4-Week Pelvic Floor & Core Restore Guide

Did any of you girls spend your second pregnancy peeing yourself everytime you sneeze or threw up? I did!!! Let me tell you, nothing made me realize how much I've neglected rehabbing my core more than my second pregnancy. I don't want to make the same mistake this time around, so I've been complimenting my workouts with incorporating the movements in this guide. If you have any questions or want to chat more please know my dms are always open!

The one thing you need to learn before anything else: 360 Breathing

Every single exercise in my Pelvic Floor & Core Restore program is built around this breath. Before you do anything else, spend a few days just practicing this.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Place one hand on your belly and one on your ribs. Inhale through your nose — feel your ribs expand in ALL directions, your belly rise, your back broaden. Exhale through pursed lips— feel your ribs gently knit together, your belly soften. On that exhale, think about gently lifting your pelvic floor up and in. Like you're picking up a blueberry. (I know, I know — bear with me, it's the most accurate description out there!)

This is not a hard squeeze. It's a LIFT. There's a big difference, and it matters.

Once you can feel that connection reliably? You're ready to start the program.

The 4-Week Breakdown

Week 1 — Laying the foundation

This week is entirely about awareness. We are not training for strength yet. We are waking up the connection between your brain and your deep core. Just as important as the form for movement throughout this program is the coordination of your breath!

360/Diaphragmatic Breathing: 3 x10 breaths - lie on your back with your knees bent and feet planted on the ground, slowly inhale through your nose and feel your belly and ribs expand, hold for about two seconds and then exhale as slowly as you can, feeling the slight lift of your pelvic floor.

Pelvic Tilts: 3x12 reps - lie on your back knees bent and feet planted on the ground. On your inhale let your lower back arch slightly away from the floor, on your exhale gently tilt your pelvis and feel your lower bck press into the floor. Connect your inhale to the arch and exhale to the pelvic tilt for each rep.

Heel Taps: 3x 4 reps each leg - (think of this has half of a dead bug) lie on your back, knees bent and feet in the air, (your legs should be making a 90 degree angle). Inhale at the top, exhale as you drop one heel to the ground and bring it back up to that 90 degree angle before dropping your other heel. As you work through these reps you should feel your lowerback still in contact with the floor. *I know it may be tempting to bust out more reps than prescribed, but the goal here is maintaining breath throughout this movement as well as contact with your low back on the floor, and as you fatigue this will try to give out on you!

Clamshells: 3x 12 each side - Lie on your side, hips stacked, knees bent at 45 degrees feet together. Keeping your feet touching, lift your top knee as high as you can without your pelvis rotating (this may look different on each side) lower slowly. Exhale as you open, inhale as you close.

Week 2 — Adding a bit of movement complexity

As we progress through this next week I want you to continue being mindful of that breath/ movement connection we established in week one. Remember if any of these movements feel too advanced there is no shame in scaling back on reps or repeating movements from week 1! :)

Bird Dogs: 3x8 each side - starting from table top position (on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips) take a deep inhale and then as you exhale extend opposite arm and leg simultaneously, hold at full extension, then inhale as you return to your start position, reset and extend your other arm and leg on the exhale. *NOTE: Your spine is stationary, no rotation, no arching, no rib cage flare

Dead bugs: 3x6 each side - Lie on your back with your legs in the air at 90 degrees and your arms straight up, (think about being in table top position, just on your back vs. your hands and knees). Take a deep breath in and on the exhale brace your core. Extend opposite arm and leg to full extension keeping your lower back pressed into the ground, return to your start position on the inhale and switch sides.

Glute Bridges: 3x12 -lie on your back feet hips width apart, knees bent with feet planted on the ground. To begin your rep, inhale at the bottom, tuck your pelvis so your low back grazes the ground, exhale then drive up through your heels squeezing your glutes inhale at the top. Exhale easing your way back down.

Week 3 — Layering time under tension

Continuing to build on our foundation of movement this week will add a bit of intensity, please remember that each of the movements is progressive, so if one feels like too much you can sub the variation from last week, or shoot me a quick dm on instagram and I can help you find movement that works for where you are right now!

Bird dog holds: 2x30 seconds each side- Using the same form we used last week, rather than alternating through reps, I want you to reach extension off opposite arm and leg and attempt to hold for 30 seconds. As you breathe through this hold, be mindful that your rib cage is not flaring and your hips aren't rotating as you begin to fatigue! Rest for about 30 between each hold.

Dead bugs: 3x10 each side - Repeating this movement from last week, but adding reps. Lie on your back with your legs in the air at 90 degrees and your arms straight up, (think about being in table top position, just on your back vs. your hands and knees). Take a deep breath in and on the exhale brace your core. Extend opposite arm and leg to full extension keeping your lower back pressed into the ground, return to your start position on the inhale and switch sides.

Glute Bridge Hold: 3x40 sec each side - Get into your glute bridge position that we perfected last week, at the top I want you to hold for 30-40 seconds without letting your back arch or ribs flare.

Body weight squats: 3x12 - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes slightly out. Inhale as you sit keeping your chest tall and knees tracking over your toes. Exhale as you stand, engaging your pelvic floor as you drive up through your heels.

Week 4 — Final Progression

The goal this week is to have perfected the movements from weeks prior and have the ability to carry them forward with you! These movements can serve as a great foundation or even warm up for your workouts in the future. By the end of this week you'll have a repeatable framework you can carry forward into any training program — including mine 😉

Bear plank holds: 2x 20-30 seconds - Begin in table top position, check that your spine is neutral and your wrists are stacked under your shoulders. Keeping a neutral spine slightly lift your knees into a hover position (about an inch off the floor) and hold while keeping your breath steady. Rest about 30 seconds between each hold.

Hollow hold: 3x 20-30 seconds- Lie on your back and get into the same start position as your dead bugs from weeks prior (reverse table top) and press your lower back into the floor. Extend your arms over head and slightly lift your shoulders from the floor while you begin to straighten your legs as far as you can without your low back peeling off the floor, the goal with this movement is to be in an almost banana like position for the hold. Rest about 30 seconds between each hold.

Glute Bridge March: 3x6 each side - Get into your glute bridge position that we perfected last week, at the top, exhale and slowly lift one foor off the floor keeping your hips level. Alternate marching for 6 steps each side.

Lateral Lunges: 3x6 each side - Stand tall with feet together. Step one foot out wide to the side, pushing your hips back and sinking into that leg while keeping the opposite leg straight. Your stepping foot should be flat on the floor, chest stays up, and your knee tracks over your toes — not caving inward. Drive through that heel to push back to standing. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical professional. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise program postpartum. If you are experiencing pelvic floor symptoms like leaking, prolapse, or pain, please seek out a pelvic floor physical therapist.