In this guide we explain what it is and does, the signs something is off, how to progress beyond kegels into resistance training, and why learning to relax these muscles matters just as much as strengthening them. We will also touch on incontinence and training during pregnancy.
What Is the Pelvic Floor?
In simple terms, it is a bowl of three muscle layers and supportive connective tissue that sits at the base of your pelvis. It works quietly in the background all day, and like any muscle group, it can be trained, and it can become overworked or underused. Understanding this bowl of muscles is the first step to looking after it.
What It Does: 5 Key Functions
These muscles do a lot more than most people realise. They support your internal organs, particularly the reproductive and digestive ones. They support the sphincter muscles that control your bladder and bowel. They help move fluid around the body through a pump-like action. They contribute to sexual function. And they work together with your diaphragm and abdominal muscles to support your core and breathing. Five jobs, all happening at once.
Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
When these muscles are not working well, called pelvic floor dysfunction, the signs can show up in several ways. Common ones include urinary incontinence, bowel or wind incontinence, and sexual difficulties. Some people describe a sense of heaviness or something falling out, or a feeling of the muscles being constantly guarded and tight. Hip and lower back pain can feature too. Incontinence in particular is very common, but common does not mean you have to just live with it; it usually responds well to the right help.
Is It Just Kegels?
Kegels are a specific contraction, squeezing and lifting the muscles, and they are a good starting point, especially for building awareness. But kegels alone will only take you so far. Many people start with kegels and stop there, never progressing, and hit a plateau where doing more of the same stops adding benefit.
Training Beyond Kegels
The modern, evidence-based approach is to move out of isolated kegels and into integrated movement as soon as you can. That means weaving kegel contractions into everyday movement patterns like squats, lunges and hinges, so these muscles learn to work as part of the whole body, which is how they are used in real life. Isolated squeezes are the start, not the destination.
Progressing With Resistance Training
One of the best ways to keep progressing is resistance training. Loading the body through resistance training, while paying attention to two things, tends to keep delivering benefits. The first is breathwork and control, coordinating your breathing with the effort. The second is tempo, controlling the speed of each movement. Combining resistance training with good breath and tempo control, alongside your contractions, builds strength and coordination that kegels alone cannot.
Why Relaxation Matters as Much as Strength
For decades the message has been to tighten and strengthen, especially aimed at young women. The unintended result is an overcorrection: a growing number of people whose muscles are too tight and cannot relax. Learning to relax and lengthen these muscles is just as important as strengthening them. Without that relaxation, everyday functions like bladder and bowel emptying, and activities like birth and sex, can become genuinely difficult. Good training includes both ends of the range.
Training in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Exercise during pregnancy and after birth is a big topic that really deserves its own article, and we cover it in our guide on pregnancy and training. In short, for most people, exercising through pregnancy and postpartum is not only safe but strongly encouraged, with benefits for both parent and baby, and that holds for both types of delivery. There are some situations where it needs modifying, so it is important to review your own circumstances with a medical or allied health professional first.
Common Questions About the Pelvic Floor
Are kegels enough?
Not on their own. Kegels are a useful starting point for awareness and early strength, but most people need to progress into integrated movement and resistance training to keep improving.
How do I know if my pelvic floor is weak or too tight?
It is not always obvious, and the two can feel similar. Signs like incontinence, heaviness, pain or difficulty relaxing can point either way, which is why an assessment with a pelvic health physiotherapist is the most reliable way to know.
Can men train it too?
Absolutely. The pelvic floor is not just a women’s issue; men have one too, and training it can help with bladder, bowel and sexual function for anyone.
Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
For most people, yes, and it is encouraged, but some situations need modification. Always check your individual circumstances with a healthcare professional first, and see our guide on pregnancy and training for more.
When should I see a pelvic floor physiotherapist?
If you notice incontinence, heaviness, pain, or you are unsure how to train safely, especially around pregnancy, a pelvic floor physiotherapist can assess you and build the right plan.
How BeFit Can Help With Pelvic Floor Health
At BeFit Training Physiotherapy, we help you understand and train your pelvic floor properly, beyond the basics. Our physiotherapy team can assess how these muscles are working and guide you from kegels into integrated, whole-body training, and our strength and conditioning coaching helps you progress safely with resistance work. Initial consultations run for 45 minutes, one-on-one.
Our team at Edgecliff and Coogee would be glad to help. No referral is required, and HICAPS is available on-site for immediate health fund claiming.
Book an appointment at BeFit Training Physiotherapy — no referral needed.
Edgecliff: (02) 9327 7749 | Coogee: (02) 7205 2805 | befittrainingphysio.com/book-now
Related Services at BeFit
Learn more about how our team can help:
General Physiotherapy
Strength & Conditioning
Sports Physiotherapy
Further Reading
References
Bø K. Pelvic floor muscle training in treatment of female stress urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and sexual dysfunction. World J Urol. 2012.
Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018.
Woodley SJ, et al. Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020.
Australian Physiotherapy Association. Clinical guidelines. physiotherapy.asn.au.
