Pelvic Strengthening
We all want a flat and muscled tummy, certainly after childbirth. I know, I have been there!
Sit ups put strain on the spine, certainly the lower back. Yes, we can do crunches whilst lying down without moving much or just lifting the shoulders off the floor. This mostly still works the muscles, up from the pelvic bone and the middle section of the abdomen. Very beneficial, however not supporting the full midriff.
In the past, women wore corsets to shape up the section between the base of the pelvis up to below the breasts. Unfortunately, this has the opposite effect as supporting muscles with a prop weakens them. Today, women are much more physically active and build some real muscle! This is great to see as it makes for a stronger body overall, and this helps us with Healthy Living and Healthy Ageing.
We see more defined shoulders and arms as well as strong leg muscles to carry us through life. Love that.
At the gym or doing Yoga and Pilates muscle groups are worked but, you must take time out to use the equipment or attend the classes.
Exercise at home
What if I told you, that you can easily relax, strengthen muscles around hips and midriff as well as the pelvic floor, at home, in your bed whilst meditating! Yes, it can be done, it made a difference to
· my waist
· abdominal muscles
· core strength
· my peace of mind
· the pelvic floor muscles!
AND all this in 5 minutes a day! Yes, you did read this correctly!
Daily exercise
I do the above exercise every single day as a meditation. The result is a quiet mind and strong muscles, including those that support all internal organs, even today, at nearly 70! This was confirmed by the gynaecologist I see.
I'll share what I do! Here it comes.
Lie down comfortably in bed. Relax and breathe in slowly into the lower abdomen, pushing the tummy out and focus on the breath. Expand the rib cage and diaphragm in all directions.
When you exhale
· pull the muscles on the side of the hips and waist as well as the core muscle just
above the pelvic bone towards the navel
· tighten all muscles between the anus and the clitoris
· lift the vagina muscles up towards the navel
Hold your breath for 10 to 30 seconds
· lift the vagina up further towards the navel
Relax all muscles, breathe in and repeat this exercise for 5 minutes. If you are new at this, you can start repeating this exercise for 1 to 3 minutes and then increase to 5 minutes.
The muscles on the side of the waist are called the obliques and strengthening them helps to define the waist, the stomach area and they help stabilize the spine. The obliques wrap around the torso and are the natural way to replace the corsets women used to wear to help define that area.
The other benefit of using and strengthening the muscles in this area is that the bowel is massaged, and you may experience an improved bowel movement!
All in all, this is a win-win!
- No extra time needed
- Relax in bed
- Stronger muscles
- Improved bowel movement
- Stronger pelvic core to support all organs in the pelvis
- Flatter tummy
- Stronger abdominal muscles
About Anne
Anne, a mother of 2 and grandmother of 3, shares her insights about health through Menopause & Beyond Menopause. She does this by sharing pearls of wisdom collected in her 72 years of living and working with clients since 1999. She deepens her knowledge by reading, researching and learning as much information on the physical and mental aspects of menopause to help you through your journey with these changes in life!