Exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles

It is good to train your pelvic floor muscles. This does not only apply if you have given birth. Even if you sit a lot or get older, it is wise to train your pelvic floor muscles.

With these exercises you train your pelvic floor muscles

The handy thing about these exercises is that you can do most exercises anywhere, whether you're waiting at the ATM or sitting on your desk chair. Nobody sees it.

• To train the anterior pelvic floor muscles (to prevent urine loss), make a hollow back. You are, as it were, leaning forward. Retract your urethra, as if you needed to hold your pee.
• To get the middle muscles in shape (for a better orgasm) you sit upright, on your sit bones, and you retract your vagina.
• For the rear muscle group (so that no air can just escape), make your back slightly rounder. You are now more slumped. Squeeze your sphincter.

For all three muscle groups, tense the muscle for one second and then relax it for one second. Repeat this ten times per muscle group. You will get the best results with sessions of two to three times a day.

Read also: '3 tips against a weak bladder'

Exercise for advanced players

Retract the entire pelvic floor, i.e. front, middle and back at the same time. Try to withdraw subtly at first, about 25 percent of your maximum. Pull the pelvic floor in further, now 50 percent. And finally, you make a peak by tensing the muscles 100 percent. Then you go back to 50 percent tension and finally you relax completely. Do eight reps twice a day. As a maintenance exercise, twice a week is enough.

When do you go to the doctor or pelvic physiotherapist with your pelvic floor complaints?

After a few weeks of training, you should already be making progress. After three to five months can even be symptom-free. For a tailor-made program it is best to go to a registered pelvic physiotherapist. This can do an internal examination to get a good picture of how your pelvic floor functions. A targeted exercise schedule is then tailored to this that is specifically suitable for your pelvic floor.

Read also: Why it is important to train your pelvic floor muscles