More On The Floor

Here’s a short and sweet 5-10 minute pelvic floor yoga practice, to acquaint you with the pelvic floor muscles. For more thoughts on this important body part, check out my recent article “The Bottom Line” (or any resources).

One thing I’ve recently learned is that the pelvic floor is the base of the group of muscles referred to as “the core.” It makes complete sense, as it's the root of our power, coordination, and comfort. Whenever it’s said to “engage the core,” like when we have to lift something heavy, we’re lacking strength and support if we don’t engage the pelvic floor correctly. It’s active in almost every body movement. As varied as every movement is, the shape and action of the pelvic floor varies.

First, a quick recap of where the PF is located. It is diamond shaped, wider for women, narrower for men. This muscle group attaches to the pubic bones in front. It attaches to the tail bone (coccyx) in the back—below the sacrum, just above the anus. It attaches to the “sitting bones” on either side. You can often feel the sitting bones when you squirm around while sitting, especially on a hard surface. Or you can stand up, bend slightly forward at the waist (using the core to protect your back). Reach around with your hands to the fleshy part of the butt cheeks. Move the hands down towards the floor, pushing inward until you find them.

Imagine this diamond-shaped sling with a front half and a bottom half, and a left and right side of the muscle group.

As with all muscles, the ability to relax it is as important than the ability to strengthen it. Clenched muscles cannot strengthen effectively. It’s important to know how the pelvic floor is doing, and these activities can help to relax, strengthen, and demonstrate the difference.

Now onto the mat, rug or carpet. To avoid injury, focus on how the body feels and seek pleasure in each stretch. If you’ve done these movements before, ignore all the detailed instructions and focus on the pelvic floor and its movement. Move slowly between poses, focusing on safety first and how the pelvic floor helps.

• Stand with straight legs extended wide but comfortably so. Point toes outward, comfortably. Slowly bend the knees and imagine/explore how the pelvic bones and muscles are changing shape. The muscles stretch apart because the bones spread apart. Can you feel (with hands or imagination) how the sitting bones spread? And do you notice how the coccyx (tailbone) tilts backward and upward like a tail? You must put your hand at the butt crack, almost down to the anus to feel that one (if you so desire). As you slowly straighten your legs, feel how the bones draw inward and the and muscles lift back up into the body.

• Sit down comfortably on the floor, cushion, or chair (feet flat on the floor, if in a chair). Root down wherever the body touches a surface. Sit tall but comfortably. Lift your crown to the sky if you can, extending the spine upwards along with it. (If you can’t find that long, straight spine, keep practicing. You will.) Breathe in and allow the pelvic floor to gently expand on the inhale. Don’t push it, it will do it on its own if it’s relaxed. If it’s not relaxed, keep breathing and see if it will soften on its own on each inhale.* On the exhales, allow the pelvic floor to gently lift the organs of the torso, assisting the chest diaphragm in its job. It helps to imagine the tail bone hinging up into the body on the exhale, because the coccyx does some heavy lifting of the PF.

• Cat/Cow: Move onto the hands and knees, with hands under the shoulders, knees under the hips (use a pad/towel under knees if needed). Start with the back neutral like a table top. Imagine the shape of the pelvic floor in neutral. With an inhale, stretch the belly down to the floor, like a cow’s belly. Lift the chest and neck. Tilt the hips up. Let the belly hang as low as it will go. If you can, spread the hip bones wider so that they resemble the protruding bony hips of a cow. Feel the shape of that wide-spread pelvic floor. On an exhale, draw the spine up to the ceiling, lower the chest and neck, tuck the hips under, and push the spine skyward. If you can, draw the hips together to be narrow like a cat in this pose. Feel the shape of the PF. Feel how it's naturally engaged and pushing upward. Then breathe slowly and alternate cat/cow—dropping the spine on an inhale, lifting the spine on an exhale for several breath cycles. Explore how the PF assists those movements.

• Balancing Cow: Stay on Hands and knees. With neutral back, carefully lift your right arm and reach the fingers (thumb up, pinkie down) forward as far as you comfortably can. Straighten the left leg behind you, keeping toes on the ground. Lift the foot off the ground if you can and stretch the leg back as far as you comfortably can. Stretch from the extended fingertips to the extended heel. Feel the shape of the PF, and explore if any parts can engage to support the body, and if any parts can relax and take a break. Switch sides and feel the shape on that side.

• That’s it! As you finish, allow the pelvic floor to help you stand up by pushing upward from the inside. Throughout the day, imagine how the pelvic floor is changing, engaging, and supporting all your body’s movements.

*It’s very common for people, women especially, to have contracted pelvic floor muscles. This leads to weakness and dysfunction, including incontinence. When I have tight muscles, I may talk to the area in need, such as, “Thank you, pelvic floor, for supporting and protecting me throughout life. I know you’re at attention, ready to serve, but you can relax and take a well-deserved break for now.” And I may keep talking until I feel the release of whatever area needs some love.

Believe it or not, this kind of pep talk does help. We put our bodies through a lot, and the stress, trauma, and drama of life can be held in the hips, shoulders, jaws--anywhere including the pelvic floor. Not to sound corny, but it is: we can heal ourselves with love, compassion, and gratitude. Above all, we must pay attention to how our bodies, minds, and hearts are functioning. Yoga brings awareness of how we’re doing, and that is the path to healing.