Peeing While Training: Common, Not Normal

While this may turn you all into giggling little boys and girls to read, it’s still important. It’s extremely common for movers, especially women, to experience urinary incontinence. It’s also not normal. 

Dysfunction in the abdominal system is the reason for this all-too-common issue. Read that again. This is an issue of dysfunction. It is not “normal” or part-of-the-game to pee while jumping rope, doing box jumps, deadlifting, or anything else in the gym. 

Now, this isn’t a message of shame. There are many good reasons why this common (but not normal) issue is happening. The beautiful badge of honor of motherhood for example can and often does include a cascade of abdominal dysfunction in the process when it comes to the pelvic floor. 

So, what do we do about it?

Luckily, brilliant minds like those behind BIRTHFIT are not accepting this common issue as normal and are providing the world with solutions. The solution is rooted in understanding the abdominal system and its purpose. In fact, our abdominal system is more than just “abs”. It’s the abdominal wall that wraps around the entire torso as well as the diaphragm and the pelvic floor, which makes a 360 degree container that provides functional stability for functional movement. This is achieved with intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and it involves 360 degrees of active functionality to achieve. The most dysfunctional way to attempt this is to suck in the stomach and abs. Intra-abdominal pressure creates stability by pushing out against the “canister” made up of the abdomen. 

Re-learning this basic function of movement that we all understood as babies can require dedicated practice. There’s likely no better progression to develop intra-abdominal pressure and ultimately a functional core (without light urination) than this basic functional progression. And, you can do it at home! 

Dead bugs for the win. Try it!

 

Logan Gelbrich   

@functionalcoach