Pelvic Floor Health for Women: The Missing Piece in Strength and Fitness

When women start a fitness journey, they are usually focused on becoming stronger.

They want to lift heavier.

They want more energy.

They want to feel confident in their bodies.

They want to return to activities they love.

But there is one important muscle group that is often missing from the conversation:

The pelvic floor.

And as a pelvic floor physical therapist, this is something I want to change.

Because most women were never taught that their pelvic floor is part of their overall strength, movement, and wellness.

They were never taught how this group of muscles works with the rest of their body.

They were never taught that pelvic floor health is not just about postpartum recovery or fixing symptoms after something goes wrong.

It is about creating a strong foundation for movement.

Your body is not broken.

Your body is designed to move, adapt, and become stronger.

But understanding your body is the first step.

Why Women’s Fitness Needs to Include the Pelvic Floor

For years, when we talked about a “full body workout,” we typically talked about the major muscle groups:

  • Legs
  • Arms
  • Chest
  • Back
  • Core

And those muscles absolutely matter.

They help us move.

They help us build strength.

They support our everyday activities.

But I started asking myself a question:

“Where is the pelvic floor?”

Because when we talk about women’s health, especially after pregnancy and childbirth, the pelvic floor deserves a place in the conversation.

The pelvic floor is not an extra.

It is not something to think about only if you experience leaking.

It is a muscle group that contributes to how your body functions every single day.

Pregnancy Changes the Body—And Recovery Should Address the Whole Woman

One of the reasons this topic is so important is because pregnancy and childbirth create incredible changes in a woman’s body.

Your body adapts to support your baby.

Your muscles stretch.

Your tissues change.

Your pelvic organs shift.

Your movement patterns may change.

And after birth, many women are told to simply “get back into exercise.”

But postpartum recovery should not be about rushing back.

It should be about rebuilding.

It should be about understanding what your body needs.

It should be about creating strength that supports your life.

Postpartum fitness is not just about appearance.

It is about:

  • Feeling confident moving again
  • Being able to exercise without fear
  • Supporting your pelvic health
  • Returning to activities you enjoy

This is why pelvic floor function matters.

The Female Body Deserves a Thoughtful Approach

One of the points I emphasize often is that the female pelvis is different from the male pelvis.

The angles are different.

The structure is different.

And pregnancy, childbirth, hormones, and different stages of life can place unique demands on a woman’s body.

That does not mean women should avoid challenging workouts.

It does not mean women cannot lift weights.

It does not mean women need to be afraid of movement.

It means we need better education.

We need to understand how our bodies work so we can train in a way that supports our goals.

The Pelvic Floor Is About More Than Preventing Leaks

When many women hear “pelvic floor,” they immediately think about one thing:

Leaking.

And while helping women overcome urinary leakage is something I am passionate about, the pelvic floor does so much more.

The pelvic floor helps with:

Stability

Your pelvic floor works with your core and other muscles to help support your pelvis and movement.

This matters when you:

  • Walk
  • Run
  • Lift weights
  • Exercise
  • Carry your children

Organ Support

Your pelvic floor helps support your pelvic organs.

This is especially important after pregnancy and childbirth when your body has gone through significant changes.

Sexual Health

The pelvic floor also plays an important role in sexual function and pleasure.

This is another area where women deserve more education and fewer uncomfortable conversations.

Understanding your body creates confidence.

Myth: Pelvic Floor Problems Only Happen to Older Women

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is:

“Pelvic floor issues only happen after menopause.”

But pelvic floor dysfunction can affect women at many different stages of life.

Women may experience symptoms:

  • During pregnancy
  • After childbirth
  • During fitness training
  • During high-impact activities
  • Years after having children

And sometimes women have symptoms but do not realize there are solutions.

They simply assume:

“This is normal.”

But common does not mean something you have to accept.

You deserve answers.

Why Random Exercises Are Not the Answer

Another problem I see is that women often receive generic advice.

