Hi, I'm Michelle and welcome to Pelvic Exercises. Well, we've finally reached workout stage
with our Kegel exercise series. This is the fourth episode in our series.
Today we're going to actually do a physical workout for our pelvic floor muscles, so a
Kegel exercise workout. This is a beginner stage, mat exercise workout. You remember
last episode we talked about the number of exercises you need to do and how to really
correctly activate your pelvic floor muscles with a lift and squeeze technique, and then
relaxing down.
I want you to use that technique we've already discussed and today with your exercises we're
going to go through three alternative positions. Choose the position or those positions which
feel most comfortable to you and those positions where you can best feel your pelvic floor
muscles working.
So it varies from person to person. Positions can be different in terms of the most effective
way of feeling your exercises. So let's get started. We're going to start on our tummies.
Remember when you're starting out the exercises are really gentle. You hold for as long as
you can. If it's a second, a couples of seconds, then that's great. Focus on the correct form;
the lift and squeeze; the relax and let go and getting that technique right for starters
before we progress to our strength workout next session.
So, let's get going! I'm going to get on the ground. You could actually be on your bed
if you wanted to be at home. I've got a pillow here and a pillow is great to use here if
you don't like lying on your tummy, if it makes your lower back sore. It can just position
your pelvis to be a little bit more comfortable and get your back into a more comfortable
position.
If you don't like lying on your tummy, you can lie on your side. Just make sure your
head's down comfortably and it's not strained as well. Use a pillow underneath your head
if you're lying on your side at home.
I'm going to lie on my tummy here, pillow underneath my pelvis as this is the way I'd
like you to position at home. Coming down onto the ground. So I'm lying right down,
pillow underneath, and positioning yourself down, so your head is down. I'm going to be
facing the camera, but you might like to put your head right down and rest it comfortably
on your hands so that you don't affect your neck.
What we're going to do is start through the pelvic floor muscles, so start through the
anal area. Remember: anal area; vaginal area; lift and squeeze; in and around the urethra,
in and around where the urine tube exits, lifting and then lowering down to full relaxation.
These little sets, we're going to do four second holds, but as I said before: do what
you can do comfortably at home.
So let's get started. Our heads are down. Let's start. So just a gentle lift and squeeze.
So lift and squeeze in and around the pelvic openings. Lift and squeeze. Keep lifting and
squeezing. Lift and squeeze. Lift, and slowly relax. Relax the muscles right back down and
let go. Big breath in. And out. And let's go again ready?
And lift. Just gently. Lifting and squeezing, just seeing if you can notice a tension developing
in those pelvic floor muscles. Lift and squeeze. Keep lifting inside. Lift up and in. Lift
and relax down slowly. Now relax your pelvic floor right down. Big breath in...and breathe
out and relax.
Let's do two more in this position. At home, ready? Lift and squeeze. Remember that lifting
action? In and around the openings. Lift. Keep lifting. Keep lifting and squeezing.
Lifting and squeezing. Slowly slowly relax down. Big breath in...and out. Relax your
pelvic floor right back to resting. And once more. You might feel your lower tummy muscles
contracting a little bit as well with these exercises. That's great if you do, though
you want to be feeling those lower abdominal muscles just contracting gently, not strongly.
We're not after a strong abdominal in draw here.
Once more... regular breathing. Let's go. Lift and squeeze. Keep lifting. Keep lifting
and squeezing. Keep lifting and squeezing and relax down slowly. Big breath in and
out. And let go. Now, let's finish that set with just some quick lifts and lowers. So
it's gonna be a lift, lower, lift, lower, lift, lower. And let's just train those pelvic
floor muscles to work quickly when we need them to for coughing and sneezing and supporting
our pelvic floor. Also, stopping unwanted leaks.
Here we go. Ready? And lift! Squeeze! And down. And again. Lift inside! Squeeze! And
down; make it brisk. Make it quick. And again, lift and squeeze and down, and relax and
let go. All right. How did you go at home? I'm hoping you're feeling some lifting and
squeezing and relaxing and letting go with that exercise. Remember how hard it is to
feel these exercises when you first start out.
