Updated: October 2026
In short: Pelvic floor training strengthens the muscles that support the bladder, bowel and, in women, the uterus. You practise lying down, on all fours and standing: tense deliberately for 5 seconds, release, 10 repetitions, three to four times a week. After childbirth or an operation, clarify your start with a midwife or physiotherapist. As of: October 2026.
The pelvic floor is invisible but constantly in use in everyday life. With six simple exercises and a four-week plan you start without equipment. If you're interested in movement as a whole, also read our post on a fixed yoga routine.
What is the pelvic floor and why is it important?
The pelvic floor is a sheet of muscle and connective tissue that closes the pelvic outlet from below. It supports the bladder, bowel and, in women, the uterus, helps hold urine and stool and works together with the abdominal, back and breathing muscles.
A weak or overloaded pelvic floor can show up as involuntary urine loss when sneezing, laughing or jumping, as a feeling of downward pressure or as back complaints. Training is considered the first measure for stress incontinence but does not replace a diagnosis.
The pelvic floor consists of several layers. The deep muscles work automatically and keep the pressure in the abdominal cavity in balance, for example when coughing. That's why it makes sense not to look at it in isolation: the diaphragm, deep abdominal muscles and back muscles form a kind of cylinder with it. When you breathe in, the pelvic floor lowers slightly; when you breathe out, it lifts. The exercises below use exactly this interplay.
How do you feel your pelvic floor correctly?
Easiest lying or sitting: imagine you want to hold back air and at the same time stop urinating. A gentle lifting inwards and upwards occurs. Abdomen, buttocks and thighs stay relaxed, breathing continues.
- Put a hand on your lower abdomen: it shouldn't push out strongly.
- Don't push down, that is the opposite of tensing.
- Stopping the urine stream is meant only for getting to know the muscles, not as a regular exercise.
If you can't find the muscles, an appointment with a pelvic floor physiotherapist helps.
Which 6 pelvic floor exercises help you get started?
All exercises consist of tension while breathing out and release while breathing in. Move slowly and stop if you feel pain.
- Feeling it lying down: On your back, knees bent. Tense the pelvic floor for 5 seconds, release for 10 seconds. 10 repetitions.
- Pelvic tilts: While breathing out, press the lower back into the mat and lift the pelvic floor slightly, release while breathing in. 12 repetitions.
- Bridge: While breathing out, lift the pelvis, hold at the top for 3 seconds and lower slowly. 10 repetitions.
- Cat stretch on all fours: Round the back, tense the pelvic floor, then back to neutral. 10 repetitions.
- Dead bug: On your back, arms and legs up. Lower opposite arm and leg, keeping the pelvic floor active. 8 per side.
- Squat with tension: Breathe in as you go down, breathe out as you stand up and tense the pelvic floor. 10 to 12 repetitions.
Between exercises, give yourself a 30 to 60 second break.
Typical mistakes: Holding your breath, squeezing the buttocks tightly together, tensing the thighs or pushing down. If you notice such patterns, make the tension smaller and concentrate on the exhale. Quality beats strength: a gentle, clean tension brings more than cramped squeezing.
What does a training plan for four weeks look like?
Three to four sessions a week of 10 to 15 minutes are enough. Increase the duration of the tension slowly.
| Week | Sessions | Volume | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 per week | Exercises 1 and 2, 8 to 10 repetitions each | Learning to feel |
| 2 | 3 to 4 per week | Exercises 1 to 4, 1 round | Tension 5 seconds |
| 3 | 4 per week | All 6 exercises, 1 round | Linking movement |
| 4 | 4 per week | All 6 exercises, 2 rounds | Everyday relevance, tension 8 seconds |
Complement the plan with everyday moments: tense briefly before you cough, lift or stand up. What works above all is regularity over weeks; first changes usually show after 6 to 12 weeks.
If you don't have time one day, a mini-session is enough: exercise 1 sitting on the sofa, ten repetitions. That way the habit stays without putting yourself under pressure. A fixed anchor helps, for example straight after brushing your teeth or while the kettle boils.
What is different for women, men and after childbirth?
The exercises are suitable for everyone, the reasons differ. Women often benefit during and after pregnancy, after births and during menopause. Men often train after prostate operations or with a weak bladder.
- After childbirth: Only start after consulting a midwife or physiotherapist, usually after the postnatal period is over. A postnatal recovery class is helpful.
- After operations: Ask the treating practice about the timing.
- With pain or tension: Relaxing is more important than tensing; a professional will advise here.
Training is worthwhile in old age too. Muscles respond to stimuli at every stage of life, building just takes a little longer. If you do sport with jumps, such as running or skipping rope, you should pay particular attention to your pelvic floor and seek professional help if you lose urine.
When should you have complaints checked by a doctor?
If you can't hold urine or stool, feel a foreign-body sensation or pressure in the lower abdomen, have pain during sex or notice blood in the urine. Persistent constipation can also strain the pelvic floor, more on that in Constipation: what helps?
With severe overweight, chronic cough and heavy lifting, the pressure on the pelvic floor rises. A balanced diet and exercise support it; the basic rules for losing weight give guidance on this. This article does not replace medical advice. After training, a glass of water or a cold-pressed juice is a nice routine.
You might also be interested in
- How to build a fixed yoga routine - 3 simple tips
- Strength lies in stillness - yoga as strength training
- Sleep - the effect of sleep on your body
Frequently asked questions about pelvic floor training
How often should you do pelvic floor training?
Three to four sessions a week of 10 to 15 minutes are a good start. Short exercises in everyday life complement the training.
How long does it take for pelvic floor training to work?
First changes often show after 6 to 12 weeks of regular practice. That is individual.
Is pelvic floor training also worthwhile for men?
Yes, the pelvic floor is present in everyone. It plays a role, for example, in bladder control and after prostate operations.
From when after childbirth may I train my pelvic floor?
That depends on the course of the birth and healing. A midwife or physiotherapist will tell you when and with what to begin.
May I interrupt the stream when urinating?
Only once or twice to get to know the muscles. Practised regularly, it can disturb bladder emptying.
Note: This article is for general information and does not replace medical or therapeutic advice. If you have complaints, pre-existing conditions, are pregnant or take medication, please talk to your doctor first.
