Pelvic floor health has been in the spotlight for the past few years, but the connection between it and sexual well-being is often overlooked and misunderstood. It plays a pivotal role in sexual function—from better muscle strength, better orgasms, and overall sexual health and wellness.
Celebrity Pelvic Floor Specialist & Fitness Expert Courtney Virden is the founder of the pelvic floor program iCORE Method. With years of experience treating complex pelvic floor conditions, sexual dysfunction, and musculoskeletal and sports conditions, Virden has a unique perspective on how to achieve overall sexual satisfaction and a more fulfilling sex life.
Her approach integrates targeted exercises and holistic strategies to improve orgasm quality, increase sensitivity, and boost arousal. She has even worked with celebrities like the Kardashians and brands like POOSH.
Virden explains how strengthening the pelvic floor can impact your overall sexual health and wellness and yes, that includes better orgasms for both men and women. (You may want to bookmark this section).
What Exactly is Pelvic Floor Health?
You may or may not have been aware of the importance of having optimal pelvic floor health. “Pelvic floor health means having strong, toned, and responsive muscles that can contract and relax as needed,” says Virden. “It also involves healthy fascia and open nerve pathways, ensuring the pelvic floor functions optimally.”
Pelvic floor health may seem like it would just be applicable to women, but Virden says it is actually crucial for both men and women. “When the pelvic floor muscles lack proper tone and alignment, it can lead to dysfunction. [On the other hand], if the pelvic floor is too tight, spasming, or unable to relax, it can result in a range of symptoms,” explains Virden. These may include sexual dysfunction, bladder and bowel issues, lower back pain, and discomfort during movement.
Virden continues and says that in men, this might manifest as erectile dysfunction or difficulty urinating, while women may experience pain during intercourse or urinary incontinence. “Maintaining a healthy pelvic floor, with muscles that are strong, toned, and able to contract and relax appropriately, is essential for preventing these issues and supporting overall physical well-being,” notes Virden.
Pelvic Floor and Sexual Health
How then does pelvic floor health relate to sexual health and wellness? “Pelvic health plays a significant role in sexual health and satisfaction,” says Virden. “In women, low tone and misalignment can reduce sensation and make it difficult to orgasm, while a hypertonic (too tight) pelvic floor can cause pain during penetration and [can] prevent climax. For men, pelvic floor imbalances can lead to ejaculation and erectile issues.”
What about orgasms? “Training the pelvic floor and restoring proper tone and tension can significantly enhance sexual satisfaction for both men and women,” shares Virden. “By achieving proper alignment, you can open up nerve pathways, which improves sensations.”
Virden explains that when it comes to better orgasms for women, proper pelvic floor tone can lead to better sensations and improved orgasmic ability and quality. On the other hand, for men, it can help with erectile function and ejaculation control. “Ultimately, this leads to more satisfying and fulfilling orgasms,” notes Virden.
How to Improve Pelvic Floor Health
Okay, so how do both men and women improve pelvic floor health? Virden offers a few exercises to try.
Exercise #1: Roll-Overs
- Start in a deep squat behind a stability ball, balancing on your toes and the balls of your feet.
- Wrap your body around the ball, pressing your pubic bone into it. This will help stretch and open up your pelvic floor, thighs, hips, and lower back.
- Roll forward and backward, maintaining pressure on your pubic bone against the ball to deepen the stretch.
Tip: Be sure to keep your neck relaxed.
Exercise 2: Knee to Chest
- Lie on your back on a mat.
- Bend one knee with your foot on the ground, while the other leg rests on a stability ball.
- Tilt your pubic bone forward toward your chest, lifting your glutes slightly off the mat into a pelvic tilt.
- Bend the leg on the ball and roll the ball toward your shoulder, allowing the knee to drop and your foot to roll outward.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Tips: Your lower back should stay relaxed and you should be in a pelvic tilt throughout the exercise. The leg on the ground should stay stable and your hips level to the ceiling.
The Importance of Pelvic Floor Health
As a pelvic floor expert, Virden says she cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining pelvic floor health for both men and women throughout their entire lives. “Preventative care can help avoid many issues, and most existing problems can be resolved with a proper pelvic floor program, like the iCORE Method app, without the need for surgery or enduring ongoing symptoms,” she says.
“The pelvic floor is the foundation of our trunk, and any instability here can lead to issues throughout the body. Just as you would not build a house on an unstable foundation, you should not train your body on an unstable pelvic floor.”