Prevent Pelvic Floor Leaks with “The Knack” Exercise

Stop sneeze + cough pees with this exercise, PROVEN to reduce leaks! 💯 Learn how to do it with us.

We KNOW one of the biggest challenges moms face in postpartum and beyond is feeling unsure of your pelvic floor, your abs, your lower back and your entire “core” system.

Our Club Members tell us all the time how The Reset is DIFFERENT because we weave our signature, functional core + pelvic floor training into every workout.

Science shows that full-body strength and mobility exercise is KEY to ditching those leaks, bubbles, twinges and uncomfortable feelings.

💡But we also need targeted strategies to manage pelvic floor symptoms while we’re building up that full body and core strength and mobility.

Why do I pee when I sneeze or cough?

Leaking under pressure is typically called Stress Urinary Incontinence. The stress of a cough, sneeze, or even a lift of something heavy like a toddler or family pet, can cause urine to leak out when the pelvic floor is challenged to maintain its integrity and function. 💯 common in postpartum bodies!

We love using real-life visuals to help you understand your pelvic floor, so let’s get into it.

Picture your pelvic floor as a trampoline that can give way and stretch downward under pressure. When the jumper lifts off, the trampoline fabric resumes its normal length, ready to absorb pressure again with the next landing.

Now, there’s a good chance talking about trampolines has you already thinking: welp! I can feel the pressure and trickle down my leg already! 🥺

But what we want you to imagine is HOW your pelvic floor CAN be supple and flexible, just like a trampoline. EVEN if you’re dealing with a cough, cold or have given birth in the last couple of years and feel like a, well, saggy trampoline. 🫠

How to stop peeing when you sneeze + cough

As we’ve already mentioned, your pelvic floor needs strength + mobility in the attaching hips, back + legs — just like trampoline springs + poles.

After all, you wouldn’t jump on a trampoline with stiff hinges and weak poles, would you?

>> You can START building the strength +  mobility your pelvic floor needs with these 5 simple moves: The Core + Pelvic Floor Reset ⚡️

🚨 BUT you’ve got something a trampoline doesn’t — a brain! And you can anticipate downward pressure from a cough, sneeze or even a challenging pushup or squat.

Learn how to do “the knack” to prevent leaks

“The Knack” is a learned and practised ability – a knack, if you will – to contract and lift the pelvic floor muscles before an activity that normally causes leakage. Think: jumping, laughing, sneezing or coughing.

When we practise contracting our pelvic floor muscles we also need to practise doing so at different tempos and during different activities to build that brain-floor connection.

The long hold you need to make it in the door, up the stairs and to the toilet is a different skill from the quick reaction you need when you feel a sneeze coming on… NOW!

1️⃣ Find a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist near you to perform a 1:1 assessment and determine whether you have pelvic floor tissues which are weak, tight, or both! Your PT will help you understand which exercises will be most effective for your unique symptoms.

2️⃣ Practise longer holds when you contract your pelvic floor AS WELL as quick, strong contractions like you’ll need when a sudden laugh or cough comes on. Try these 7 hilarious visuals to help you locate and contract your pelvic floor muscles.

3️⃣ Once you have regained control of your pelvic floor enough to contract voluntarily and quickly, begin practising this quick, strong contraction before an activity which normally causes leaks. As you feel the sneeze or cough coming or before you lift something heavy, do a quick KNACK / lift of the pelvic floor muscles so they are ready to absorb the pressure that’s coming.

You know, like a trampoline. 😝

about

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we're Laura + Dara

We're lifelong trainers and mom friends, and we're on a mission to help you hit reset on your relationship with exercise and start LOVING the way it feels to live in YOUR body!
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