There’s a good chance you have concerns about pelvic floor health in menopause or before or after and either don’t know it or don’t talk about it. If you don’t know it, it’s because you’ve never associated gas or inability to control your urge to go with pelvic floor for just one example. Most of us don’t talk about it. Not with our partner, our friends or even our doctor.

I know because for years I was a trainer who didn’t ask this question. And needed to. And it’s only recently I realized that women don’t even associate a need to tell this with the type of exercise they do or don’t do.

If you've been ignoring or are unaware of Pelvic Floor Health in Menopause, it's time to tune in and take control. Engaging in the right types of exercise can make a significant difference, not just for pelvic health but for your overall wellbeing during menopause.

Kim Vopni is a self-professed kegel maven and is known as The Vagina Coach. She is a certified fitness professional who became passionate about spreading information on pelvic health after the birth of her first child over 18 years ago.

She is an author, a passionate speaker, and a women’s health educator. Her most recent book, Your Pelvic Floor, launched in March 2020 and was on the bestseller list immediately.

After experiencing the upheaval of perimenopause she began educating herself on ways to support her own body and then took a certification to become a Menopause Support Practitioner so she could help others navigate the transition with ease.

Kim offers online programs and coaching for women through all life stages but the majority of her client base is in the peri and postmenopausal phase of life. Her Buff Muff app is an ever-growing community where people from around the world find support through her 28 day challenges and monthly membership.

Kim also certifies other fitness and movement professionals to work with women with core and pelvic floor challenges through her Core Confidence Specialist Certification and Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist Certification.

You can find her on-line through her podcast Between Two Lips, her website at www.vaginacoach.com and on social media @vaginacoach

• What is the pelvic floor and why is it important [00:08:40]
• What is it about pelvic floor health in menopause that’s unique? [00:10:50]
• What are the most common signs/symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction [00:13:50]
• What can we do about it? [00:13:40]

Website:

https://www.vaginacoach.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VagCoach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vaginacoach/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KimVopniTheVaginaCoach/videos

• Sexual Wellness AMA with Women’s Sexual Health Expert Lyndsey Harper - https://www.flippingfifty.com/sexual-health-expert/
• Intimacy and Incontinence with The Girlfriend Doctor - https://www.flippingfifty.com/the-girlfriend-doctor/
• Your Pelvic Floor: Prolapse and Incontinence - https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-pelvic-floor/

Resources:

Kim’s Buff Muff App: https://www.buffmuffapp.com/

What When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

Your trainer may not get you results in menopause. Rethink your trainer-led workouts. It’s not his or her fault, but it’s critical to understand that what worked for you in your 30s or 40s might not be effective now.

It wasn’t until I created Flipping 50 in 2013, and then finally created the Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist in 2018 that I knew of training in existence for trainers or health coaches of midlife women.

Some trainers, often fitness enthusiasts themselves, may venture to advise based on their own readings or experiences. However, this might not be sufficient to guide decisions on the critical aspects of aging optimally: your muscle, bone, and brain health. It's vital to recognize when your trainer may not get you results and seek tailored guidance that addresses your unique needs during menopause.

1. What specific training have you had about training women in midlife?
2. What is unique in the way you train women in midlife vs younger women/older women or men?
3. How do you define success?
4. What kinds of things will you be asking me to do?
5. What are the most important components of the work we’ll do together?
6. I’ve heard it said that guidelines and quotas for exercise aren’t necessarily the best way for women to design an exercise program. What are your thoughts on programming for me?
7. How do you measure success?

• Dr. Stacy Sims offers a course
• Girls Gone Strong offers a Women’s training course
• Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist© (for building your entire business, including marketing and training strategies)

Something is better than nothing or winging it by reading a lot and having gone through it yourself, is not science. You’re a study of one. Until you’ve coached thousands so you’re truly an expert with the time and hours and worked with the unique differences of individuals, none of us can justify our personal experience as a credible authority.

What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ summit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Don’t Let Cortisol Derail Your Results: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-hormone/

How to Choose a Fitness Pro: https://www.flippingfifty.com/need-a-coach/