What many people don’t know about pelvic floor exercises, is that they can help to flatten your belly. Your pelvic floor area is closely associated with your core which keeps your spine as well as your pelvis stable. By strengthening this area, therefore, and performing pelvic floor exercises, you are benefiting your back, stomach as well as internal organs. Your pelvic floor is better known for lifting and supporting these internal organs, including your bladder, bowel and uterus. Weakness in this area can lead to all sorts of problems, for both men and women of all ages.
Often age can be a factor causing our pelvic floor muscles to become weaker. Add to this the fact that many people do not exercise enough and are getting fatter and less fit. Other common causes are childbirth, bad posture, constipation, hormonal changes and genetics. The good news is that pelvic floor exercises, performed regularly, can be extremely effective in fixing any problems “down there”!
First of all, to test if you have a weakness in your pelvic floor, go to the toilet and stop your urine flow mid-stream. Hold this for a few seconds then relax and continue to empty your bladder. If you find this difficult, you have a weakness and should be performing the suggested exercises below regularly. Even if you find this easy, it’s recommended to do these exercises to prevent any weakness or problems in the future. Do not do this test more than once a week, as too often can cause a nasty infection. This is just to test how strong your pelvic floor muscles are.
Pelvic floor exercises benefit both men and women and can be done throughout the day at various intervals. You can do these anywhere, at anytime as they are very discreet exercises. If you make a habit of doing them during certain activities it can easily become a habit. For example, when driving, checking email, waiting in line for a coffee!
To perform the exercise, imagine you are trying to stop passing wind at the same time as stopping urine flow. Draw your stomach in and as you breath out, hold all these muscles here for three seconds. Rest for a few seconds then repeat at least four more times. Do these as often as you can remember. As an incentive, not only will you get a flatter belly, both women and men can expect an improved sex life as a result of a stronger pelvic floor!
photo credit: lululemon athletica
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