If you read my last post about the pelvic floor, you understand why it’s so important to start to release the iron-gropping-clench many of us have with our pelvic floor. But how to strengthen it without doing another kegal?

Strengthen your glutes!

Your glutes are what allow your pelvic floor to behave normally. As the biggest muscle in your body, they are supposed to propel you forward with walking, or propel you upwards from squatting. And if you have no butt, you are nearly guaranteed to have pelvic floor problems! Biomechanist Katy Bowman writes:

A Kegel attempts to strengthen the pelvic floor, but it really only continues to pull the sacrum inward, promoting even more weakness and more PF gripping. The muscles that balance out the anterior pull on the sacrum are the glutes. A lack of glutes (having no butt) is what makes this group so much more susceptible to pelvic floor disorder (PFD). Zero lumbar curvature (missing the little curve at the small of the back) is the most telling sign that the pelvic floor is beginning to weaken. An easier way to say this is: Weak glutes + too many Kegels = PFD.

That’s why strengthening and toning the glutes will simultaneously help strengthen and tone your pelvic floor, allowing it to move through its full range of motion while supporting your upper body. One terrific move to accomplish all of this is the old-fashioned, ancestral squat.

But (or should I say “butt”), it’s may not be that simple to do a squat correctly. In fact, a true squat is really-freaking-hard for the average Westernized person, male and female alike! When I started squatting I had the sad realization that my glutes wouldn’t even turn on a teeny tiny bit. Uh oh.

How do you start learning to squat? Here are a few tips from Katy:

Keep Your Shins Vertical

To get a squat to harness the power of the glutes, rather than the quads, you have to focus on your shin position and pelvic position.

Think: knees don’t track over toes, and the pelvis is untucked.

When you rise from your squat use your butt, not your quads. If you’re rear is under-developed, it’ll be easier to rock forward on your toes and push with the front of the legs rather than squuuueeeeeze up with your glutes. But don’t do it. Only go as far as you can while you still feel your butt engaging.

This means you may need to take mini squats for a while. I love P.volve and they call these mini squats a P.sit. Only sit back far enough that you can squeeze your booty back up only using your, well, booty. Watch a video on that here.

Don’t Squat Deeper Than You’re Capable Of

Do not do a deep squat (for exercise) if you don’t have the strength!

What's too deep? If your pelvis tucks or your shins are no longer vertical. Now practice going only this deep, and squeezing up with your butt. If you need to, use a wall to help you from falling over as you allow your glutes to stretch further and push you back up higher.

The main take away: it's more important to maintain the squat integrity than get low to the ground.

Loosen up to improve your squat range

Basically, the same position as a squat but without the challenge of gravity! This allows your joints and muscles to gain flexibility without the strength needed to hold you.

On your hands and knees, spread your legs apart so they're a little wider than your hips, then push your upper body back until your tail bone just starts to tuck... now stop! No tucking, you’re at your limit. This is as far as you can go, so stay here WITHOUT any tucking of your tail. It's good to do this in front of a mirror if you can so you can stop before your pelvis tucks, just like a standing squat.

Relax Into A Squat Rather Than Forcing It

Work on a deep squat by letting gravity help you lengthen the necessary muscles. To spend time squatting comfortably, it may be appropriate to grab something to prop your heels up (remember your calves are probably really short from a lifetime of shoe-wearing). I here use a yoga mat but you can use anything!

PRACTICE THE HALF SQUAT:

Half the work, most all the benefit! The half squat allows half your body at a time to fit into the squat movement. This is really great to help tight hips start to open up. 

BUILD THIS BASE BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT A SQUAT CHALLENGE

You probably see lots of "Squat Challenges" online. The humble squat is obviously super in fashion at the moment. That's why this last bit of advice is to urge you to refrain until you're ready. Squats are really, really challenging for the general population, and you should be cautious, ensuring that you have the strength and mobility before you start an intense squat routine that might end up doing more harm than good.

Sorry, done nagging, happy squatting!