Pelvic Floor 101 for Pilates & Lagree Lovers

If you love Pilates or Lagree, you probably have great core strength - but is your pelvic floor keeping up? Here's what every enthusiast needs to know to avoid symptoms like leaking, pressure, or pain.

Why Your Pelvic Floor Matters in Low-Impact Fitness

Both Pilates and Lagree emphasize core control, breath, and spinal alignment. Your pelvic floor is part of your deep core unit, along with the transverse abdominis, diaphragm, and multifidus.

A 2017 review in Physical Therapy in Sport emphasized that core stability involves coordinated synergistic activation of deep muscles - not just brute strength.

Common Issues in Pilates & Lagree

1. Overbracing or Gripping the Abs

   • Can increase intra-abdominal pressure

   • May lead to pelvic floor overactivity or prolapse symptoms

2. Ignoring the Breath-Pelvic Floor Connection

   • Exhaling with effort helps lift and support the pelvic floor

   • Holding your breath during exercises may contribute to leaking or bulging

3. Tension-Based Leaking

   • Many women are too tight, not weak

   • Releasing and coordinating the pelvic floor is more effective than Kegeling through every rep

     
     

What to Do Instead

• Inhale to lengthen the pelvic floor (prepare)

• Exhale and gently lift the pelvic floor on exertion (move)

• Coordinate with core cues like “zip up” or “hug baby to spine”

  
  

Key Exercises to Watch

• Pikes

• Heavy carriage lunges

• Standing core or jumpboard moves

• Any movement where you feel downward pressure, not lift

  
  

Conclusion

You don’t need to stop your favorite classes - just add awareness and intention. We offer customized movement assessments at Anatomie Pelvic Health to optimize performance and protect your pelvic floor.