We all aspire to live at ease with our own body, treating it as a sacred temple. But in reality we are subjected to tensions that manifest themselves in different physical discomforts, which we often do not attend to. One of the pillars of physical and mental well-being is the pelvic floor. Body alignment expert Lauren Roxburgh has dedicated a book to her, (Sirio publisher), with a promising subtitle: “How to activate your core, strengthen your body, release stress and realign your life.” The content does not disappoint. Roxburgh (@loroxburgh on Instagram) is a savvy and experienced “body whisperer.”
Do women know how to take care of their pelvic floor?
-Big question! I realized that the pelvic floor is an area that is not talked about much, unless of course you are talking about sex or pregnancy. Because of this, many women (and men…yes, men have a pelvic floor too!) are unaware of this powerful part of the body and how to care for it. People often hear that they need to strengthen their pelvic floor with Kegel exercises, but these are not a balanced approach to strengthening this important muscle group. Chronic tension isn’t good for any muscle group, and the pelvic floor is no exception. Being able to consciously relax the pelvic floor muscles not only benefits the body physically, but can also go a long way in releasing emotional stress, fear and blockages that people may harbor in the body. I found out that not many people are aware of this.
-What are your basic tips regarding personal care?
-As for the care of the pelvic floor, the first thing is to know what this part of the body is and establish a connection with it. The pelvic floor is a kind of hammock of layered muscles that connects the pubic bone, the “sitting” bones at the bottom of the pelvis, and the tailbone; and also supports the bladder, uterus, and intestine.
One of my favorite ways to start is to make use of my signature Body Sphere tool, which is essentially a soft Pilates ball. I encourage my clients and studio members to sit on the ball to begin with; in this position they learn to breathe properly, paying attention to the movement of the diaphragm while encouraging their pelvic floor to open and expand like a flower and contract like a rosebud. In my book, activates the pelvic floor I offer many exercises and ideas to support this important part of the body through what I call “movement medicine” and other calming and healing practices.
And regarding general care, my number one suggestion would be that each person enjoy their favorite rituals. My favorite activities are dry brushing, foam rolling, jumping on a trampoline, taking a hot magnesium bath or a good infrared sauna session, meditation, connecting with friends and family, being in nature and enjoying of my favorite fascia foods, including dark chocolate and red wine!
If we want to have a strong and stable core, we must start with the incredible foundation that is our pelvic floor.
Can we harm ourselves by doing certain exercises?
-Vigorous exercises, those that involve exerting pressure and those that require pressing too much are not beneficial for the pelvic floor. But when it comes to the abdomen and core, it’s a bit the other way around: if you don’t know your pelvic floor, you won’t be working your core well. The core starts at the base of the pelvic floor actually; For this reason I like to call this area the “pelvic core.” If we want to have a strong and stable core, we must start with the incredible foundation that is our pelvic floor; it cannot be tense or loose. It is also important to keep in mind that no matter how many crunches and sit ups we do, we will never have a strong and elongated abdomen as we want if we do not first increase the resistance and flexible strength of the pelvic floor.
-Sometimes we want to exercise and take care of ourselves, but we end up mistreating ourselves, right?
-I think so! Very often I hear stories of women who overtrain and do not nourish their bodies enough thinking that it is the only way they can lose weight or change their figure, but this is not the case. There is a much softer, more nutritious and productive way to achieve it.
-What mistakes do we make when exercising?
-The biggest mistake that people make when it comes to exercise is that they force themselves into strenuous exercises that make their bodies tense, heavy, contracted and sore. It’s the mindset that no pain, no reward, and it’s not necessary. It’s actually quite harmful.
-What are the exercises that strengthen the abdomen and also the pelvic floor?
-There are so many! We have to start with the breath, as I have already mentioned. Learning to breathe correctly has a huge impact on both the core and the pelvic floor. The next step is to incorporate movements that involve the pelvic floor and that have a relaxing effect on this area, making sure that we have found this connection. Next we can start with the exercises; many use the Body Sphere or foam roller.
