Tag Archive for: Functional Movement

Pelvic Floor Exercises Beyond Kegels: The Smarter Way to Build Strength

The Advice Every Woman Has Heard

Leak when you sneeze?

Do Kegels.

Leak when you run?

Do Kegels.

Had a baby?

Definitely do Kegels.

For years, women have been told that Kegels are the answer to nearly every pelvic floor problem. While Kegels can be helpful in certain situations, they are often treated as a one-size-fits-all solution.

The problem?

Many women are doing them incorrectly. Others don’t need more Kegels at all.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of the No Kegels University® Method, I’ve worked with thousands of women struggling with leaking, pelvic floor weakness, and frustration. One thing became clear very quickly:

Kegels alone are not the complete answer.

Most women were never taught this.

If you’ve been doing Kegels faithfully and still leaking, still feeling weak, or still wondering why nothing is changing, this blog is for you.

What Is a Kegel?

A Kegel is a voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of the pelvis that helps:

  • Support your organs
  • Control bladder function
  • Control bowel function
  • Contribute to sexual function
  • Manage pressure within the body

When these muscles contract, they lift and support the pelvic organs while helping maintain continence.

Sounds simple enough.

But there is a major problem with how Kegels are commonly prescribed.

The Problem With Traditional Kegel Advice

Early in my career, much of pelvic floor rehabilitation centered around:

  • Short holds
  • Long holds
  • Repetitive Kegel exercises

The logic seemed reasonable.

If a muscle is weak, strengthen it.

But as I worked with more women, I noticed something concerning.

Many women weren’t improving.

Even worse, many women weren’t performing Kegels correctly.

Research has suggested that women have a surprisingly low success rate when trying to perform a pelvic floor contraction based solely on verbal instructions. In clinical practice, the success rate often appears even lower.

I’ve seen women who believed they were performing Kegels correctly while actually:

  • Bearing down
  • Holding their breath
  • Squeezing their glutes
  • Contracting their inner thighs
  • Bracing their abdomen

They weren’t trying to do it wrong.

They were accidentally cheating.

Their bodies were recruiting other muscles because they didn’t know how to isolate the pelvic floor.

As a result, they spent months—or years—doing exercises that weren’t truly addressing the problem.

Myth-Busting: Kegels Are Not the Only Pelvic Floor Exercise

Myth #1: Every Pelvic Floor Problem Needs Kegels

Not true.

Some women have weak pelvic floors.

Others have overactive pelvic floors.

Some have coordination issues.

Others have breathing and pressure-management problems.

The solution depends on the root cause.

This is about more than symptom management.

Root-cause healing matters.

Myth #2: The Pelvic Floor Works Alone

Another common misconception is that the pelvic floor functions independently.

In reality, the pelvic floor is part of a larger system.

It responds to:

  • Movement
  • Breathing
  • Hip strength
  • Core function
  • Posture
  • Pressure management

Treating the pelvic floor as if it exists in isolation misses a huge piece of the puzzle.

Myth #3: More Kegels Always Mean Better Results

More isn’t always better.

Just like any muscle group, the pelvic floor requires the right type of training.

Doing hundreds of contractions without addressing how the body moves may not create meaningful change.

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

The Missing Piece: How Your Pelvic Floor Really Functions

One of the biggest shifts in my clinical practice happened when I stopped asking:

“How can I get women to do more Kegels?”

And started asking:

“What does the pelvic floor naturally do every day?”

That question led to a completely different way of thinking.

Your pelvic floor doesn’t spend all day lying on the floor doing isolated contractions.

It responds automatically to life.

When you:

  • Walk
  • Run
  • Jump
  • Lift
  • Squat
  • Carry groceries
  • Pick up your children

Your pelvic floor is already working.

Instead of trying to separate it from the rest of the body, we should learn how to train it within the way it naturally functions.

That’s one of the foundational concepts behind the No Kegels University® Method.

Why Functional Movement Matters

When you land from a jump, your pelvic floor automatically contracts to support your organs and help prevent leakage.

When you breathe, your pelvic floor responds to changes in abdominal pressure.

When your hips activate, your pelvic floor often follows.

The body is designed to work as an integrated system.

This is why strengthening programs that only focus on isolated contractions may leave gaps in performance.

Your body was designed for movement.

And movement can become one of the most effective ways to strengthen the pelvic floor.

The Root Cause of Persistent Pelvic Floor Weakness

Many women assume leakage automatically means weak pelvic floor muscles.

Sometimes that’s true.

But weakness may not be the only issue.

Common contributing factors include:

Poor Pressure Management

Many women constantly hold their stomachs in.

Others breathe shallowly through the chest.

