Pelvic Floor Exercises For Men And Women: How To Do And Benefits

First on the list is the bridge pose. It’s a simple stretch that focuses on the muscles just below the lower abs, including the pelvic floor.

How To Do It?

• Start in a lying position on your back.
• Slowly slide your heels toward your buttocks to get the knees above your ankles.
• Place your feet flat and hip-width apart.
• Lift your buttocks off the ground while pushing down through your heels.
• Your shoulders should stay in the beginning position.
• Hold the position for a few seconds and lower your buttocks back to the ground.
• Perform the same for 8-10 repetitions every session.

Squats are powerful additions that you can easily incorporate into your pelvic floor workout routine. It activates and strengthens all muscles in this area at once.

Likewise, this exercise also increases blood circulation to the pelvic region to support tissue health and elasticity of the muscles.

How To Do It?

• Stand by placing your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lower your body in a sitting position, keeping your chest and back straight.
• Engage your pelvic floor muscles while going down and getting back up.
• Control every repetition and do the movement 12-15 times every day.

If you're looking to strengthen your pelvic floor, standing hip abductions are a great move. They target the muscles thereby getting them to work together with your hips during the exercise.

How To Do It?

• Stand beside a wall or a chair and place your legs hip-width apart.
• Hold the chair or the wall as support and lift one leg to the side.
• Maintain a stable pelvis and keep the leg lifted for a few seconds.
• Lower it back down and repeat the steps for 10-15 repetitions.
• Now, change the position and do the same with another leg.

This is another great workout that can help you with problems related to the pelvic floor. Bird dog mostly focuses on the hips which are directly connected with the muscles in the pelvic region. Strengthen the hips, and the rest of the body that’s linked to them gets stronger too.

How To Do It?

• Find a spot and get down on a tabletop position by placing your hands and knees on the ground.
• Keep your back straight and engage your core.
• Now, lift your right hand up to extend it forward along with your left leg moving backward.
• Hold this position for a few seconds.
• Lower your arm and leg and switch sides.
• Repeat a similar movement 10-12 times on each side.

Pelvic tilt exercise is performed by bending the pelvic muscles forward using hip strength. It strengthens the lower back and abdominal muscles, which are directly connected with the pelvic floor.

How To Do It?

• While bending your knees, lie down on the floor.
• Tighten your core and bend your pelvis up slightly.
• Hold the bend for up to 10 seconds.
• Repeat for at least 15 times.

The ball squeeze exercise is an easy workout designed to build up the pelvic floor muscles. Performing it regularly helps in proper pelvic alignment and reduces lower back pain. This workout involves using a small ball or a similar-sized object placed between your thighs.

How To Do It?

• Begin by lying down on the floor.
• Bend your knees and face them towards the ceiling. 
• Put a small exercise ball or a similar-sized object between your knees.
• Take a deep breath and squeeze the ball or the object gently.
• Hold the squeeze for about 10 seconds.

Similar to the bridge pose, this is also a yoga stretch that can be used to stretch and power up the pelvic floor muscles. This physical activity helps in controlling urinary leakage, pelvic pressure, and even lower back pain. 

How To Do It?

• Start by lying flat on the floor.
• Bring your knees towards the chest to make a ninety-degree angle.
• Face the sole of your feet up towards the sky.
• Grab the outside of your feet with your hands.
• Open your knees slightly outside your torso and bring them up towards your armpits.
• Position each ankle directly over the knee, so your shins are perpendicular to the floor. 
• Flex your feet and gently push the feet up into your hands as you pull your hands down to create resistance.

This is a type of deep breathing exercise that can be used to relax the pelvic floor. Engaging in diaphragmatic breathing assists in blood circulation and promotes muscle coordination. This sudden change in your body helps in faster recovery and growth of muscles. 

How To Do It?

• Begin by lying or sitting on the floor with a straight back.
• Position one hand on your upper chest and another on the stomach.
• Start breathing through your nose and feel the stomach pushing outward with the hand. 
• Try to keep the other hand as still as possible.
• Pucker the lips and slowly exhale through the mouth.
• Do the same for around 5 minutes.

Exercises for pelvic floor are effective for both men and women. Women can get numerous benefits from it during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Men, on the other hand, can use these workouts to speed up recovery from surgery and improve their overall pelvic health.

Here are some key benefits of practicing these workouts:

1. Improves Bladder and Bowel Control

Following a perfect exercise routine can make the muscles surrounding the pelvic floor stronger. These muscles help regain bladder control and help get rid of urinary leakage problems in both men and women.

2. Reduces the Risk of Organ Prolapse

This condition occurs when pelvic organs slip from their original position. However, when you exercise, the muscles covering these organs become stronger and restrict their movements, reducing the chance of organ prolapse in future.

3. Improves Recovery From Childbirth (For Women)

After childbirth, women become more prone to pelvic floor-related issues. Meanwhile, working out during these days can help a lot in the recovery process and reduce the risk of incontinence completely.

4. Fastens The Recovery After Prostate Surgery (For Men)

Following prostate surgery, the strength of pelvic floor muscles often declines, leading to issues like urinary incontinence and reduced bladder control. However, performing above mentioned exercises can prevent men from facing such problems and aid in faster recovery.