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HEALTH & WELLBEING
Yoga poses to strengthen your pelvic floor
Marica Carleschi, European Consumer Marketing Manager at INNOVO, and part-time yoga instructor
Have you ever completed a HIIT workout, Zumba class or squat challenge and felt a little pee come out? If so, it may be down to having a weak pelvic floor. It’s very common for women to experience changes in their bodies both as they carry new life into the world and as they begin to age, and incontinence is often a result of this. Despite bladder weakness affecting one in three women, many are unaware as to what the pelvic floor is, let alone how to strengthen it.
Yoga and Your Pelvic Floor Yoga is a calming, meditative practice that can fit easily into your busy schedule and can provide a great support to your pelvic floor strengthening regime. Here are some of the best yoga exercises to help strengthen your pelvic floor.
So, what’s the pelvic floor you ask? The pelvic floor is a key set of deep muscles situated in the pelvis, running from the frontal pubic bone to the base of the spine. Shaped like a basin, the pelvic floor holds all of the pelvic organs (uterus, vagina, bowel & bladder) in place, and supports the bladder to provide control when you urinate.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
In addition to providing control over bladder leaks, strong pelvic floor muscles can also provide you with stronger core strength in the abs, improved sexual sensitivity, and better posture, to name a few.
Mountain Pose
The good news is there are lots of exercises that will help you engage this core set of muscles, including yoga.
Start by standing, with your feet hip distance apart and your hands resting at your sides. Place a yoga block (or a thick book or pillow) between your thighs. Engage your inner thighs and try to lift the block upwards.
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(Tadasana)
Start in Mountain Pose (the posture above), with your arms stretched upwards, and the tips of your fingers lengthened towards the ceiling. Bend your knees, keeping your back as straight as possible, and push your hips back into a squat, as though you’re sitting down into a chair. Keep your heels connected to the floor, without your hips dipping any lower than your knees. Hold the posture for a couple of breaths. Try to lift your pelvic floor upwards, as though you were trying to hold in a wee. Straighten up again slowly. Repeat as many times as you feel comfortable.
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