Every Woman Can Benefit From This Pelvic Floor Workout

The Muscles You Can't See (But Can't Live Without)

Imagine a trampoline at the base of your pelvis. A hammock of muscles and connective tissue stretching from your pubic bone to your tailbone, side to side between your sit bones. This is your pelvic floor — and it's responsible for far more than most people realize.

Your pelvic floor supports your bladder, uterus, and rectum. It controls urinary and bowel continence. It plays a critical role in sexual function. It stabilizes your pelvis and spine during movement. And it works in concert with your diaphragm, deep abdominals, and back muscles to form what's often called the "deep core" — the foundation your entire body relies on for stability.

"The pelvic floor is part of your core. If you're doing core work and ignoring the pelvic floor, you're building on an incomplete foundation." — Dr. Amy Park, Cleveland Clinic

When these muscles are healthy, you don't think about them. When they're not, they affect everything.

A Hidden Epidemic

Nearly 1 in 3 American women experience pelvic floor disorders at some point in their lives. That includes urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and fecal incontinence — conditions that are extraordinarily common and extraordinarily under-discussed.

The causes are wide-ranging:

• Pregnancy and childbirth — vaginal delivery stretches and sometimes tears pelvic floor muscles, and the effects can persist for years.
• High-impact exercise — running, jumping, and heavy lifting without proper pelvic floor engagement can overload these muscles over time.
• Chronic constipation — repeated straining creates sustained downward pressure on the pelvic floor.
• Hormonal changes — declining estrogen during perimenopause and menopause causes pelvic floor tissues to thin and weaken.
• Chronic stress — anxiety and tension cause the pelvic floor to clench and tighten, leading to a different kind of dysfunction: a floor that's too tight rather than too weak.
• "Pandemic pelvis" — a term coined during COVID, referring to the pelvic floor dysfunction caused by months of prolonged sitting, reduced movement, and elevated stress.

"We see women who've been living with leaking, pain, or pressure for years because they thought it was normal. It's common, but it's not normal — and it's almost always improvable." — Liz Miracle, Head of Clinical, Origin Physical Therapy

"The pelvic floor needs to be able to do two things: contract and release. Most people only think about tightening — the Kegel. But a pelvic floor that can't relax is just as dysfunctional as one that can't contract." — Evelyn Hecht, Physical Therapist specializing in pelvic health

Six Foundational Pelvic Floor Exercises

These exercises are designed to build both the strength and the coordination of your pelvic floor. They progress from relaxation and awareness to contraction and functional integration. Aim to practice at least 3 times per week. The entire routine takes about 10–15 minutes.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing (10 reps)

This is the foundation of everything that follows. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Inhale slowly through your nose, directing the breath into your belly — you should feel your belly hand rise while your chest hand stays relatively still.

As you inhale, your diaphragm descends and your pelvic floor naturally lengthens downward. As you exhale slowly through your mouth, your pelvic floor naturally lifts back up. This isn't about forcing anything — it's about becoming aware of the relationship between your breath and your pelvic floor. That awareness is the starting point for everything else.

2. Pelvic Floor Lengthening (10 reps)

Remain on your back. On your inhale, consciously relax and lengthen the pelvic floor — imagine it expanding and softening downward, like a parachute opening. Hold for a beat at the bottom of the breath. Then exhale and allow the pelvic floor to naturally recoil upward.

This exercise is especially important for women who carry tension in the pelvic floor (which is more common than most people realize). A muscle that can't fully relax can't fully contract. Lengthening is not weakness — it's the prerequisite for strength.

3. Seated Kegels (3 sets of 10)

Sit upright on a firm chair with feet flat on the floor. On your exhale, gently lift and squeeze the pelvic floor muscles — imagine picking up a blueberry with the muscles between your sit bones. Hold the contraction for 5 seconds, breathing normally throughout the hold (don't hold your breath). Then release fully for 5 seconds.

The key word here is gently. A Kegel should not involve clenching your glutes, squeezing your inner thighs, or holding your breath. If you're engaging those muscles, you're compensating — the pelvic floor isn't strong enough yet to do the work alone, and that's okay. Reduce the hold time and build gradually.

4. Quick Flicks (30+ squeeze-and-releases)

Remain seated. Contract your pelvic floor muscles quickly and release immediately — no hold. Think of it as a quick "flick" on and off. Aim for 30 or more in succession, maintaining a steady rhythm.

This exercise trains the fast-twitch fibers of the pelvic floor — the ones that activate reflexively when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or jump. These are the muscles responsible for preventing those moments of leakage that so many women experience. Quick flicks train the pelvic floor to respond before the pressure arrives.

5. "The Knack" with "Shhh" Sound (3 sets of 10)

This exercise bridges the gap between isolated pelvic floor contractions and real-life function. Sit or stand comfortably. Contract your pelvic floor, then immediately make a sharp "shhh" sound — a forceful exhale that mimics the abdominal pressure of a cough or sneeze.

"The Knack" is the technique of pre-contracting the pelvic floor before an event that increases abdominal pressure. It's one of the most practical skills a woman can learn — and research has shown it can reduce stress incontinence episodes by up to 73% when practiced consistently. The "shhh" sound helps you practice coordinating the contraction with a sudden pressure event.

6. Belly Lifts (10 reps)

Stand with feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Place your hands on your lower belly. Take a deep breath in, letting your belly expand. As you exhale, gently draw your lower belly inward and upward, as if you're zipping up a tight pair of jeans from the pubic bone to the navel. Simultaneously lift your pelvic floor.

Hold for 5–8 seconds, breathing gently, then release fully. This exercise integrates the pelvic floor with the transverse abdominis — the deep abdominal muscle that acts like a corset around your midsection. Together, they form the foundation of true core stability — the kind that protects your back, supports your organs, and gives you a solid base for everything you do.

Consistency Over Intensity

Pelvic floor work is not dramatic. You won't sweat. You won't feel the burn. And that's exactly the point. These muscles respond to consistent, gentle, progressive practice — not to force.

Aim for at least 3 sessions per week. Many women find it easiest to link these exercises to an existing habit — first thing in the morning, during their lunch break, or before bed. The entire routine takes about 10–15 minutes, and the improvements most women notice within the first month are meaningful: less urgency, fewer leaks, better posture, and a general sense of feeling more "held together."

If you're experiencing significant pelvic floor symptoms — pain, prolapse, or incontinence that's affecting your quality of life — these exercises are a good starting point, but they're not a substitute for working with a pelvic floor physical therapist. At Emerge, we integrate pelvic floor awareness into our training programs and can help you determine when additional professional support would be beneficial.

Your pelvic floor has been working for you every day of your life. It's worth spending 10 minutes, 3 times a week, to return the favor.