muscles, including your Pelvic Floor, as quickly and strongly as you can. Inhale to release as quickly as you can, and drop down into the squat again. Think of this as a pulse with and accent upward. Aim to be powerful with the Pelvic Floor like a striking action on the contraction. Recruiting the extra muscles of the hip, bum and legs will assist your Pelvic Floor and give you some lower body work. Start with 3 pulses and rest, several times. As you become able to contract and release quickly, you can work your way up to 5 pulses and eventually 10 pulses.

Take it up a notch

Once you’ve mastered the wide leg squat, here’s a variation that will make you work a little harder and take much more concentration on the core and floor. Switch your breath for this one – Exhale as you step out to the wide leg position and squat contracting the core and floor. Inhale to pull the legs back together (use a little inner thigh) and straighten your legs. This works for endurance and the stepping out action is plyometric for fast twitch integration. For an example: https://www.instagram.com/p/BRLVW6ZhdUi/?taken-by=ruthruttandoula

Hovering on Knees Or Bridging

Start sitting on your heels with feet together and knees apart at about a 45* angle. Using the “Core Breath” Exhale and lift your bottom off your heels (about half way between sitting and being right up on your shins) thinking of pulling the knees toward centre (but don’t actually move them) you should feel the muscles of your upper inner thigh, your glutes (bum cheeks) and maybe a little of the outside of your hips engage. Inhale and release.

For Bridging lie on the floor or a Mat, knees bent and about hip width apart. Using the “Core Breath” Exhale and lift your bottom off the Mat trying to keep your torso long not bowing, and using the glutes more than your hamstrings. Inhale and release. Maintain the contraction of the Pelvic Floor and core throughout both of these exercises.

Hovering


Bridging
  

Let’s add on…

This time hold the hover or the bridge and keep the inner core engaged. With a short, fast Exhale, engage your Pelvic Floor (in and up), as quickly as you can. Inhale to release as quickly as you can. Repeat 3 times and then release the squeeze. Work up to 5 repetitions, and then 10, as your ability and strength increases.

**Inner thigh work can be uncomfortable for some pregnant persons and could contribute to Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. If you feel any pain in the pubic bone area with these or any exercises, stop! Likewise, not all pregnant persons will feel uncomfortable lying on their back for bridging and we do not recommend spending much time lying in this position exercising. Stop if you feel uncomfortable, breathless or lightheaded. In general, keep pregnant person’s heart above baby’s heart when reclining**

Let’s counter some of this inner thigh focus with the outer hip and thigh muscles, which work together with the Pelvic Floor and protect the pelvis and low back.

Maintain the integrity of your Inner Core and Pelvic Floor throughout and complete 5-10 repetitions of each of the Clam leg variations that you see in this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTBxN0rhInt/?taken-by=ruthruttandoula

Some movements should feel like you really have to think to keep yourself from wobbling and some will create a little burn on the outside of the thigh, hip and glute. Don’t forget to repeat on the second side!

Follow me on Instagram @ruthruttandoula or come to a class to keep crushing your Pregnancy and Mom Goals!