Is Pilates Good for Strengthening The Pelvic Floor?
If you want to strengthen your pelvic floor, a Pilates studio is the right place to be.
Pilates workouts cycle through a range of movements to engage your pelvic floor muscles, while developing your general body awareness and breath control.
Below, you’ll learn what your pelvic floor is, how Pilates benefits it, and discover a range of functional strength exercises that can help you build strength, enhance control, and move with confidence.
What is the pelvic floor – and why is it important?
Think of your pelvic floor as the foundation of your core. It’s a group of deep muscles that sit like a sling at the base of your pelvis, supporting vital organs like the bladder, uterus, and bowel.
Your pelvic floor plays a key role in everything from posture and balance to bladder control, core strength, and even sexual function. It also supports your body during pregnancy and helps with recovery post-birth.
What causes a weak pelvic floor?
The pelvic floor is essential in supporting your pelvic organs and maintaining a base level of comfort when performing body functions, but there are many factors that can weaken your pelvic floor. These include:
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Prostate cancer treatment
- Obesity
- Straining from chronic constipation
- Changes to hormone levels during menopause
- Aging
- Pelvic muscle tension caused by endometriosis and painful periods
What are the signs of a weak pelvic floor?
There are several signs that indicate a dysfunctional or weakened pelvic floor, such as:
- Leaking when sneezing, running, laughing or coughing
- Difficulty controlling your bladder
- Frequent urge to urinate and/or painful urination
- Vulval pain during intercourse
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- Recurring UTIs³
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Benefits of Pilates for strengthening the pelvic floor
Pilates is an effective way to strengthen pelvic muscles – enhancing your deep core in a safe, supportive way.
As FS8 trainer Cristina Chan explains, “Pilates is incredibly effective for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles because many exercises focus on core engagement. The pelvic floor is a key part of the core, working alongside the diaphragm, deep abdominals, and back muscles”.
Read on to explore four Pilates for pelvic floor benefits.
Better bladder and bowel control
A stronger pelvic floor improves continence and helps prevent leaks during daily movement.
Enhanced core stability
Pilates trains your deep core muscles with strength exercises – including the pelvic floor – to work together for better balance and support.
Reduced risk of prolapse
Building pelvic strength can help prevent or manage pelvic organ prolapse by supporting the organs in your lower abdomen.
Postpartum recovery
Gentle, intentional movement helps you reconnect with your core and rebuild strength after pregnancy.
Recommended Pilates exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor
Building pelvic strength starts with focused, intentional movement. Some exercises directly activate the pelvic floor, while others support it by working the deep core.
Read on for eight of our top pelvic floor exercises to develop your muscles, relieve stress, and activate your core. Five of them require a reformer, but the remaining three require no more than a mat – let’s dive in!
1. Footwork (reformer)
A fantastic way to warm up the lower body and start connecting breath with pelvic floor activation. (You’ll need a reformer for this one!)
- Lie on your back, feet on the footbar, in parallel or Pilates V.
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale as you press through your feet to extend your legs, gently lifting the pelvic floor.
- Inhale to return with control.
- Keep hips steady and core engaged throughout.
2. Supine arm arcs (mat)
Develops deep core control to strengthen pelvic muscles.
- Lie on your back: knees bent, feet flat, arms above your shoulders.
- Inhale as you reach arms overhead – only as far as your ribs stay grounded.
- Exhale to return arms to their starting position, gently engaging the pelvic floor and deep core.
- Keep spine neutral and avoid flaring the ribs.
3. Bridging (reformer)
A staple of many low impact workouts, bridging strengthens your pelvic floor, glutes, and hips through controlled spinal articulation.
- Lie on the carriage of the reformer: feet hip-width apart on the footbar, arms by your sides.
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale to lift the hips into a bridge: activating your glutes and lifting the pelvic floor.
- Inhale at the top.
- Exhale to roll down slowly, one vertebra at a time.
4. Glider lunge (reformer)
Improves your pelvic stability while challenging balance.
- Stand on the platform of the reformer with one foot forward, the other on the carriage behind you.
- Hinge slightly forward at the hips, maintaining a long spine.
- Inhale to stabilise.
- Exhale to press the carriage back with the rear leg, engaging your glutes and pelvic floor.
- Inhale to return with control, keeping your hips level as you do.
