Hey there! In this week’s newsletter, we’re breaking down exercises you can use to stretch and strengthen your pelvic floor without relying on deep squats or Kegels.

We recently shared a five-part series about this on Instagram, but let’s go a little deeper here.

1) The Pelvic Floor Has Four Quadrants

There is no single stretch or strengthening exercise that targets the entire pelvic floor.

The pelvic floor attaches to the pelvis, and since the pelvis can move, changes in pelvic position also change the tension within the pelvic floor.

When we move into a more open hip position, the anterior pelvic floor tends to lengthen while the posterior quadrants shorten.

When we move into a more closed hip position, the posterior quadrants lengthen while the anterior portion shortens.

The key for the pelvic floor, and really the rest of your body, is the ability to move between positions. It is not about finding one perfect stretch or one perfect exercise. It is about building the ability to move through a variety of positions so your hips and pelvis can move well, which supports a healthier and better functioning pelvic floor.

​

2) Stretch the Front Quadrants

The front of the pelvic floor tends to lengthen more when the knees are wider apart, which places the hips in external rotation and abduction. This is usually paired with a slight anterior pelvic tilt.

These types of stretches often target the groin and inner thigh.

If you want to focus more on one side, since the right anterior quadrant is commonly tighter, you can perform these movements in a single sided open hip position.

Blog: How to Help Baby Engage in Pregnancy​

3) Stretch the Back Quadrants

The back of the pelvic floor is often tighter than the front.

Many of us spend a lot of time in extension through the spine, with wider knees and open hip positions. These positions tend to lengthen the front of the pelvic floor while keeping the back portion relatively shortened.

To target the back quadrants, we usually want more internal rotation and adduction, which creates a more closed hip position along with a slight posterior pelvic tilt.

These movements are often called hip shifts, and you will typically feel a deeper glute stretch when doing them.

4) Strengthen the Front Quadrants

The pelvic floor also needs to shorten and produce force, not just stretch.

The goal is not to stay in one position, but to develop the ability to move between positions. Strength work helps build this balance.

The left anterior quadrant often tends to be more lengthened than the right. Finding exercises that bring the left hip into more internal rotation and adduction can help improve balance.

This can include exercises like staggered stance Romanian deadlifts, hamstring focused hinge movements, Copenhagen planks, and other inner thigh strengthening exercises.

5) Strengthen the Back Quadrants

Just like the front, the back quadrants also benefit from strengthening.

The right posterior quadrant often tends to be more lengthened compared to the left side. Strengthening the right glute and quad can help improve balance across the pelvic floor.

Exercises like B-stance squats and fire hydrants can be great options to build strength in this area.

I walk through this entire routine in our latest 30-minute Pelvic Floor Balance workout, where I share exercises that help release and strengthen the entire pelvic floor.

​

All of our MamasteFit fitness programs follow this same approach. Instead of focusing on just one type of exercise, we guide you through movements that improve pelvic mobility, balance tension in the pelvic floor, and build strength that supports pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery.

I hope this helped break down how to approach the pelvic floor beyond just deep squats and Kegels. When you understand the common patterns that exist and how to target each quadrant, it becomes much easier to support better pelvic floor function.

Improving your ability to move through different hip and pelvic positions can help balance tension, build strength, and support a higher quality of life.

Talk with you next week,

Gina

Stay Strong in Pregnancy and Motherhood!

MamasteFit is one of the only fitness training facilities in the country that exclusively works with in-person prenatal and postnatal fitness clients—and also provides hands-on birth support. Our prenatal and postpartum fitness programs aren’t random “safe” modifications pulled from the internet; they’re designed specifically for this stage of life, tested and refined with our in-person clients, and approved by our in-house pelvic floor physical therapists.

Our prenatal programs were created to keep you strong and pain-free throughout pregnancy with specialty exercises to help you prepare for birth with pelvic opening, pelvic floor, and birth prep movements.

Our postpartum programs were carefully designed with our in-person fitness clients and pelvic floor PTs to ensure there is a smooth transition from rehab and recovery to fitness. Many PTs recommend our programs for both pregnancy and postpartum because of how seamless they integrate with someone's 1-1 PT!

And if you are beyond the first 6–9 months postpartum and ready to continue strength training with us, check out our Beyond Postpartum Strength Program!​

This is the strength programming I personally use to feel strong in motherhood while continuing to support my pelvic floor and core.

The program moves through 6–8 week cycles with new workouts each phase. Every cycle focuses on a different training goal, including strength endurance, maximal strength, power, and stability so you can continue progressing long after the postpartum phase.