The Top 5 Pelvic Floor Exercises Recommended by a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist

When was the last time you considered doing exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor? Likely never, right? It turns out that strengthening this crucial group of muscles is just as essential as working on your legs, arms, back, and chest.

And it's crucial to understand that the pelvic floor isn't something only pregnant women should focus on. "Everyone can benefit from being aware of where the pelvic floor is, how to relax it, and how to engage it," explains Natalie Trubin, PT, DPT, a pelvic floor and orthopedic physical therapist in Hoboken, N.J., and a prenatal yoga instructor with YogaRenew Teacher Training.

What Exactly is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor refers to a group of muscles and tissues that form a hammock-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis, spanning from the pubic bone to the tailbone. "The pelvic floor plays a role in bladder, bowel, and sexual functions, as well as providing stability to the pelvis and surrounding body areas," says Trubin. This includes support for the spine and hips.

However, when the pelvic floor is dysfunctional or weakened, it can lead to various issues. For instance, you may experience stress urinary incontinence, which involves leaking during physical activity, Trubin explains. Other problems include constipation, pelvic pain, and pelvic organ prolapse.

The Significance of Pelvic Floor Awareness, Strength, and Control

When working on your pelvic floor, it's essential to strike a balance between its strength and length. "Most online pelvic floor exercise suggestions focus on strengthening, which is beneficial if you have weakness," Trubin says. "However, many people have a tight pelvic floor or one that is under constant tension—these individuals would benefit from focusing on lengthening the pelvic floor."

Pelvic Floor Tightness vs. Weakness

Symptoms of a tight pelvic floor may include constipation, pelvic pain, discomfort during penetration (even with tampon insertion), incomplete bladder emptying, and urinary leakage.

On the other hand, pelvic floor weakness, which can affect anyone, is common after pregnancy and childbirth, even following a cesarean section. Signs of weakness in the pelvic floor include a feeling of heaviness, urine leakage when coughing, sneezing, or lifting, and a sensation of vulnerability during deep breathing or squatting exercises.

If you suspect your pelvic floor is either tight or weak, targeted exercises can help restore its function and alleviate symptoms. It doesn’t take long—just a few weeks can make a difference, says Trubin. If you don't see improvement, consult your healthcare provider.

Below are five yoga-inspired exercises specifically designed to target the pelvic floor, helping you develop a deeper mind-body connection and awareness of this vital muscle group. "Yoga features poses that both stretch and strengthen the pelvic floor," Trubin explains. Additionally, yoga links breath with movement, and breath is one of the most effective ways to connect with your pelvic floor.

Simple Pelvic Floor Exercises

Perform these five straightforward pelvic floor exercises, poses, and stretches multiple times a week to achieve the best results.

1. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)

Lie down on your back. Bring your knees towards your chest, forming 90-degree angles with your legs in the air. Position your feet so the soles face upward. With your head resting on the floor, grip the outer edges of both feet and hold for two to three minutes while breathing deeply (but gently).

Pelvic floor benefits: The happy baby pose helps lengthen the pelvic floor muscles and stretches the surrounding muscles of the hips and pelvis, which can help alleviate pelvic floor tightness.

2. Static Squat (Malasana)

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, and your toes pointing slightly outward. Lower your hips as deep as is comfortable. With your elbows inside your knees, press your palms together, using your elbows to gently push your knees apart. Lengthen your spine and hold this position.

To focus more on relaxing and lengthening your pelvic floor, place one or two blocks under your sitz bones and concentrate on relaxing your pelvic floor as you inhale. If you're using blocks, hold for one to two minutes. Without blocks, repeat the pose several times, holding for 10 to 20 seconds each round.

Pelvic floor benefits: Static squats help to strengthen and lengthen the pelvic floor by encouraging deep hip flexion and opening.

3. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your weight on your heels as you lower your hips, so your thighs create approximately a 45-degree angle with the floor. Make sure your knees don't extend past your toes. From here, extend your arms until your elbows are parallel with your ears (or straight out at shoulder height if overhead is too difficult). If you need extra support for your pelvic floor, place one block (or a rolled-up towel if you don’t have blocks) between your feet and another between your thighs to activate the surrounding muscles. Repeat 10 to 20 times, holding each position for a few seconds.

Pelvic floor benefits: This pose strengthens the pelvic floor and the surrounding lumbopelvic muscles, ensuring optimal pelvic floor conditioning.

4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. You can place your arms by your sides, on your lower belly, or, if possible, walk your shoulders in and interlace your hands to support your back. Exhale to engage your pelvic floor and core, pressing into your arms and shoulders, squeezing your glutes, and lifting your hips off the floor until your hips are parallel with your knees. Repeat 10 to 20 times, holding each lift for several seconds. If it's uncomfortable, place a block between your thighs.

Pelvic floor benefits: Bridge poses strengthen the pelvic floor, lower back, glutes, core, and other surrounding muscles, helping to stabilize your pelvis.

5. Belly Breathing

Sit with your legs crossed or lie flat on your back with your knees bent. As you inhale, feel your breath expand 360 degrees (front, sides, and back) without allowing your upper chest or neck to rise. Feel your pelvic floor relax and lengthen. On the exhale, allow your body to return to its natural state, gently drawing your pelvic floor up and your diaphragm and ribcage downward and inward. Repeat this 10 times.

Pelvic floor benefits: Deep breathing, or belly breathing, helps relax and release the pelvic floor, which is particularly helpful for those experiencing pelvic floor tightness.