5. Leg circles (mat)
One of many pelvic floor exercises that improves hip mobility while strengthening the core and stabilisers.
- Lie on your back with your legs extended to the ceiling.
- Inhale to open your legs wide.
- Exhale to circle down and together, gently engaging the pelvic floor.
- Repeat for several reps, then reverse direction.
- Keep your tailbone grounded and pelvis still.
6. Seated arm pulls (reformer)
One of several classic pelvic floor exercises, seated arm pulls aid postural strength and deep core engagement in a supported seated position.
- Sit tall on the carriage facing the pulleys, holding straps in each hand.
- Inhale to prepare, keeping your spine long and shoulders relaxed.
- Exhale to pull the straps back (for example, in a row or bicep curl), engaging the pelvic floor and core.
- Inhale to return with control.
- Maintain an upright posture throughout.
7. Side-lying leg press (reformer)
Targets outer glutes and core with minimal pressure on the lower back.
- Lie on your side with your bottom foot on the footbar, hips stacked.
- Use your top hand for balance.
- Inhale to bend the working knee slightly.
- Exhale to press the carriage away, engaging the glutes and pelvic floor.
- Keep your pelvis steady and movement slow.
8. Pelvic curl (mat)
A controlled bridge variation that supports the connection between Pilates and pelvic floor strength, while also targeting the glutes and spine.
- Lie on your back, knees bent to 90 degrees.
- Inhale to prepare.
- Exhale to slowly roll the spine up into a bridge, activating your glutes and pelvic floor.
- Inhale to hold at the top.
- Exhale to roll down with control, segment by segment.
Strengthening the pelvic floor: your questions, answered
Have questions about strengthening the pelvic floor? Read on: we’re unpacking when the best time is to do pelvic floor exercises, and who you can speak to for more information – as well as pregnancy-specific pelvic floor-related FAQs.
When is the best time to do pelvic floor exercises?
There’s no ‘best time’ to do pelvic floor exercises – and consistency is far more important than exercising at a specific time.
Rather, the best time for pelvic floor exercises is whenever you’re able to fit them in around your weekly routine. (We also recommend practicing them with other people – as the benefits of group exercise are well-documented.) As for the frequency at which you practice pelvic floor exercises, we suggest two to three times per week, with plenty of active recovery in between.
That said, the rhythm and regularity at which you should strengthen your pelvic muscles can also depend on your life stage (particularly around pregnancy). We’ve recapped some general workout tips for this below – although you should always seek advice from a medical professional that’s tailored to your needs.
- Postpartum: Start with light breath and core connection. See a medical professional before returning to more dynamic exercise.
- Menopause or perimenopause: Regular practice helps counter natural muscle loss and maintain support as you age.
- Pre- or post-surgery: Light activation may aid recovery – however, you should seek professional advice before you go back to working out.
Will my pelvic floor muscles get stronger after my baby is born?
Yes. With the right approach, pelvic floor exercises will rebuild your strength – but this needs to be done gradually. Pregnancy and labor naturally place pressure on these muscles, so it’s normal to feel weaker post-birth. Recovery will take time and give you new appreciation for body awareness.
Who can I talk to for more advice and information?
If you’re unsure where to start, speak to your GP or a pelvic floor physiotherapist. These specialists can assess your pelvic health and help create a plan that works for your body – whether you’re recovering postpartum, managing symptoms, or simply wanting to strengthen your pelvic muscles.
How long does it take to strengthen your pelvic floor?
Many people start to feel the benefits of pelvic floor exercises within a few weeks. You should notice better control, improved posture, improvements in hip mobility and better core connection – small shifts that add up to real progress.
Does squeezing your buttocks help your pelvic floor?
Not exactly. While it might feel effective, squeezing your glutes isn’t the same as engaging your pelvic floor. These are separate muscle groups – and proper activation takes more subtle control.
In Pilates and pelvic floor work, the cue is often to “lift and draw in” – not clench. A good starting point is to lie down and gently mimicking the action of stopping the flow of urine. With practice, you’ll build awareness and strength in this area.
Small, consistent steps can help you strengthen your pelvic floor and reconnect with your body – whether you’re postpartum or just starting out on your Pilates journey. To read more, explore five vagal toning exercises to relax, reset, and restore the mind-body connection – next.
Sources:
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2617789/
2 https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/important-web-muscles-often-goes-overlooked
3 https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/pelvic-floor