They are told:

“Just do Kegels.”

“Just strengthen your core.”

“Just work harder.”

But pelvic floor health is more complex than that.

The pelvic floor works as part of a larger system.

Your breathing.

Your core.

Your movement patterns.

Your strength.

Your lifestyle.

All of these things matter.

APTA Pelvic Health explains that pelvic health physical therapy may include exercises for the pelvic floor, hips, back, abdominals, and core—reinforcing that pelvic health is part of whole-body function.

https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/info/what-to-expect-during-pelvic-health-physical-therapy

This is why I created the No Kegels University® Method.

My goal is not to give women another random exercise to add to their list.

My goal is to help women understand their bodies and create sustainable strength.

How to Start Thinking Differently About Your Workouts

The next time you choose a workout, I want you to start asking different questions.

Instead of only asking:

“Did I work my legs today?”

“Did I work my arms?”

“Did I get my cardio in?”

Also ask:

  • How is my pelvic floor involved?
  • Does this workout support my body?
  • Do I feel strong and confident during movement?
  • Am I ignoring symptoms because I think they are normal?

These questions can change the way you approach fitness.

Because your health is about more than checking off a workout.

It is about building a body you trust.

Changing the Conversation for Women Today and Future Generations

One of the biggest reasons I talk about the pelvic floor so openly is because I want to change the conversation.

I want women to have access to information they were never given.

I want moms to understand their bodies.

I want daughters and future generations to grow up knowing that pelvic health is part of women’s health.

Education creates empowerment.

Questions create change.

And sometimes one conversation can help another woman realize she is not alone.

Your Next Step

You do not need more confusing advice.

You do not need to ignore symptoms and hope they disappear.

You deserve a plan that helps you understand your body and build lasting strength.

If you’re tired of conflicting advice online and want a clear roadmap, explore the No Kegels University® Method and learn how to build lasting strength and confidence.

You can also fill out Your Pelvic Floor’s Next Step Form here:

https://www.beyondthevbypauli.com/nextstep

Healing is not about perfection.

It is about understanding, consistency, and progression.

Your pelvic floor matters.

Your strength matters.

And you deserve to feel confident in your body.

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Leaking During Exercise? How to Jump and Do Jumping Jacks Without Leaking

You are standing in the middle of a group fitness class, enjoying the music and the energy of the room, when the instructor yells, “Alright, thirty seconds of jumping jacks, let’s go!”

Instantly, a wave of anxiety hits you. While the women around you jump without a second thought, you cross your legs, slow down, or slip away to the bathroom. You might even use a few silent “tips and tricks” to hide what is happening, convinced that you are the only one in the room whose body can’t handle the impact.

Let’s clear up a major secret right now: you are absolutely not alone. Bladder leaking during vertical movement is incredibly common, but it is not something you have to accept as your permanent normal.

Many women avoid impact entirely because they are terrified to “poke the bear” and trigger their pelvic floor dysfunction. But avoiding vertical movement completely will never teach your muscles how to get stronger. Your body is not broken, and you don’t have to sit on the sidelines of postpartum fitness forever.

Why Your Pelvic Floor Actually Needs Impact

When it comes to pelvic floor exercises, we are often told to stay flat on our backs, performing isolated contractions in a quiet room. While that style of training has its place in early rehabilitation, it completely misses how our bodies function dynamically.

Your pelvic floor is designed to respond directly to gravity. Anytime your body experiences vertical motion—whether that is walking down the stairs, running for the phone, or jumping on a trampoline with your kids—your pelvic floor muscles naturally react to support your internal organs and keep your urinary sphincter closed.

If you completely eliminate vertical activity from your life out of fear, your pelvic floor never gets the physical conditioning it needs to handle sudden forces. To build real-world, long-term strength, you have to train the muscle within the exact environment it is failing.

The Threshold Misconception

The Myth: If you leak during an exercise, you should just push through it or use a heavier pad until your core eventually gets stronger.

