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Training the anticipatory reflexive contraction
Training the anticipatory reflexive contraction
Updated over a year ago

It is all well and good if you spend time strengthening your pelvic floor muscles and regaining control with Perifit Care, but a functional pelvic floor can contract at the right time in any situation that needs it. That is, without you needing to consciously think about it.

Assess yourself

Let's make a test.

1. Insert Perifit Care, launch the Practice Lab, and cough.

Did you notice a spike in your superficial sensor reading?

2. Now stand and perform a rapid arm flexion.

Did you notice a spike in your superficial sensor reading?

If you answered yes to both questions, your pelvic floor muscles anticipatory reflexive contraction is in place. If you didn't, you will need to work on your "Knack" contraction.

The Knack contraction

These actions suddenly increase the pressure in your stomach:

  • Cough

  • Sneeze

  • Lift

  • Blow your nose

  • Rise into standing from sitting

  • Laugh

  • Perform a quick sudden movement

A healthy pelvic floor will contract in anticipation of any of these to support your pelvic organs. However, in dysfunction, this reflexive contraction is often lost, potentially resulting in urine leaking and prolapse symptoms.

The Knack is a quick and straightforward exercise technique to retrain this reflexive contraction. It consists of executing a strong Kegel contraction before and during any of the above-listed actions. You need to consciously and repetitively practice the Knack until it becomes a reflex again.

Leak and Three-peat

At first, it may be complicated to perform the Knack contraction every time your intra-abdominal pressure suddenly increases.

In this case, the "leak and three-peat" exercise is a very good alternative:

Every time you feel a dribble of urine, you should stop what you are doing and repeat the activity that just caused the leak (i.e., coughing) THREE times, but this time while performing the Knack contraction.

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