As I explain in my books and my online study, we need to lengthen muscles before we can strengthen them, so not only do we have to work our pelvic floor muscles, but our upper back as well, to open up the diaphragm and create more space. Raising the hips on the soft ball or foam roller puts us in the perfect inverted position to engage both the pelvic floor and core. From here we can do leg lifts and toe taps and other movements that stretch and strengthen the inner thighs and buttocks. Everything is connected!
-What is the deep core?
-I like to compare our core with the trunk of a tree. Just as the tree has rings inside it, our core has layers arranged in a similar way. As I mention in the book, those layers are the muscles, connective tissue, organs (including the female reproductive system), the digestive system, the nerves, and a lot of emotional energy. In the western world, we tend to focus only on the layer of muscle in our core, but all of these components are equally important, not only for our physical well-being, but also for healing and restoring our core muscles.
The deep core is located around the navel area. The core also includes the psoas, which is considered a hip flexor muscle or a core muscle, depending on the school of thought. I think of the psoas as part of the core, because while it’s connected to the hip flexors, it’s located higher up in the body, connecting the torso to the legs. The psoas attaches behind the organs, in front of the spine, and just below the diaphragm. It goes all the way through the hips to the groin. If our psoas is tense and unbalanced, so are our organs and pelvis.
Physically, our deep core impacts everything from digestion to mobility to skin. When we are in tune with our deep intrinsic core, we can alleviate pain, reduce waistlines, improve posture and digestion, and even connect.
Most people walk from the hip joint down, because they are disconnected from the psoas and core. To determine if you walk from the psoas or from the hips, see if your steps are long and graceful.
Why is the psoas so important?
-The psoas is a stabilizing connective muscle. It is in charge of moving our legs forward when we walk. Despite this, most people walk from the hip joint down, because they are disconnected from the psoas and core. To determine if you are walking from the psoas or from the hips, see if your steps are long and graceful (this indicates that you are walking from the psoas) or short and heavy (in this case, you are walking from the hips). Whether you’re manifesting Gisele Bündchen’s ballerina-like gait when she walked the runway or LeBron’s graceful swagger on the court, you’re moving as you should. Your steps should be expansive and fluid.
When we learn to use the psoas properly, we can achieve a flatter stomach; more flexible hips; a longer, leaner, stronger core and back; and a slimmer waist. The act of using the psoas changes our posture and helps us to undulate the spine, while we lengthen and expand. When we connect to our psoas and use it, we reorganize our entire core and create more space and support. This not only has a very positive impact on our standing posture and the way we walk, but also on the way we breathe.
In the past, the psoas was known as the “muscle of the soul” because it connects us with intuition or gut feelings. Taoists believe that the psoas connects us to our ancestors and that our fears and emotions can become trapped in its delicate fabric. When we let go of these fears, we can begin to live from a more intuitive and sensual space. By physically awakening and connecting with the psoas, we can release trapped emotions, deep tension and fears, allowing us to access sensuality and intuition.
-How can we work it?
-Using the 36-inch foam roller, in my virtual studio at , the subject can roll through a sequence that puts the focus on this muscle, thereby activating it, to create a beautiful, solid pillar of strength for the purpose of to connect the upper body with the lower body, shrink the waist, encourage better digestion and provide a feeling of grounding.
-What does the deep core have to do with sexuality?
-Our deep core is connected to our pelvic floor, which is connected to our entire body. Consequently, many common ailments, such as lower back pain, pelvic pain, jaw tension, incontinence, discomfort during intercourse, and even negative emotions such as anxiety and stress, can be attributed to a tight pelvic floor. , weakened and overloaded. When we have a resilient pelvic floor and a strong deep core, our sex drive often improves and we have better orgasms.
-Why do they call you the “body whisperer”?
-A few years ago, Gwenyth Paltrow, a longtime client of mine and with whom I have a friendly relationship, nicknamed me “the body whisperer.” I am trained in structural integration and classical Pilates, and as a specialist in alignment and body mechanics I focus on fascia. The fascia is the connective tissue of our body which, according to science currently, is the organ of the structure or…