Pelvic Floor - Who's it for?!
Pilates and your Pelvic floor…
Recently I was asked whether men have pelvic floors too or whether this was just a female anatomy thing.
It got me to thinking, how I bet there are many others out there who are unsure on what the pelvic floor is or even if they have one.
So I thought I’d write this blog to try to dispel some common myths…
Firstly the pelvic floor is not just something woman have!
But don’t worry if you did think that as it’s not uncommon for this to be a thought process, and most likely is the case because the term 'pelvic floor' was a buzz word not too long ago that was hugely aimed at woman.
However here's the truth about it...
If you didn't have a pelvic floor then your insides would most likely be on the floor!
The pelvic floor is a term used for a group of muscles that acts like a sling from your coccyx (tailbone) to your pubic bone. These muscles help to keep your bladder, bowels, and for ladies, uterus in place.
It is important for this group of muscles to remain strong so that you can not only support those organs but also to avoid issues like incontinence (not just an issue for woman might I add).
For both woman AND men Pilates is a great way to build and maintain this strength.
As Pilates uses breath to enhance and facilitate movement, you begin to strengthen not only the deep abdominal muscles but also the pelvic floor muscles too.
The sense on lifting the deep muscles of the powerhouse (or core) in and up helps to build strength from the inside out.
A simple way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to either sit or stand and take a deep breath in, as you breathe out imagine you’re trying to (gently, without bracing) hold onto a wee.
Once you’ve felt this sensation a couple times you can begin to feel as though you are lifting those muscles upwards as you squeeze them in.
The more you can begin to practice this sensation the more you will build strength in your pelvic floor.
Another nugget of wisdom is that a healthy strong pelvic floor can also improve how good sex feels 😅
I mean if that's not reason enough to start Pilates then I don't know what is!
Why not try out a class today to begin working your entire body, including your pelvic floor! Click here to take a look at the classes on offer.
Feel awesome with a Powerful Pilates Pelvic Floor!
“Above all learn how to breathe correctly”