JELLYFISH AND BLUEBERRIES - CUES TO HELP YOU CONNECT WITH YOUR CORE & PELVIC FLOOR

When I was first learning about the pelvic floor and core work I would ask every course instructor what their best core cue was. The answer was never what I was hoping for – ‘it depends’ they would say. Ten years later and I am now the person saying ‘it depends’.

I love using imagery and visualization with women to help them connect to their pelvic floor and I can never tell who will respond best to which cue or image. Different strokes for different folks, as they say. What works for one, will not work for another. It is not about THE best core cue, it is about THE best core cue FOR THAT PERSON.

During my initial consultations with people I take them through a series of functional assessments to determine what, if any, non-optimal core stabilization strategies or postural adaptations they may have. I then teach them how to release those strategies then re-assess and work with them to find their best core cue.

Jellyfish

One cue that seems to be a consistent favorite is jellyfish. Does it work for you?

1. Sit on a stability ball with your sitz bones and perineum in contact with the round surface.
2. Feel for a gentle curve in your low back and have your feet and knees about pelvis width apart. You can place your arms by your sides, place your hands gently in your lap or place one hand on your side ribs and one hand on your low belly.
3. Close your eyes and imagine a jellyfish swimming towards the surface of the ocean. See how it floats and gently opens as it relaxes and prepares to propel itself upwards.
4. Now see the bottom edges close and create a dome as it moves upward generating force.
5. Ok, now take this visualization and apply it to your pelvic floor. Inhale and feel your pelvic floor expand and float. Exhale and feel the muscles come together and lift upwards towards the crown of your head as they contract.

It is the coming together and the upward movement that I am wanting you to connect with here.

Try a few breaths – if it works and the cue helps you, stick with it.

Some Other Visualizations to Try

If the jellyfish imagery didn’t feel right, here are a few other cues you can try.

1. Lift your perineum up towards the crown of your head
2. Pick up a blueberry with your vagina and your anus
3. Sip a milkshake through a straw with your vagina
4. Prevent a tampon from slipping out
5. Pull your partner’s penis/finger deeper into you

Try them out and see if one resonates with you and then apply that imagery whenever you do your pelvic floor exercise. Inhale and expand, exhale and propel.

I cover this extensively in my 28 Day Kegel Challenge and most participants report having a reduction in symptoms and some even being leak free by day 14!

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