Engaging the Pelvic Floor

[Medira]

I had a lesson over the weekend and it was, unsurprisingly, very challenging.  We had a discovery though - I have no pelvic floor muscles!  Well, apparently they exist, but I certainly can't seem to engage them with any sort of ease or regularity.

So, I ask you lovely ladies and gentlemen out there, do you have any suggestions for exercises to work the muscles?  Tips to ensure that you're engaging the right muscles and feeling the right sensations?

[Medira]

Yep, got those (thanks!), as well as a tantric exercise that also draws focus to belly breathing.  I'm hoping to...diversify, I guess.

[elisedance]

ah, the dreaded pelvic floor muscles - next up the 'pushing your stomach up next to your heart' muscles

[Ginger]

Belly dancing. The isolations are very helpful, both on and off the dance-floor.

[Some guy]

Okay, so this may seem like a stupid question, but if dancing is supposed to be easier than walking, why would we need more muscles to dance than we do to walk?  It would seem like the act of dancing would automatically develop the necessary muscles.  I doubt if you would have to build certain muscles or develop certain muscles before you can dance.  To me, that's like someone telling me when I was 5 years old that I had to "develop" my muscles before I could learn to ride a bike.  I started riding my bike, and the more I did it, the more my body adapted by strengthening the necessary muscles.   

I would really like to hear more on this from the pros.   

[elisedance]

Well, walking covers the leg action and perhaps the pelvis - but when you walk you generally don't hold your arms out at right angles nor do so with a 150 lb object (figuratively speaking, er, litterally) infront of you.  Also, there is no one watching to grade your walking and a slumped back pitched foward head etc etc are all quite acceptable - even to a 2 yr old.  So maybe there are some things that really are special about dancing, well, at least partner dancing...

[Medira]

I think I need to find a belly dancing class. but yeah I do not think there are to many variations on pelvic area mucsles or if there are I have heard not a whit on them. So interested if there are others. Maybe DSV can shed light. Or a doctor. hmmmm

That's what I'm hoping for.   I'm determined to have a marked improvement before the first weekend in October.

Medira WHERE r u? 

I'm here!  Been in and out all day.  Where are you?

[Some guy]

Well, walking covers the leg action and perhaps the pelvis - but when you walk you generally don't hold your arms out at right angles nor do so with a 150 lb object (figuratively speaking, er, litterally) infront of you.  Also, there is no one watching to grade your walking and a slumped back pitched foward head etc etc are all quite acceptable - even to a 2 yr old.  So maybe there are some things that really are special about dancing, well, at least partner dancing...

Not sure if I agree Elise, because when they say dancing is less strenuous than walking, I would hope that includes the whole partnership aspect of it as well as the arms, head, back, frame, shape, connection, etc.  The body weight of one's partner becomes irrelevant if the person knows how to move.   

I've been told gazillions of times in the past on which muscles I need to work on strengthening, spot training I need to do on certain muscles, and flexibility I need to get in certain joints, but it turns out that nothing can be further from the truth!  I know ladies need stronger muscles to dance in heels but that would come from just dancing in them.  If it's just quality dancing we're after, then I doubt that additional muscular developmental training will be necessary as our muscles will adapt to it and strengthen "on the job"... like dancing in heels or riding a bike.

[QPO]

Yep, got those (thanks!), as well as a tantric exercise that also draws focus to belly breathing.  I'm hoping to...diversify, I guess.

I was always taught the best way to work the pelvic floor muscles is to pretend that you are stopping yourself from doing a wee.  you are to do it five times and hold for about 5 seconds or so. they get tired very quickly...repeat at least three times a day....

If they are strong, the other part down there should be able to grip a pencil! ...the mind boggles 

[Ginger]

Guys can do kegel-type exercises, too- don't flatter yourself thinking you're good enough without 'em, either- they're *always* a welcome bonus to particular rhythm activities, and they work your abs, too.

There are about four sets of muscles that can be worked from doing the belly-dancing sort of 'crunches'- hoohah, lower abdomen (just above the triangle), upper-lower (bellybutton), and you can split in two the actual thoracic ones too. That's how those girls can flip freakin' quarters up and down their stomachs, and likely devour whole goats, then lay up in trees to sleep it off- no, wait, those are other serpents... but no, my point is that it's really fun and interesting to discover all the ways you can manipulate and bend your body by doing silly little exercises and things. Comes in handy for samba, etc.

Of course, it might surprise you to know that those aren't proper technical terms...

[elisedance]

Well, walking covers the leg action and perhaps the pelvis - but when you walk you generally don't hold your arms out at right angles nor do so with a 150 lb object (figuratively speaking, er, litterally) infront of you.  Also, there is no one watching to grade your walking and a slumped back pitched foward head etc etc are all quite acceptable - even to a 2 yr old.  So maybe there are some things that really are special about dancing, well, at least partner dancing...

Not sure if I agree Elise, because when they say dancing is less strenuous than walking, I would hope that includes the whole partnership aspect of it as well as the arms, head, back, frame, shape, connection, etc.  The body weight of one's partner becomes irrelevant if the person knows how to move.  

I've been told gazillions of times in the past on which muscles I need to work on strengthening, spot training I need to do on certain muscles, and flexibility I need to get in certain joints, but it turns out that nothing can be further from the truth!  I know ladies need stronger muscles to dance in heels but that would come from just dancing in them.  If it's just quality dancing we're after, then I doubt that additional muscular developmental training will be necessary as our muscles will adapt to it and strengthen "on the job"... like dancing in heels or riding a bike.

Oh I agree it should all be as effortless as possible - but I don't think you get 'the look' thats currently in fashion for competetive ballroom by being totally efforless - at least not without strengthening some of your muscles.  We need a topic on this...

[bookworm]

There's an awesome book about toning the pelvic floor. Full of exercises and mind-body techniques.
'Pelvic Power' by Eric Franklin.

[Medira]

Guys can do kegel-type exercises, too- don't flatter yourself thinking you're good enough without 'em, either- they're *always* a welcome bonus to particular rhythm activities, and they work your abs, too.

There are about four sets of muscles that can be worked from doing the belly-dancing sort of 'crunches'- hoohah, lower abdomen (just above the triangle), upper-lower (bellybutton), and you can split in two the actual thoracic ones too. That's how those girls can flip freakin' quarters up and down their stomachs, and likely devour whole goats, then lay up in trees to sleep it off- no, wait, those are other serpents... but no, my point is that it's really fun and interesting to discover all the ways you can manipulate and bend your body by doing silly little exercises and things. Comes in handy for samba, etc.

Of course, it might surprise you to know that those aren't proper technical terms...

Ginger, you're awesome. 

There's an awesome book about toning the pelvic floor. Full of exercises and mind-body techniques.
'Pelvic Power' by Eric Franklin.

Thanks for the recommendation Bookworm!  I'll look into it when I get paid.

[Bordertangoman]

I thought guys had to pee over a wall; if you cant generate the pressure then you need to give your PF a workout.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I had a lesson over the weekend and it was, unsurprisingly, very challenging.  We had a discovery though - I have no pelvic floor muscles!  Well, apparently they exist, but I certainly can't seem to engage them with any sort of ease or regularity.

So, I ask you lovely ladies and gentlemen out there, do you have any suggestions for exercises to work the muscles?  Tips to ensure that you're engaging the right muscles and feeling the right sensations?

There are many parts to the use of the pelvic area for the lady.

I need to know what principles he was trying to get you to do. It sounds like he was going into 3rd or 4th level (of rules) on the ladies center.

Let me ask you this:

Did he teach you about the “three active centers”, “the division” or “the mobility”?

DSV