The journey of exploring my feet + pelvic floor
15 July
I feel a dull aching sensation in my lower abdomen, and if I tune in, I feel it all the way around my pelvic floor, and hip flexor area, too. In a good way! It’s the feeling when a muscle has just been reawakened after a long time of disconnection. It’s back online, but still not fully integrated.
THE POSITION:
This as a result of being in table top and slightly raising my knees from the ground. I did a few rounds of holding the knees an inch or so off the ground, and a few rounds pulsing the knees up and down. Really focusing on engaging the pelvic floor, while keeping aligned posture - hips over knees, shoulders over wrists, etc. The WAY I was engaging the pelvic floor is something I very recently learned to do. I found this Pilates based video, detailing exactly who to connect to the pelvic floor, beyond the idea of “kegals”. [I’ll detail later.] She tuned into the anatomy as the anchor for the lesson. She also emphasized doing both stagnant holds, as well as pulsing movements, to train the muscles to not only support in stabilizing the pelvis but also adapting to dynamic movements.
This is inner discovery is life changing! I have a strong foundation to start building the mind-body connection, now that I can actually feel the anatomy in my body.
Since Ive started applying this engagement of the pelvic floor during my yoga and Pilates practices, my shoulders have so much more ease…
Even now as I type, the recent activation of the pelvic floor has my posture so aligned and comfortable. I love it! :)
Again, it is a practice. When my mind wanders….my posture goes back the misaligned shape it is used to. So, I am still at the stage of needing to be conscious; aware. But this new awareness will eventually become second nature. Integrated into my body. Happens without a second thoughts. Just as Dr.Manuela Mischeke-Reed says in her book, “The body changes all the time. It is flexible, and moldable”
8 July:
I was really inspired by my Pilates practice today. My inspiration was connecting with the glutes, getting them online, as well as being mindful of engaging my core more deeply. At one moment I REALLY connected with a deep pelvic floor (?) muscle. It felt almost dry and locked. But that contact woke something up….I felt a very subtle tingling from my psoas (?) down into my vaginal region, almost as if energy was “finally” moving there.
This really inspired me to get into some pelvic floor research / exploring…specifically in relation to the feet. There must be a connection, I feel it in my body.
There is a foundational connection between these two aspects of the body!
So far i’ve learned, (I think…)
The flat arches, create the knees to collapse inward, which pulls on the adductors, making the hips internally rotate and pulls on the pelvic floor.
Prior to this, a few things I have been paying attention to:
Toe strength
Mindbody connection in my toes…right now I am really into strengthening the connection with my pinky toe and second toe.
Slightly bending the knees to engage my hamstrings more.
Spreading the toes for more surface area / Playing around with gripping
I really look forward to exploring this connection with the pelvic floor as the next piece.
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9 July
Walked Rock Creek Park this early morning. So thankful that is my backyard. I noticed my stride feeling a bit more comfortable, as I continue this work. My toes are a bit more spread and my glutes are online. The day after a good yoga or pilates practice, I always notice a difference. This shows me how much this is needed. I want to be comfortable in my body as I move through the world. Not in pain or constriction.
I did the same pilates sequence today. (I am making it a point to not be constantly “recreating the wheel”, but to stick to and build on what is working). I defintely noticed a difference in the sensation in my body. Almost like yesterday was warming up the tissues, squeezing toxins out the muscles, and getting things back online. Today felt more like im starting from a good baseline, which is interesting to me
I remembered to incorporate that inner smile with the eyes/side of my face, and it is AMAZING the subtle rush of good hormones I feel release in my body. I also continued to tune into my deep ab muscles and pelvic floor during the practice.
After I took a moment to sit in lotus and really tune into my pelvic floor. Just working on cultivating that mindbody connection. As I did this, it stood out to me how disconnected ive been from this area of my inner body. My pelvic floor had gratitude to be noticed, for space to be held for it. And I just spent a few moments breathing and holding space for this connection.
As I did this, I felt my shoulders be able to relax a bit and my spine slightly elongate. I still feel the strength and activation in my abdomen and pelvic area as I type this. What a beautiful experience.