When we talk about building a strong core, most people think about crunches, planks, or tightening their abs.

But if you’ve been through pregnancy, struggled with pain, or are getting back into running after a break, there’s one part of your body that you can’t afford to overlook: the pelvic floor.


What happens after pregnancy or inactivity

Pregnancy, childbirth, long periods of inactivity, or even injuries can leave the pelvic floor weak and uncoordinated.

That can show up as:

  • Leaking when you cough, laugh, jump, or run
  • Back or hip pain
  • A feeling of heaviness or pressure in the pelvis
  • Difficulty regaining stability and strength when exercising

And here’s the important part: if your pelvic floor isn’t working properly, your core training won’t give you the results you want.

 

The common mistakes

When people try to “activate the pelvic floor,” they often compensate by using other muscles instead of the pelvic floor.

You might recognize some of these patterns:

  • Pulling in the six-pack muscles too tightly
  • Tensing the lower back
  • Squeezing the glutes together
  • Pressing the inner thighs against each other
  • Holding your breath and creating pressure in the belly
  • Straining downwards instead of lifting upwards

All of these are strategies your body uses to help, but they don’t activate the pelvic floor.

 

The right way to connect to your pelvic floor

Pelvic floor activation is subtle, but powerful.

The key is to exhale and think of an inward and upward lift.

Imagine gently closing and lifting inside, rather than pushing down or holding your breath.

When you get it right, it feels completely different. You’re not just “tensing”, you’re lifting and supporting from deep within.


Why endurance matters, not just strength

According to exercise science (Kraemer & Ratamess, 2004; Lim et al., 2019), endurance training is about working close to fatigue with many repetitions and minimal rest.

Adaptations aren’t about bulking up. They’re about improving your muscles’ ability to get more oxygen through tiny blood vessels and to produce energy more efficiently inside each cell.

In practice, this means your muscles can keep working longer without tiring out.

That’s exactly what your pelvic floor needs:

  • Not heavy loads or forceful squeezes
  • But repeated, controlled activations that build endurance and coordination

This is why practicing pelvic floor activation in connection with breathing is so effective. It teaches your muscles to respond naturally, with stamina, in everyday life and sport.


The big payoff

With practice and the right guidance, pelvic floor training makes a huge difference:

  • Your core exercises suddenly “click”, you feel deep support rather than surface tension.
  • Running feels lighter and more controlled, with less strain on your hips and back.
  • Daily activities like lifting, carrying, or standing feel easier and more stable.

The pelvic floor is the foundation of your core. Without it, you’re building strength on shaky ground. With it, you create stability that protects your back, aligns your hips, and supports every stride, jump, and lift.

Next time you train, ask yourself: are you squeezing your glutes, holding your breath, or pressing down?

Try exhaling and finding that gentle inward and upward lift.

That’s your pelvic floor doing its job and it changes everything.

Astrid❤️