Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Inhale, engage your pelvic floor, and lift your hips. Hold for up to 10 seconds (keep breathing!). Lower your hips back down and release your pelvic floor. Do ten reps.
Stand against a wall, feet hip-width apart. Inhale, engage your pelvic floor, and lower yourself into a squat as though sitting in a chair. Hold for 10 seconds. Rise back up to standing and release your pelvic floor. Rest for 10 seconds. That’s one rep. Do 10.
Start with your legs together. Engage your pelvic floor as you jump your legs apart and bring your arms overhead. Release your pelvic floor as you hop your legs back together. Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds.
Lie on your back as shown. Extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling. Inhale, engage your pelvic floor, and extend your right arm beyond your head and right leg forward. Release pelvic floor and draw arm and leg back to starting position. Repeat with your left arm and leg. Do 10 reps on each side.
1. Stand with feet about mat-width apart, toes off mat, and heels on it. Bend knees and lower into a squat. Separate thighs slightly wider than torso and press elbows against inner thighs, bringing palms together in front of the chest. Lengthen spine, moving tailbone toward the floor and lifting the crown of the head toward the ceiling. Breathe deeply. Hold for 1 minute.
Why it works: This pose lengthens the pelvic floor, allowing it to contract more forcefully.
2. Lie on a mat with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring soles of feet together and let knees to fall out to the sides. Rest arms by sides with palms up. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Hold for 1 minute.
Why it works: Your inner thighs help stabilize your pelvic floor. When they’re flexible, you can activate your pelvic muscles more deeply.
3. Sit on the floor with one side of the body grazing wall. Swing legs up against the wall, slowly lower back, and head to the floor, keeping legs straight. Allow hands to fall out to the sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes and breathe deeply, relaxing into a pose. Hold for 1 minute.
Why it works: “The change in gravity puts a little pressure on your diaphragm, allowing you to breathe more deeply and fully relax the pelvic muscles without any fear of full spillage.
4. Kneel with knees mat-width apar,t and toes are touching. Walk hands forward and lower torso between thighs, resting forehead, and nose on the mat. Extend arms and press palms into mat and hips toward heels. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Hold for 1 minute.
Why it works: “To be strong, your pelvic floor must also be flexible. “This pose opens up your lower back, allowing your pelvic floor to expand and stretch with each inhale.”