Pushing through leakage is a recipe for chronic muscle fatigue. On the other hand, avoiding the movement entirely causes the muscle to weaken from disuse.

The secret lies in identifying your personal physical threshold. Your threshold is the exact point of intensity, speed, or repetition where your pelvic floor can no longer manage pressure, resulting in a leak. The goal of a smart postpartum fitness routine is to work right below that threshold line, giving the muscles a safe challenge without overloading them.

The Root Cause: Muscle Fatigue and Scar Tissue Limits

Root-cause healing matters because your pelvic floor cannot function optimally if it is structurally restricted. Your pelvic floor is a dynamic muscular sling. If you have had an episiotomy or experienced a perineal tear during childbirth, you have scar tissue in that region.

Think of scar tissue like super glue inside your muscle layers. While it is wonderful for closing up a wound, it can cause the surrounding muscle fibers to stick together, severely restricting their ability to fully lengthen and contract. When those muscle fibers are glued down by an old scar, they cannot move fast enough or stretch fully to protect you against a sudden jump.

Clinical evidence supported by the Cleveland Clinic emphasizes that scar tissue mobilization and progressive impact loading are crucial components in restoring normal tissue elasticity and muscular power to the pelvic floor. When your brain triggers movement, your dynamic core and pelvic floor must be uninhibited to naturally regulate internal pressure.

Action Steps: The “Grandma Method” for Progressive Jumping

If you want to return to jumping jacks or running without leaking, you need to alter the variables of the movement to stay below your leaking threshold. Try this progressive strategy used by my top coaching clients:

  • Lower the Amplitude and Speed: Don’t start by jumping as high or as fast as you can. Slow the movement down significantly.
  • Channel Your Sweet Grandma: When initiating a jumping jack, imagine how your grandmother might do it. Keep your feet close to the ground, step or gently hop your feet out only an inch or two, and slow your tempo down to a crawl.
  • Build Volume First: Perform 5 to 10 of these low-intensity, “Grandma-style” jumping jacks. If you experience zero leakage, you have successfully found a safe working zone below your threshold.
  • Isolate and Change One Variable: Work at this level for a week or two. Once your body feels secure, increase only the speed while keeping your feet close together. If that stays dry for a week, keep the speed but try jumping your feet a tiny bit wider. Never increase speed and size at the exact same time.

Healing isn’t about perfection; it’s about understanding, consistency, and smart progression. You do not have to live your life in fear of a jumping jack or a trampoline. Your body is fully capable of adapting and building dynamic strength when given the right strategic input.

You don’t need more random exercises. You need a strategy. If you are ready to stop managing symptoms and start building real, lifelong resilience, take a moment to complete our Your Pelvic Floor’s Next Step Form. Let’s work together to create an actionable plan designed specifically for your body, your scar tissue, and your fitness goals.

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Exercise for Pelvic Pain: What to Do During a Flare

When you are in the middle of a severe pelvic pain flare-up, the absolute last thing you want to hear someone say is, “You just need to go exercise.” When your lower abdomen feels like it is in a vice grip, your natural instinct is to curl up, stay as still as possible, and wait for the wave of discomfort to pass.

If you have tried traditional workouts in the past only to end up in more pain, it is completely normal to feel frustrated or hesitant. Most women were never taught this, but there is a massive difference between exhausting fitness routines and restorative, therapeutic movement.

You deserve better than fear-based advice that tells you to completely lock down your body. Moving safely is entirely possible, and gentle movement can be a helpful tool for improving comfort during a pelvic flare.

The Physiology of Restorative Movement

To understand why the right kind of movement can help, we have to look at what happens when the body stays tight and guarded.

When a specific area of the body experiences chronic irritation or pain, the surrounding muscles may tighten protectively. Gentle, low-intensity movement that does not provoke pain can help increase circulation, reduce stiffness, and encourage your body to move more comfortably.

Movement can also support the release of endorphins—your body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals.