Both habits can disrupt the natural pressure system that supports pelvic floor function.

Weak Hip Muscles

Research continues to show strong connections between hip muscle activity and pelvic floor function.

When hip muscles aren’t working efficiently, pelvic floor performance may also be affected.

Lack of Functional Strength

A pelvic floor that only practices isolated contractions may struggle when asked to perform during real-life activities.

Life requires movement.

Your strengthening program should reflect that.

Action Steps: What to Do Instead

1. Stop Assuming More Kegels Are the Answer

If you’ve been doing Kegels for months without improvement, it may be time to explore a different strategy.

2. Evaluate Your Whole Body

Consider:

  • Hip strength
  • Core strength
  • Breathing mechanics
  • Exercise habits
  • Movement patterns

These factors influence pelvic floor function more than most women realize.

3. Focus on Functional Strength

Look for exercises that challenge the body in ways that mimic daily life.

Squats, step-ups, lunges, walking, lifting, and other functional movements can often provide benefits that isolated contractions cannot.

4. Get a Personalized Assessment

Every woman’s body is different.

A personalized evaluation can help determine whether weakness, tension, coordination, pressure management, or another issue is contributing to your symptoms.

5. Take the Next Step

If you’re wondering whether your current exercise routine is actually helping your pelvic floor, complete the Your Pelvic Floor’s Next Step Form:

Your Pelvic Floor’s Next Step Form

This can help you identify the next best step based on your symptoms and goals.

You can also learn more about pelvic floor health through resources from the APTA Pelvic Health and the Cleveland Clinic.

Conclusion: There Is More to Pelvic Floor Strength Than Kegels

Kegels have their place.

But they are not the entire story.

Your pelvic floor is part of a complex, intelligent system that responds to movement, breathing, pressure, and strength throughout the body.

Most women were never taught this.

Your body is not broken.

If you’ve been frustrated by a lack of progress, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It may simply mean you’ve been given incomplete information.

Understanding your body creates confidence.

You deserve better than fear-based advice.

And you deserve a plan that looks beyond isolated exercises and focuses on helping your body function the way it was designed to.

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.

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The Missing Link Between Core Strength and Pelvic Floor Health

Why Am I Still Leaking If My Core Is Strong?

Maybe you’ve been doing ab workouts.

Maybe you’ve been lifting weights consistently.

Maybe you’ve even been doing Kegels.

Yet you’re still leaking when you run, jump, sneeze, or exercise.

If that’s you, you’re not alone.

One of the biggest misconceptions in women’s fitness is that a strong core automatically equals a strong pelvic floor. While these systems absolutely influence one another, they are not the same thing.

Most women were never taught this.

As a pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of the No Kegels University® Method, I’ve spent years helping women understand how their bodies actually work. What I discovered is that many traditional approaches miss an important piece of the puzzle.

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

And that requires looking at the entire system.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor Beyond Kegels

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports the bladder, uterus, and rectum while helping control bowel and bladder function. The Cleveland Clinic explains that these muscles also work with your abdominal muscles and diaphragm to stabilize your core. (Cleveland Clinic pelvic floor muscles)

But these muscles don’t work in isolation.

Every day they respond to:

  • Breathing
  • Movement
  • Exercise
  • Walking
  • Running
  • Lifting
  • Jumping
  • Changes in pressure throughout the body

This is why simply focusing on isolated pelvic floor contractions often leaves women frustrated.

The pelvic floor is designed to work with the rest of your body.

Not apart from it.

The VAB3 Method: A Different Way to Think About Pelvic Floor Strength

Over years of clinical practice, I developed a framework that became the foundation of my approach to pelvic floor strengthening.

I call it the VAB3 Method.

VAB3 stands for:

  • V = Vertical
  • A = Above
  • B = Below
  • 3 = All Three Planes of Motion

Rather than focusing solely on Kegels, this method looks at how the pelvic floor naturally functions during everyday life.

Let’s break it down.

V: Vertical Movement Matters

Think about the last time you jumped.

Did you leak while preparing to jump?

Usually not.

Most women leak when they land.

Why?

Because when your body lands, your organs move downward due to gravity and impact forces. Your pelvic floor must react quickly to support those organs and maintain bladder control.

This vertical loading is one of the natural ways the pelvic floor develops strength.

Your body is already practicing this every day.

Walking, hiking, stair climbing, squatting, and jumping all create opportunities for the pelvic floor to respond to vertical forces.

This is one reason functional movement can be such a powerful strengthening tool.

A: What Happens Above Influences the Pelvic Floor

The second piece of the puzzle is everything above the pelvis.

