Like any muscle group, when trying to gain control through and strengthen the pelvic floor, the most important thing to start with is activation. From here we can work to improve strength and control, while ensuring we have good mind-body connection to the muscle group and isolating the correct areas.

These exercises make up a great series to use as you progress through your pelvic floor activation journey. Starting with the first exercise, you can then continue through as they get more challenging to continue to increase your control through your pelvic floor.

Activation

• Starting in a four point kneel position, with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees

• Engage and lift through your pelvic floor, activating the muscles

• Hold for 1-2 seconds and then release, making sure to completely relax the muscles

• Increase the time that you hold the muscle contraction as you can

• Make sure to continue to breathe throughout the movement, using your breath to help prepare and working to not hold your breath

• If you aren’t sure how to activate through your pelvic floor, it is best to see a health professional to assist in this

Single Leg Extension

• Starting in the four point kneel position again, activate through your pelvic floor

• Then while keeping the pelvic floor switched on, extend one leg behind you

• The challenge here is to not lose control of the pelvic floor as well as not letting your pelvis rock from side to side

• Return the knee back to the starting position while keeping your hips level and then repeat with the other leg

Knee Hovers

• In your four point kneel position, tuck your toes under so that you are prepared to lift your knees off the floor

• Activate and engage through your pelvic floor and then hover your knees a few centimetres off the floor

• Hold for 1-5 seconds, before slowly lowering your knees back to the floor

• Making sure that you don’t lose engagement of your pelvic floor until your knees are back down on the floor and that you breathe throughout

Knee Hover Single Leg Extension

• Starting in your four point kneel position with your toes tucked again

• Activate and engage through your pelvic floor and then hover your knees a few centimetres off the floor

• While holding in this position with your pelvic floor engaged, extend one leg behind you while stabilising the pelvis avoiding any rocking of the hips

• Slowly bring the knee back in, then lower your knees before letting go of your pelvic floor and repeating on the other side

At Collective Motion, we offer a range of Pilates Classes to give you the opportunity to exercise in a controlled and guided environment. Whether you are looking for Post Natal Classes or wanting to just join a Small Group Class, we’d love to work with you. To find out more or to book into a class, press the buttons below!

We hope you found this helpful! If you have any questions or need any advice on any of these exercises, please don't hesitate to reach out and chat to us.

Remember that you shouldn’t feel pain during any of these exercises. If they are painful for you, consider avoiding that exercise or decreasing the intensity. We are always here to help if needed.

If you’re after some more advice or are in need of some hands on help, we’d love to see you at Collective Motion! Collective Motion offers Osteopathy, Dietetics and Pilates and is conveniently located to service our Bentleigh community as well as its surrounding suburbs including Bentleigh East, McKinnon, Ormond, Glenhuntly, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Oakleigh, Gardenvale, Brighton East and Hampton East. Click below to book an appointment and let us help you get moving again.