Guest Blogger: Katie Reynolds, D.P.T., and Carousel’s Women’s Health Specialist
You are going 110% at your regular Ripped Class, or banging out burpees during strength and conditioning and….oops I think I just peed a little—-How Embarrassing! Truth is, look at your classmates, there is at least one other that just did the same thing; especially if they are mothers!
Leakage during high-intensity activities such as running, lifting, jumping is more common than you think. Most women think, “oh well, this must be normal after I pushed out a 9-10lb baby, right?” Wrong!! You may be fitting back into your clothes from high school, but you are missing out on the most important exercise….KEGELS!
Oh we have all heard this word and may have done them a few times in our life but we aren’t really getting the best out of the exercise. The best part? If you are doing this exercise correctly no one should know you are doing it! You shouldn’t be squeezing your cheeks and rising up, but tightening your pelvic floor muscles like you are holding back gas or going to the bathroom. There are also 2-types of muscle fibers “down there,” strength and endurance. So, to get the best benefit you need to exercise both (the best way is to do 15 kegels where you hold for 1-2 seconds, and 15 kegels where you hold for 8-10 seconds).
Can’t remember to do these….there is an app for that!!! That’s right – they even have apps for kegel exercises! Just look it up and there are free ones, and paid ones.
So keep up with those kegels and even incorporate them with your exercise program, because they are part of the “CORE” muscles. Build your strength and do some of those jumps with very little leakage and not having to wear those bulky pads!
Women’s health week is a time where I like to encourage women to take care of themselves. We are always so focused on taking care of everyone else 1st; children, spouses, parents, etc.; and leave ourselves for last. Well, it’s that time of year to schedule those important appointments of mammograms, dermatologist, gynecologist, etc., and start putting YOURSELF before others for once because you most definitely should not be peeing during Pilates!