This includes:

  • Breathing mechanics
  • Core muscles
  • Rib cage mobility
  • Thoracic spine mobility
  • Lumbar spine function

Many women have been taught to constantly suck in their stomach.

Others brace their core all day long.

Some hold tension in their abdomen without realizing it.

The problem?

Your pelvic floor relies on healthy pressure management.

Breathing and the Pelvic Floor

When you inhale:

  • Your diaphragm lowers.
  • Your abdominal contents gently move downward.
  • Your pelvic floor lengthens slightly.

When you exhale:

  • Your diaphragm rises.
  • Pressure decreases.
  • Your pelvic floor naturally recoils.

This movement is supposed to happen.

When breathing mechanics become restricted, pelvic floor function often suffers as well.

This is about more than symptom management.

Root-cause healing matters.

B: The Surprising Role of Your Hips

This is one of my favorite concepts to teach.

Research continues to show strong relationships between hip muscle function and pelvic floor function.

A phrase I often tell my patients is:

“What the hips do or don’t do, the pelvic floor does or doesn’t do.”

Think about it.

Your hips help you:

  • Walk
  • Run
  • Squat
  • Climb stairs
  • Balance
  • Lift

If your hip muscles aren’t working efficiently, your pelvic floor may struggle to keep up.

My Personal Experience

Before I had children, I underwent a major foot surgery.

For months I wasn’t putting normal weight through my foot.

Eventually I returned to dance classes—and started leaking urine.

I was embarrassed.

After all, I was a pelvic floor physical therapist.

But when I looked closer, the explanation became clear.

My foot wasn’t functioning normally.

That affected my ankle.

That affected my knee.

That affected my hip.

And ultimately it affected my pelvic floor.

Once I rebuilt strength through the entire chain, the leakage disappeared.

Understanding your body creates confidence.

The “3” in VAB3: Train Like a Human

The final component of the VAB3 Method involves movement in all three planes.

Most exercise programs primarily train forward and backward movement.

Life doesn’t work that way.

We twist.

We rotate.

We reach.

We change directions.

We move side to side.

Your pelvic floor is unique because its muscle fibers run in multiple directions.

Yet many women only train in one direction.

The Three Planes Include:

Sagittal Plane

Forward and backward movement.

Examples:

  • Squats
  • Lunges
  • Walking

Frontal Plane

Side-to-side movement.

Examples:

  • Lateral lunges
  • Side stepping
  • Skaters

Transverse Plane

Rotational movement.

Examples:

  • Twisting
  • Rotational reaches
  • Diagonal movement patterns

A well-rounded pelvic floor strengthening program should include all three.

Strong Abs Do Not Automatically Mean a Strong Pelvic Floor

Myth #1: Core Work Equals Pelvic Floor Work

Not necessarily.

Your core and pelvic floor influence one another, but they are different systems.

You can have strong abdominal muscles and still experience pelvic floor dysfunction.

Myth #2: Pelvic Floor Strength Requires Hours of Exercise

Not true.

Many women benefit from just 10–15 minutes of intentional pelvic floor-focused movement several days each week.

Myth #3: You Must Stop Doing Activities You Love

Absolutely not.

Love biking?

Bike.

Love yoga?

Do yoga.

Love lifting weights?

Keep lifting.

The key is understanding what may be missing and adding complementary movements when necessary.

You deserve better than fear-based advice.

Action Steps: Start Strengthening Smarter

1. Evaluate Your Current Workout

Ask yourself:

  • Am I including vertical loading?
  • Am I working on breathing and pressure management?
  • Am I strengthening my hips?
  • Am I moving in all three planes?

2. Add Missing Components

You don’t need to start over.

You simply need to fill the gaps.

Small adjustments often create meaningful improvements.

3. Prioritize Functional Strength

Choose movements that prepare your body for real life.

The pelvic floor thrives when strength is integrated into movement.

4. Get a Personalized Plan

Every woman starts in a different place.

Complete the Your Pelvic Floor’s Next Step Form to identify what your body may need most: https://beyondthevbypauli.com/nextstep/

You can also learn more about pelvic floor function through resources from the NIH and APTA Pelvic Health.

Strengthen the System, Not Just the Symptoms

If you’ve been focusing only on Kegels or only on core exercises, you may be missing important pieces of the puzzle.

Your pelvic floor does not function alone.

It responds to breathing.

It responds to movement.

It responds to your hips, spine, and the way your body manages pressure.

Your body is not broken.

Most women were never taught how connected these systems truly are.

When you understand how the entire system works together, you can build lasting strength, confidence, and resilience.

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

You don’t need more random exercises. You need a strategy. Book an appointment and let’s create a plan designed specifically for your body and goals.

Pelvic Floor Next Step

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