Want to do exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor but unsure how to start? Wondering how to tell if your contraction is correct? Juliette, our expert midwife, guides you step-by-step on how to effectively contract your pelvic floor.
- Quick test: try to briefly stop your urine flow (occasionally) to feel the internal lift of your pelvic floor.
- Right sensation: imagine holding in gas or stool, like sipping through a straw – without pushing down.
- Key breathing: contract while exhaling, never by holding your breath.
- Common mistakes: avoid tightening your glutes, abs, or thighs.
- Effective routine: 5-10 minutes daily of fun exercises with the Emy Trainer pelvic floor trainer for precise, real-time feedback thanks to biofeedback.
How to feel your pelvic floor and contract it properly?
Before starting, it’s essential to know where these muscles are and how to activate them. A quick test is to try to stop your urine flow midstream.
If you feel an internal contraction, that’s your pelvic floor working. But be careful not to do this stop-pee exercise too often, as it can disrupt your bladder’s normal function.
Another method is to contract the muscles as if you wanted to hold back a strong urge, gas, or stool.
You should feel a slight internal lift. This is the movement you’ll reproduce during exercises.
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How to know if you’re contracting your pelvic floor correctly?
If you’ve been doing exercises for several weeks but don’t see any improvement in your symptoms, don’t worry.
It may simply be that you haven’t fully mastered contracting your pelvic floor yet.
Let’s look at the most common mistakes women make when performing incorrect contractions.
Pushing instead of contracting ❌
Some women tend to push down instead of contracting. But when you contract your pelvic floor, you should feel a kind of "suction".
If during your exercises you push downwards, it can have harmful effects in the long term.
To succeed in contracting Correctly, it’s a bit like imagining that you’re sucking a liquid through a straw using your pelvic floor muscles. Or, as if you were holding back your urine and stool.
Holding your breath ❌
When you contract your pelvic floor, your breathing should not be held.
During inhalation, intra-abdominal pressure increases and "pushes" on your organs. Your pelvic floor contraction should happen as you exhale.
Engaging muscles other than the pelvic floor ❌
A common mistake is to contract other muscles at the same time as your pelvic floor muscles.
A pelvic floor contraction does not mean squeezing your buttocks, crossing your legs, or tightening your abs.
Abs, thighs, or glutes—none of these muscles should be engaged during your pelvic floor contraction.
Your exercises aren’t suitable ❌
When you do exercises to train your pelvic floor, make sure to include enough repetitions.
Also, a good training frequency is essential to ensure you see results quickly.
Consistency is actually one of the keys to maintaining the benefits of your exercises over time.
The rest and relaxation phase is also important. Learning to fully relax your pelvic floor and giving it time to rest between training sessions is an aspect not to overlook for effective training.
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Consult a healthcare professional ✅
To be sure you’re contracting your pelvic floor correctly, there’s only one reliable method: consulting a healthcare professional.
A midwife or a specialized pelvic floor physiotherapist are the only ones who can confidently tell you, through a vaginal examination, whether your pelvic floor is contracting correctly.
There are several types of incorrect contractions (glutes, thighs, abs, etc.) and no technology or device is reliable enough to detect all these improper movements.
10 exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor
Here are some pelvic floor training exercises you can do at home to become more aware of your pelvic floor muscles and their contraction.
1. Kegel: the foundation👌
This is the essential exercise. Simply contract your pelvic floor muscles as if holding back a strong urge, hold the contraction for 5 seconds, then release.
Do 10 repetitions, several times a day of Kegel exercises. Over time, try to lengthen the duration of Contraction.
2. Contraction in a lying position 🛌
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Exhale gently while contracting your pelvic floor, as if you want to lift those muscles inward. Hold for 3 seconds, then release. Repeat 10 times.
3. The Elevator 🛗
Imagine your pelvic floor as an elevator. Gradually rise one floor at a time, tightening a little more at each level. Once at the top, slowly release, floor by floor. This exercise improves muscle control and contraction strength.
4. The Zipper 🤐
Contract your anus as if you want to hold in gas, then progressively lift the contraction forward, like closing a zipper. Release gently and repeat 10 times.
5. Activation in Pilates 🧘♀️
Lie on your back with knees bent. Exhale slowly while contracting your pelvic floor and slightly drawing in your lower belly. Inhale as you release. This exercise gently strengthens the entire pelvic floor.
6. The Half Bridge 🌉
Lie down with your arms alongside your body. Contract your pelvic floor, then gently lift your pelvis until your hips align with your knees and shoulders. Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly lower down. Repeat 10 times.
7. The Cat Pose 😺
Get on all fours. Round your back as you exhale, while contracting your pelvic floor. Release as you inhale and slightly arch your back.
This movement improves both flexibility and muscle tone.
8. Gentle Core Engagement 🤸♀️
In an all-fours position, slowly lift one arm and the opposite leg while engaging your pelvic floor.
Hold the position for a few seconds before switching sides. This exercise also targets the deep back muscles.
9. Hypopressive Abdominals 🌬️
Lie on your back. Exhale deeply, draw in your belly and contract your pelvic floor while holding your breath for a few seconds. Release gently and repeat several times.
10. The Emy Pelvic Floor Trainer: a technological ally 📲
For those who want a more precise training, the Emy pelvic floor trainer is a smart solution that helps strengthen your pelvic floor in a fun way.
This pelvic floor trainer lets you see your contractions in real time directly on your smartphone, thanks to biofeedback technology.
Developed with healthcare professionals, it’s designed for home use and helps improve muscle tone in just a few weeks. Thanks to its app, it offers over 30 interactive exercises tailored to your level.
Learn more about the Emy pelvic floor trainer
It’s especially recommended after childbirth, for urinary leakage prevention, or to regain good muscle tone.
Easy to use and 100% secure, it helps you track your progress in real time and stay motivated with its immersive games.
How often should you do these exercises?
Just a few minutes a day is enough to notice improvement. Ideally, try to train 5 to 10 minutes daily, then maintain a routine 2 to 3 times a week once you’ve regained good muscle tone.
Common mistakes to avoid
Don’t overdo it. An overly tense pelvic floor can become painful. The key is to train gently, breathe properly, and relax between each contraction.
Avoid traditional abdominal exercises like crunches that increase pressure on the pelvic floor. It’s better to choose hypopressive abs exercises and gentle core strengthening postures.
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Why is strengthening your pelvic floor so important?
We don’t see it, and it’s rarely talked about, yet the pelvic floor plays a key role in your well-being.
It supports your organs, prevents urinary leakage, and even improves your posture.
After pregnancy, with age or due to lack of training, this muscle can lose tone.
The result: feelings of heaviness, small leaks, or even a risk of organ prolapse.
But good news, you can easily strengthen it thanks to simple exercises accessible to everyone!
With a bit of consistency, you can regain a strong pelvic floor and avoid many discomforts.
Remember, a strong and capable pelvic floor means more comfort in your daily life.
By including these exercises in your routine, you prevent minor discomforts and take care of your well-being.
Just a few minutes a day are enough to feel a real difference. So, ready to start?