The goal is not to force movement through pain.

It is to introduce enough comfortable movement to remind your body that it does not have to stay completely rigid.

Exercise Doesn’t Have to Mean Sweating

The biggest misconception in general fitness and women’s wellness is the belief that a movement session only “counts” if it leaves you sweating, breathless, and completely exhausted.

The Movement Fact: During a pelvic pain flare, higher-intensity exercise may aggravate symptoms for some women. Gentle, low-load movement may be a better place to start.

Another common myth is that complete, prolonged bed rest is always the best way to recover from a pelvic pain flare.

There may absolutely be moments when rest is what your body needs.

But prolonged inactivity can sometimes contribute to increased stiffness and discomfort.

Movement during a flare does not need to look like a traditional workout.

Sometimes it simply means helping your body move in a way that feels safe.

Unlocking the Pelvic Guarding Reflex

Why can movement sometimes make pelvic symptoms feel better?

It comes down in part to your body’s natural protective response.

When you are experiencing pelvic pain from a condition like endometriosis, or when your body is recovering during the postpartum period, the muscles around your pelvis may begin guarding.

Your core, hips, and pelvic floor may hold more tension in an attempt to protect an area that feels painful or irritated.

Over time, that guarding can contribute to additional tightness and discomfort.

APTA Pelvic Health explains that pelvic floor physical therapy for pelvic pain may include individualized exercises, stretching, breathing techniques, relaxation, and other strategies designed to improve pelvic floor function and comfort.

https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/info/pelvic-pain-causes-symptoms-physical-therapy-treatment

When you introduce strategic, pain-free pelvic floor exercises and intentional mobility work, you may help improve flexibility, coordination, and comfort within those guarded tissues.

Root-cause healing matters, and sometimes helping a guarded pelvic floor relax means gradually reintroducing comfortable movement instead of remaining completely still.

Action Steps: Moving Safely Through a Flare

If you want to use intentional movement to manage your symptoms without pushing your body too hard, start with this progressive approach:

  1. Reframe the Concept of a Workout: Shift your vocabulary away from intense “exercise” and focus instead on “pain-free joint and tissue mobility.”
  2. Utilize Low-Load Pelvic Floor Exercises: Practice gentle pelvic drops and diaphragmatic breathing from comfortable, supported positions—such as lying on your back with your legs resting on a chair—to encourage relaxation through the pelvic floor.
  3. Listen to the Pain-Free Boundary: Move your hips, back, and torso only through ranges of motion that feel smooth and comfortable. If an angle causes a sharp pinch, increased pain, or a protective catch in your breath, back off.
  4. Track Your Post-Movement Comfort: Pay attention to how you feel 30 to 60 minutes after moving. If you notice less stiffness, easier movement, or a reduction in your baseline discomfort, that may be a useful sign that the intensity was appropriate for your body.

The goal isn’t temporary relief—it’s long-term strength.

Reclaiming your physical confidence means learning how to work with your body’s signals rather than fighting against them.

You do not have to let a pelvic pain flare trap you in a cycle of fear, stiffness, and restriction.

You don’t need more random fitness programs.

You need a strategy that respects your symptoms, your boundaries, and what your body is communicating.

If you’re dealing with recurring pelvic pain or aren’t sure what kind of movement is right for you, working with a pelvic floor physical therapist can help you understand what is contributing to your symptoms and create a plan specifically for your body.

Complete Your Pelvic Floor’s Next Step Form to begin creating a personalized path forward:

https://www.beyondthevbypauli.com/nextstep

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Why Leaking During Exercise Isn’t “Normal”

When Movement Turns Into Leakage

You’re running, jumping, lifting, or laughing—and suddenly you notice leakage.

Most women are told this is just “part of being a mom” or something that happens after childbirth. Often the only solution offered is: “Just do Kegels.”

But that explanation doesn’t sit right for many women.

Here’s the truth: your body is not broken.

Most women were never taught how the pelvic floor actually responds to pressure and movement.

