“Tighter does not equal stronger. It’s just tighter” – Katy Bowman
This week I read a very interesting article on the Pelvic Floor. Interesting, as I know a lot of women (men too!) who have pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and the problems this gives us!
I am of the era, as I’m sure many of you are, that when we had our children we were told to do numerous pelvic floor exercises (mainly Kegels) to help us strengthen our pelvic floors.
In this article, it went on to explain why Kegel exercises are not working – I think most of us can relate to that, and what we should really be doing to strengthen our pelvic floor (PF).
According to Katy, a Kegel attempts to strengthen the PF, but what it actually does is pull the sacrum inwards, promoting more weakness and more PF gripping. The muscles that balance out the anterior pull on the sacrum are the GLUTES. A lack of glutes makes you susceptible to PFD. The most telling sign that the pelvic floor is weakening is missing the little curve in the small of your back.
WEAK GLUTES + TOO MANY KEGELS = PELVIC FLOOR DISORDER
Working on the glutes helps create Balance in the pelvic floor, PF weakness can result in too much tension – those of you in my class will have heard me talk many times about how a muscle can be very weak when it’s short and tight. The pelvic floor is no different.
To sum up, if you are wanting to improve your pelvic floor or ensure you don’t have issues then:
1. You need to be aware of where your pelvis should be in standing, sitting, side lying, 4 point kneeling, prone, supine – knowing when your pelvis is in its Neutral position – this is vital for the balance of your pelvic floor.
2. Do glute strengthening exercises like SQUATS – they help to keep your pelvic floor balanced, stop it from becoming too ‘tonic’ and far lesson the chance of developing PFD – bet you’re glad you do Pilates!! 🙂
How to squat effectively to work the glutes:
Let’s keep it simple – your body weight wants to be back, weight in heels not toes, shins vertical, don’t tuck the pelvis under – think “potty squat”, how you would squat if you were caught short in the country 🙂
If you are not used to squatting, you will have to work up to deep squats, it will take a little while to develop the necessary flexibility in your hip area – but persevere, it will come, better still, join a Pilates class as we focus on Neutral Pelvis, Glute strengthening including squats and of course hip flexibility 🙂