Pelvic Floor

[susan p]

So glad some other people have heard of Katy or are enjoying her blog. I have one of her "Aligned and Well" dvds and it is worth its weight in gold. The Aligned and Well dvds aren't exactly workouts, although you can use them that way and I do; they are also instructional, though, and you can use the exercises she teaches you in them anytime, either adding the alignment information to the workouts you already do, or doing exercise breaks during commercials or throughout the day to beef up muscles to help your own specific alignment issues. They're very helpful.

I heart Katy Bowman. lol. Even if she does wear a pelvis on her head. lol.

[Dobby]

Originally Posted by susan p

I heart Katy Bowman. lol. Even if she does wear a pelvis on her head. lol.

Yes, and it took a minute to figure that out, then I totally laughed myself silly!

Susan, it didn't look like any of the DVDs taught the pelvic floor information altho there is one specifically for women.

Anyone take her online course for $99 (I think??)?

Pam

[susan p]

"Down There for Women" does cover pelvic floor, I'm pretty sure. And here is an interview another blogger did with Katy regarding pelvic floor issues that was my initial eye opener about the evils of a tucked pelvis: mama sweat pelvic floor interview

Make sure to read through the comments, there's GREAT information there as well.

And here's a follow-up post as well.

Here is a video where Katy uses a pelvis model that is really helpful in understanding WHY the glutes are as important as the pelvic floor itself, and why you have to balance glute work (which pulls the sacrum backwards) and Kegels (which pull it forward) in order to not end up with a hypertonic pelvic floor.

[topfitmama]

Originally Posted by Liz N

Pilates is an excellent way of learning how to activate your pelvic floor properly.

I don't recommend squeezing a ball between your inner thighs to try and activate these muscles. They are tonic muscles which means they should be able to switch on at very low levels for a very long time. The adductors are phasic, meaning that they switch on (when we ask) for a contraction and then once said contraction is done, they switch off completely and relax.

I will have to go and look for a few more resources, but as a guide, pilates is best taught one on one - then once you know what you're doing, different DVDs will be useful.

Thanks for the information, Liz I first heard Tracey Mallett mention using the ball to activate the pelvic floor (in her Lose The Belly Flab dvd), and then I have noticed that my pelvic floor must be stronger because I'm having a lot less problems with leaks this spring (with all the sneezing I do) and was even able to jump on the trampoline without having to go to the toilet every 5 minutes (I abstained from lots of trampoline jumping last summer for that reason )

In the "down there for women" video http://www.alignedandwell.com/index....2107&Itemid=92 Katy Bowman says: "strengthening and mobilizing the inner thigh muscles will help support your pelvic floor and your lower abdominals." Then she demonstrates an exercise where she holds a cushion between her knees for 60 seconds and prescribes using this exercise 3x a day, working up to 60 second holds.

Maybe it's not about "accessing the pelvic floor" by squeezing the ball but about strengthening the inner thighs which help support the pelvic floor... I don't know.

Anyway... Susan P, I may have to get the down under for women dvd.... or just read everything she's written on the topic! Thanks for sharing the link

[videofit]

Originally Posted by Liz N

... inserting two fingers into the vagina and gently drawing up 'over' them will activate the pelvic floor. The key is not to contract fully.

Imagine an elevator - draw your pelvic floor up over your fingers as hard as you can - that's ten floors.

Now breathe normally and draw your pelvic floor up to level two - you may feel some activation between your hips - holding this partial contraction is the key.

Sounds like it would be more fun with a "friend" participating. It would certainly spark up your sex life.

[Mandy]

Rebounding is an amazing to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. After 8 kids, this helped me more than kegal work. At first when I started bouncing on the rebounder, I had to wear a pad to help with the leaking but after a week, the leaking stopped. I recommend the rebounder for any jogging in place like Firm 1 or Slim series jogging. Or any Firm cardio. Its easy to add rebounding to your workouts.

[RedPanda]

Originally Posted by Mandy

Rebounding is an amazing to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. After 8 kids, this helped me more than kegal work.

I first read your post as "this helped me more than legal work"! Let's just say that some strange images popped into my head.

[RedPanda]

Originally Posted by Liz N

Learning how to activate your transversus abdominus without using your back or superficial abdominal muscles helps switch on the pelvic floor.

Without sounding TMI, inserting two fingers into the vagina and gently drawing up 'over' them will activate the pelvic floor. The key is not to contract fully.

Imagine an elevator - draw your pelvic floor up over your fingers as hard as you can - that's ten floors.

Now breathe normally and draw your pelvic floor up to level two - you may feel some activation between your hips - holding this partial contraction is the key.

Thanks for that Liz - sounds like a simple exercise to practise at home.

[Donna D]

Originally Posted by Helen

One of the best exercises to do for your pelvic floor is when you have a wee, practice stopping the flow & release again, letting just a little out at a time.

It is fine to do this to see how it is done, but not on a daily basis

http://www.ehow.com/how_5110075_over...exercises.html


Do not make a habit of doing Kegel exercises while urinating. MayoClinic.com instructs, "Doing Kegel exercises with a full bladder or while emptying your bladder can actually weaken the muscles. It can also lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder, which increases your risk of a urinary tract infection."

[Helen]

I was told to do the urinating thing during pre-natal classes as a way to retain strength & to regain it after giving birth - but my children are 13 yrs old, so maybe it's been usurped by more recent information.