Enhance your abdominal and pelvic muscle strength with this trainer's top five exercises
Strengthening Your Core and Pelvic Floor: More Than Just Post-Pregnancy Recovery
Did you know that pelvic floor exercises are beneficial for everyone, not just those who have had a baby? These exercises, often referred to as Kegel exercises, are an essential part of maintaining overall core strength and stability.
The pelvic floor muscles, running from the tailbone to the pubic bone, and from side to side like a sling across the hips, play a crucial role in our daily lives. They are part of the core, a collection of mid-body muscles that support the spine and stabilize the body.
Training these muscles is crucial for maintaining core strength and stability. When engaged, the pelvic floor muscles are responsible for spinal flexion, helping the body bend and twist. They also work in harmony with the core muscles to provide stability and support, making movement more efficient and reducing strain on other body parts.
The workout consists of 8-10 repetitions of each move or four to five repetitions on each side for unilateral exercises. It's often easier to locate and engage the pelvic floor muscles on an exhale. Focusing on breathwork is important for engaging the pelvic floor muscles during the workout.
Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles offers multiple benefits. Improved spinal and hip stability, enhanced support of internal organs, better control of bodily functions, and reduced risk of injury during everyday activities are just a few. Strengthening these muscles also helps manage conditions like pelvic organ prolapse, alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life.
Weak pelvic floor muscles can contribute to incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. On inhales, the diaphragm moves down into the abdomen, and the pelvic floor muscles should lengthen and relax. On exhales, the diaphragm moves up, and the pelvic floor muscles shorten.
It's important to engage the core throughout the workout. Learning how to do a plank can help strengthen the core. Other pelvic floor exercises are available to target this area. Andrea Allen's workout is great for building both the core and pelvic floor, requiring a Pilates ball and a loop band.
However, before starting any new workout, it's essential to consult a doctor if you have any medical issues that might make the workout more challenging. Remember, regular core and pelvic floor training is beneficial not only for postpartum recovery but also as a preventative and functional fitness practice to maintain musculoskeletal health, reduce injury risk, and improve day-to-day physical function.
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- Incorporating yoga and fitness-and-exercise routines that focus on pelvic floor exercises can provide significant benefits, such as improving core strength and health-and-wellness overall.
- Strengthening the pelvic floor through science-backed workouts, like Andrea Allen's Pilates-based regimen, doesn't just help postpartum recovery but also serves as a preventative measure for maintaining musculoskeletal health.
- A combination of yoga, fitness, and targeted exercises dedicated to strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can contribute to spinal stability, reduced injury risk, and an overall enhanced quality of life.
