Whether you’re lifting weights, running, chasing toddlers, or simply trying to move without hip or pelvic pain, your pelvic floor plays a much bigger role than most people realize.
One of the biggest misconceptions about pelvic floor health is that it’s simply a matter of having a “tight” or “weak” pelvic floor. In reality, your pelvic floor is made up of multiple muscles that work together, and different areas can be overactive while others are underactive at the same time. Because these muscles attach directly to your pelvis, the way you naturally stand, walk, and move can create uneven tension throughout the pelvic floor.
That’s why stretching alone isn’t enough—and neither is strengthening alone.
In this article, we’ll break down four pelvic floor balance exercises that help restore symmetry by releasing areas of excess tension while strengthening muscles that need more support. These are the same movements I use before lifting and running to improve movement quality and reduce discomfort.
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Why Pelvic Floor Balance Matters
Your pelvis isn’t perfectly symmetrical during everyday movement.
Many people naturally shift more weight into one leg, causing subtle changes in pelvic position over time. These asymmetries influence how different portions of the pelvic floor function.
A common pattern looks like this:
- Right side: The pelvis shifts slightly backward, placing the right hip into more internal rotation. This often causes the front (anterior) pelvic floor muscles to become overactive while the back (posterior) muscles become lengthened and underactive.
- Left side: The pelvis shifts slightly forward, encouraging more external rotation. Here, the back (posterior) pelvic floor muscles often become tighter while the front (anterior) muscles become lengthened and underactive.
Instead of treating the pelvic floor as one uniform muscle group, it’s often more effective to think about restoring balance between these different regions.
That means:
- Releasing muscles that are working too hard
- Strengthening muscles that aren’t contributing enough
- Improving your pelvis’ ability to move through different positions
This balanced approach can help improve:
- Hip mobility
- Running mechanics
- Squat depth
- Pelvic stability
- Pelvic floor function
- Overall movement efficiency
Why Stretching Isn't Enough
Many people assume pelvic floor health only requires relaxation techniques.
While releasing tight muscles is important, leaving those muscles without strengthening the underactive regions often fails to address the underlying imbalance.
Think of it like aligning your tires.
Stretching resets the alignment.
Strength training helps maintain it.
Once you’ve improved mobility, it’s time to activate the muscles that have been doing less work.
The Four Pelvic Floor MUSTS
These four exercises work together by pairing mobility with strength:
| Exercise | Primary Goal |
|---|---|
| Lateral Hip Shift | Release right anterior pelvic floor |
| Standing Hip Shift | Release left posterior pelvic floor |
| B-Stance Squat | Strengthen right posterior pelvic floor |
| Staggered Stance RDL | Strengthen left anterior pelvic floor |
Rather than stretching everything or strengthening everything equally, this approach acknowledges that different areas of the pelvic floor often need different inputs.
The goal isn’t perfect symmetry—it’s restoring your body’s ability to move efficiently between positions.
Who Should Try These Exercises?
These movements can be beneficial for:
- Pregnant individuals preparing for birth
- Postpartum parents rebuilding strength
- Runners
- Lifters
- Anyone dealing with recurring hip or pelvic discomfort
- Individuals looking to improve pelvic floor function without relying solely on Kegels
They also make an excellent addition to a warm-up before strength training or running because they prepare both the hips and pelvic floor for more demanding movement.
Exercise 1: Lateral Hip Shift
Release the Right Anterior Pelvic Floor
The first movement focuses on reducing tension in the front portion of the right pelvic floor.
How to Perform It
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep both feet pointing straight ahead.
- Shift your weight into your left leg as though sitting into a chair.
- Keep the left knee stable.
- Move your right hip toward your left knee.
- Slightly rotate the right knee outward.
- Hold the stretch before slowly moving in and out of the position.
What You Should Feel
The stretch should primarily be located in:
- Inner thigh
- Groin
- Adductor muscles
These tissues often become overactive when the right hip remains in internal rotation throughout daily activities. Stretching this region helps reduce excessive tension while improving hip mobility before training.
Why This Exercise Works
The anterior pelvic floor responds well to positions that combine:
- Hip external rotation
- Hip abduction
- Slight anterior pelvic tilt
By placing the body into these positions, you can encourage relaxation of muscles that may otherwise limit squat depth or contribute to hip pinching.
Many people notice improved comfort during:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Deep hip flexion
- Running
after consistently including this movement in their warm-up.
Exercise 2: Standing Hip Shift
Release the Left Posterior Pelvic Floor
The second exercise targets the opposite side of the pelvis by stretching the deep muscles around the left hip.
How to Perform It
- Stand in a staggered stance.
- Place the left foot behind the right.
- Reach your arms forward.
- Hinge at the hips while keeping your back flat.
- Imagine a flashlight attached to your hips pointing behind you—not toward the floor.
- Keep pressure through the left big toe.
- Gently move your right hip toward your left knee.
- Add a slight posterior pelvic tuck.
You should feel a deep stretch through the left glute rather than the hamstrings.
Why It Helps
This movement helps release tension in the back portion of the left pelvic floor.
Improving mobility here can increase your pelvis’ ability to rotate naturally during walking, lifting, and running.
After holding the stretch, you can also perform slow alternating repetitions to improve dynamic pelvic mobility.
Exercise 3: B-Stance Squat
Because the right hip often spends too much time internally rotated, strengthening exercises should encourage:
- External rotation
- Glute activation
- Quad strength
- Hip stability
The B-stance squat is an excellent way to accomplish this.
How to Perform It
- Set up in a B-stance position with one foot slightly behind the other.
- Hold a dumbbell in the right hand (same side as the working leg).
- Perform controlled squats while maintaining an upright torso.
For an added challenge:
- Place a resistance band around the outside of the right knee.
- Push gently into the band throughout the movement.
This combination encourages:
- External rotation
- Hip abduction
- Glute recruitment
while strengthening portions of the pelvic floor that often remain underactive.
Potential Benefits
Strengthening this area may help reduce:
- Right-sided SI joint discomfort
- Hip impingement
- Bladder urgency
- Pelvic instability
while improving force production during lifting and running.
Exercise 4: Staggered Stance Romanian Deadlift
The final exercise strengthens the opposite side by encouraging the left hip to move into internal rotation.
How to Perform It
- Set up in a staggered stance.
- Work primarily through the left leg.
- Hold the dumbbell in the right hand (opposite hand).
- Hinge at the hips while maintaining a neutral spine.
- Slowly return to standing.
For additional activation:
- Place a resistance band around the inside of the left knee.
- Gently pull inward throughout the movement.
This increases:
- Adductor engagement
- Hamstring activation
- Internal rotation control
which helps strengthen the left anterior pelvic floor.
Who May Benefit
This exercise may be particularly helpful if you’re experiencing:
- Tailbone discomfort
- Constipation
- Left SI joint pain
- Reduced hip stability
Strengthening these muscles helps create a more balanced foundation for everyday movement.
Final Thoughts
Pelvic floor health is about far more than simply strengthening or relaxing your muscles. A balanced pelvic floor requires mobility where tension has built up and strength where support is lacking.
These four exercises provide a practical framework for addressing common movement asymmetries that can affect everything from squatting mechanics to running comfort and pelvic health. By consistently incorporating targeted mobility and strength work into your routine, you can improve how your pelvis moves, support better pelvic floor function, and build a stronger foundation for everyday activities and athletic performance.
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