Hey there!
If you’re here reading this, then you’re probably looking for Step 2 to Discovering Your Primal Pelvic Floor.
If you didn’t catch Step 1 and my intro to this topic then head on over to this post now!
These blog posts are LARGELY about prevention. They are about helping you understand the benefits of cultivating a primal pelvic floor so that you can avoid injuries and unnecessary weakness.
These recommendations are not enough for you if you ACTIVELY have pelvic floor dysfunction. I have very specific programming for clients that targets their unique pelvic floor needs.
Ok, so but you, you might not care right now.
You might be reading this just because you’re into health or all things primal, or being a strong woman (or man, I don’t get a lot of dudes over here…)
And now it’s my job to make you care about your pelvic floor and to do so, I’m going to share a bit about myself.
I’m 37 years old.
I have 3 kids (all born within a 5 year window, because I’m apparently a masochist).
I NOW know that I had some pelvic floor dysfunction before I even had babies.
I know that my years spent as a dancer, runner, anxious person, etc., caused me to lose touch with my pelvic floor and the proper function of it’s neighboring buds, the glutes, hamstrings, transverses abdominus and diaphragm.
I know that BECAUSE I went into pregnancy and birth with PFD, that increased my risk of prolapse and I know that NOT rehabbing my pelvic floor and core after each pregnancy and birth did as well .
So it is no surprise to me NOW that after 3 babies I had some pelvic organ prolapse (POP) going on, cystocoel to be specific (when the bladder falls against the vaginal canal).
After two years of consistent work I have rehabbed my pelvic floor and my POP is not undetectable and symptom-free, YAY!
But THAT was the result of lots of work and ongoing monitoring and training.
What I never knew was that before, when I had pelvic floor dysfunction, I was weak.
My squats were weak.
My running form was weak.
My pushups and pull-ups? Weak.
Because when the pelvic floor is not function correctly (relaxing and tightening to the correct degree) that’s a lot of muscle and a very important part of the body that is lacking structural integrity.
Think about it.
A bag of groceries with a weak bottom? Sure, maybe the groceries are going to fall out on to the ground, but what if they don’t?
What if you don’t even consider that fact, but you just notice that it’s much easier to lug a bunch of groceries from the car to the house when the bag is strong vs. weak?
You can fill it with more stuff, travel further, focus on something else, because you don’t have to worry about the bag’s weakness.
You're more confident in the strength of this bag.
It’s the same with the pelvic floor.
I never even considered how much stronger I would feel in a squat if at the same time that my feet were pushing the floor away so that I could lift the weight, the bottom of the canister that is my body was also contracting and lifting!
Of how much lighter I would feel in a pullup if my body wasn’t just dead-weight but was being supported from the bottom.
I’m talking being able to lift with EVERYTHING, when needed.
You know Wonder Woman has a SUPER well conditioned pelvic floor!
And so now we are taking about PERFORMANCE in the gym. We are talking about whole body strength. We are talking about getting ALL of our muscles on board and coordinated to help us do the cool strong things that we want to do in fitness!
In the same way that your minimal shoes are helping you to resurrect the muscles in your feet, and your primal diet is restoring your gut and brain function, these three steps to discovering your primal pelvic floor are (Plus my DPPF Program) are going to get your pelvic floor back online, more akin to the pelvic floors of our ancestors and, give you an overall better quality of life.
Ok, so here we go, Step 2!
Step 2. Neutralize your pelvic position as much as you can as often as you can.
If you’re reading this, then you are probably a tailbone sitter (posterior pelvic till) or a low back archer (anterior pelvic tilt).
Go stand in the mirror and snap a selfie of your stance.
Now look at these pics and see which way you tend to stand.
Know that EVERY movement you make, this is your starting position.
When you add load, lift something, try to run or exercise, this is how you are positioning your body and THIS is not your strongest position.
To learn how to neutralize your pelvis when sitting or standing, WATCH this video.
Step 3. Sit less, practice moving.
Remember earlier when I mention that we get into these not-so-great movement habits from LACK of movement? Several years ago my husband and I spent 4 months in Asia and you know what I noticed? People that move all of the time and don’t have the access to the modern-day conveniences that we do (cars, appliances, dance furniture and computers) THEY KNOW HOW TO MOVE!
No one has to teach them how to deadlift, how to squat, how to push or pull. How to carry a baby or a load of laundry.
They know how to do it.
Why?
Practice and habit.
Sure there are some scenarios where malnutrition or lack of medical attention has resulted in some major physiological and musculoskeletal imbalances, but for the most part, the alignment, strength and capability of folks in developing nations is something to be envied by us folks in the US of A.
The benefit that these folks have is that they never really got into bad movement habits, so we have to work OVERTIME to reverse some of the movement routines that we’ve adopted from sitting in desks at work and school, in cars and buses for commutes, on fancy squishy sofas at home …but with practice and mindfulness, we can do it.
And when we do, when we learn to move more and better, we build a stronger foundation for our bodies, we discover our primal pelvic floor, we dramatically reduce our risk of injury and therefore improve our quality of life, and as I’ve alluded to above, sex life.
How do we practice movement?
Well it’s certainly something we can DIY, but it doesn’t hurt and can help immensely to work with a coach, trainer, PT or mobility/movement specialist, ESPECIALLY when we run up against some injuries-which should NEVER stop you in your tracks, but is your body’s way of saying, “Please seek help.”
If you want access to my FREE set of three workouts for discovering your Primal Pelvic Floor, fill out the form below to have it sent DIRECTLY to your inbox!!!