And leaking is not a strength failure—it’s a coordination signal.

Education: What Should Be Happening During Movement

Your pelvic floor is part of a pressure system that includes:

  • Diaphragm (breathing)
  • Abdominal muscles
  • Pelvic floor muscles
  • Hip and trunk stabilizers

When you move—especially during impact activities like running or jumping—pressure increases inside your abdomen. A well-functioning system automatically coordinates that pressure so the bladder stays closed.

The Cleveland Clinic explains that pelvic floor muscles play a key role in bladder control, support, and core stability:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22941-pelvic-floor-muscles

When the system is coordinated, you should be able to exercise without leaking.

If leaking is happening, something in that system is out of sync.

This is about more than symptom management. The goal isn’t temporary fixes—it’s long-term strength and control.

Myth-Busting Section

Myth 1: “Leaking is just normal after having kids.”

Leaking is common—but it is not normal function.

The Mayo Clinic confirms urinary incontinence is a treatable condition, not something you just have to accept:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-incontinence/symptoms-causes/syc-20352808

Myth 2: “I just need stronger Kegels.”

Not always.

Many women already have strong pelvic floor muscles—but they are not coordinating properly under pressure and movement.

Sometimes the issue is timing, not strength.

Myth 3: “I should just stop exercising.”

Avoiding movement doesn’t fix the system.

It only removes the symptom temporarily while the root cause remains.

Root-cause healing matters more than restriction.

Root Cause: Why Leaking Happens During Exercise

Stress incontinence during movement usually comes from a breakdown in pressure management and neuromuscular coordination.

Common contributing factors include:

  • Poor coordination between core and pelvic floor
  • Delayed pelvic floor activation
  • Overactive or tight pelvic floor muscles
  • Diastasis recti affecting pressure transfer
  • Lack of postpartum rehab progression
  • Breathing dysfunction during exertion

According to the NIH, pelvic floor disorders are often complex and involve both muscular and neuromuscular factors—not just weakness alone:
https://www.nih.gov

Think of your core system like a team—if one part is out of sync, the entire system struggles.

Many women are cleared for exercise just weeks after birth without ever being taught how to rebuild this system.

So they return to impact exercise with missing pieces—and leaking becomes the result.

Education Insight: Strength Alone Isn’t Enough

One of the biggest misconceptions in women’s health is that leakage automatically equals weakness.

But many women who leak actually have:

  • Strong pelvic floor muscles
  • Tight pelvic floor muscles
  • Or muscles that don’t coordinate under pressure

This is why strengthening alone often fails.

Understanding your body creates confidence—and changes everything about how you train, move, and recover.

Action Steps: How to Start Improving Leaking

1. Identify your triggers

Notice when leakage happens:

  • Running
  • Jumping
  • Sneezing
  • Heavy lifting
  • Fatigue during workouts

Patterns matter.

2. Focus on pressure + breath coordination

Instead of only “squeezing,” learn how your breath and core system manage pressure together.

3. Progress impact gradually

Your pelvic floor adapts like any other muscle—too much load too soon can overwhelm the system.

4. Avoid extremes

Stopping all movement or pushing through leaks both reinforce dysfunction.

Balanced progression is key.

5. Get a pelvic floor assessment

A pelvic floor physical therapist can determine whether your issue is strength, timing, coordination, or pressure management.

You Shouldn’t Have to Plan Your Life Around Leaking

Leaking during exercise is not something you just “live with.”

It is a sign your system needs better coordination—not punishment, restriction, or fear-based advice.

Your body is not failing you—it’s asking for better strategy.

And with the right approach, you can return to movement, running, and strength training with confidence.

Healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about understanding, consistency, and progression.

You don’t need more random exercises—you need a strategy.

👉 Take your next step here: https://www.beyondthevbypauli.com/nextstep

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start understanding your body, schedule an appointment to create a personalized plan that addresses the root cause—not just the symptoms.

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