Now, you might choose to separate these sets out throughout the course of the day. I'm
going to obviously show you all three sets today in this one session.
For the next exercise we're going to do is again on your tummy. And again, this time
we're going to lift a leg up. So, a leg up to the side. And again, in that lying down
position, head down comfortably, you might choose to bring your forehead right down to
your hands so there's no pressure on your neck at all. You can see my leg is here, out
to the side. If your hip is sore then don't do this position; just stay on your tummy
or your side.
So once again at home: Let's get started. Ready? And lift and squeeze. Keep lifting
in through the back passage; in through the vagina; in through the urethra. Keep lifting.
Keep squeezing. Keep breathing. And relax down slowly. And rest. Big breath in. Relax
your pelvic floor back down to resting. And once more let's go ready, and lift and squeeze.
Keep lifting...squeezing lift and squeeze. Lift and squeeze. And relax down slowly...and
big breath in. And out. Let it go. And let's do one more in this position. Ready? And go:
Lift gently. Lift and squeeze inside. Keep lifting and breathing. Keep lifting. Squeeze
and breathe. Once more. Relax down slowly, right back to resting. Big breath in. And
out. And relax your pelvic floor down.
Let's bring that leg back in. And now let's slide back and take some pressure off our
lower back. So bring your hands underneath your shoulders. Slide yourself right back
and just go into a little cat-curl. We'll stretch up tall. Big stretch up, middle part
of our back. And back down to flat. And once more. Big lift up. And back down to flat.
Now, if your knees are sore for the next one, you can use that cushion underneath your knees
to protect your knees. We're gonna lean forward into this position here. So, this is the position
we're actually exercising in now, and you can put your head down. I want you to bring
your head right down so it's relaxing on your forehead and you're nice and comfortably positioned
like that, bottoms up in the air.
Now these forward positions can be a great way of increasing the strength in and around
the urethra and feeling that area in and around the opening to the bladder. So here we go.
Next exercise. Last set everyone at home! Stay with it. Ready? And go: Lift and squeeze
inside. Lift. Keep lifting two three...lift and squeeze...and four, and relax and let
go slowly. Have a big breath in. And out.
And let's go again. Ready, and lift and squeeze. Keep lifting and two and three and
four relax the pelvic floor muscles right back down to resting. Big breath in. And relax.
Two to go. We're nearly there. Here we go. Last couple. Lift and squeeze. Lift and
two and three and four and relax down slowly, and rest. And one more time.
Ready? And go. Lift and squeeze. Lift and two just gently, three, keep lifting
and four, lifting inside relax down slowly slowly slowly, big breath in. And out. And
rest.
And now, let's do some more of those quick, strong contractions, lifting and lower (or
a little bit stronger if you can do them.) Try to make them brisk. Ready? And go: Lift
it! And relax down. And again. Lift inside. And relax down. Try for a couple more. Lift
and squeeze. And relax down. And once more, lift and squeeze. And relax down. Big breath
in. And out. And let's slide back and stretch out.
So how did you go at home with all those exercises? If you're just starting out, that
might be the number of exercises you might need to do for the whole day. We've actually
done three sets of those four repetitions. You can see we do four second holds in three
different positions. As I said earlier, you can choose the position most comfortable for
your body to exercise at home, whether it's lying on your tummy, whether it's lying on
your side, up on your knees or with one leg out to the side.
The idea is you progress to gradually increase the strength of those holds, those Kegel exercises.
Make them a little bit stronger, a little bit firmer. See if you can hold them for a
little bit longer, and relax them down. So, what have we got next? We've got our more
advanced, our football exercise to do with you next time (or exercise ball.)
I'm going to show you some pelvic floor exercises on the exercise ball, and in sitting, and
in standing. I look forward to catching up with you again soon. Bye for now.