How to Know If You’re Doing Your Pelvic Floor Exercises Correctly

Pelvic floor training is one of those things that sounds simple in theory—just squeeze and lift, right? Well, not quite. The pelvic floor is more complex than just “doing Kegels,” and many people either overuse these muscles, don’t activate them fully, or forget about the importance of letting them relax.

So, how do you know if you're doing it right? Let’s break it down step by step.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that sits like a supportive sling at the base of your pelvis. These muscles are responsible for:

✅ Supporting your bladder, uterus, and bowel
✅ Helping stabilise your spine and pelvis
✅ Controlling continence (keeping you from accidental leaks)
✅ Aiding in sexual function
✅ Assisting with childbirth

During pregnancy, the weight of the baby, hormonal changes, and postural shifts put extra stress on the pelvic floor. This makes it even more important to train these muscles properly not just strengthening them but also ensuring they can relax and lengthen when needed (because a too-tight pelvic floor can cause just as many issues as a weak one!).

Signs You Might Be Doing Pelvic Floor Exercises Incorrectly

You might think you’re doing your pelvic floor exercises properly, but here are a few common mistakes:

🚩 You only focus on the front – Many people think engaging the pelvic floor is just about stopping urine flow. But this only activates the front muscles, not the full pelvic floor.
🚩 You’re holding your breath – Proper engagement should be connected to your breath. If you’re tensing your shoulders or holding tension in your jaw, you might not be fully engaging the right muscles.
🚩 You’re clenching everything – If your glutes, thighs, or abs are doing all the work, your pelvic floor might be missing out.
🚩 You feel pain or discomfort – If engaging your pelvic floor feels painful, tight, or causes pressure, you may need to focus more on relaxation rather than activation.
🚩 You’re not fully releasing – Strength isn’t just about contraction. Your pelvic floor needs to fully relax between reps. A constantly tight pelvic floor can cause discomfort, pelvic pain, or even impact childbirth and postpartum recovery.

How to Engage Your Pelvic Floor Properly

Rather than just squeezing, think of gently engaging all areas of your pelvic floor while breathing naturally. Try this:

1️⃣ Find the Full Activation

• Imagine stopping the flow of urine (front activation) and holding in wind (back activation) at the same time.

• Then, imagine your sit bones drawing together as if you're lifting the entire pelvic floor from front to back and side to side.

2️⃣ Connect to Your Breath

• Inhale: Fully relax your pelvic floor, letting go of all tension.

• Exhale: Gently lift and activate the pelvic floor, drawing front, back, and sides together.

3️⃣ Release Completely

• After each contraction, take a moment to fully relax. If your pelvic floor feels constantly “on,” focus on letting go.

How to Test if You’re Doing It Right

✔ The Mirror Test: Sit or lie down with a mirror and watch your perineum (the area between your vagina and anus). When you contract, the perineum should slightly lift; when you relax, it should return to its resting position.
✔ The Finger Test: Insert a clean finger into your vagina and try to lift and squeeze around it. You should feel a gentle tightening and lifting, followed by a full release when you relax.
✔ Breath & Relaxation Check: Can you engage your pelvic floor while still breathing normally? If you find yourself tensing your shoulders or holding your breath, try softening your effort.

Final Thoughts

A well-trained pelvic floor isn’t just about squeezing—it’s about balance, strength, and control. The goal isn’t to have a constantly tight pelvic floor, but one that knows when to activate, hold, and fully relax.

If you’re unsure whether you’re engaging your pelvic floor correctly, consider working with a pregnancy and postnatal specialist. I offer in-person pregnancy Pilates classes in Manly, Sydney, as well as online and in-person pregnancy and postnatal personal training. If you would like to find out more about training with me, please reach out to bridget@kalapilates.com.

Want a step-by-step guide? Try my 5-minute pelvic floor follow-along video where I walk you through proper engagement and relaxation techniques.