Symptoms with firebreathing/nauli

Hi Fortitude

Do you feel fullness in your vulva during the exhale, during the inhale, or only after you have done firebreathing and are getting on with your day?

With Kegels, do you feel like sucking everything in on the inhale, or on the exhale, or some other time?

Yes, I can understand that. When the weight of pelvic organs is lifted from the pelvic floor during the vacuum phase they will contract spontaneously because they are not being distended any more.

If you inhale too far, and your tailbone is not lifted, it can also distend your pelvic floor, which will exaggerate the change more when you inhale again.

It is also easier to Kegel when there is no weight opposing it.

It is also hard to Kegel when your tail bone is lifted and your pelvis in nutation, because the pelvic floor is stretched tight like a drum skin. There is simply less slack to take up.

Does this make some sense?

BTW, I will put my head on the chopping block and say that I think Kegels have some use, in that by doing them we bring our mind to concentrating on what they are doing. Then we can visualise it, and understand it better. This will mean that we have better control over these muscles, rather than making them ultra strong.

Louise

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you feel that your pelvic floor is being pulled in or out doesn't really matter, as long as your organs are able to move in, in response to the vacuum. If there isn't much movement in your pelvic floor muscles, ie if you are not able to get them to move at will, it may be that they need to get stronger so they can relax and contract more effectively. Learning to Kegel effectively might be useful for you. This will mean that you can get a better range of movement in these muscles, and may be able to suck your organs in more effectively. However, it is all a bit qualitative. All that matters is getting your organs to move.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you feel that your pelvic floor is being pulled in or out doesn't really matter, as long as your organs are able to move in, in response to the vacuum. If there isn't much movement in your pelvic floor muscles, ie if you are not able to get them to move at will, it may be that they need to get stronger so they can relax and contract more effectively. Learning to Kegel effectively might be useful for you. This will mean that you can get a better range of movement in these muscles, and may be able to suck your organs in more effectively. However, it is all a bit qualitative. All that matters is getting your organs to move.

Louise – some of us may feel we are getting mixed messages with regard to kegeling or not. Can you explain a little more about the physiology of your recommendation regarding how kegeling might give us better range of movement of our organs? - Surviving

Dear Fortitude

When doing firebreathing you are lifting all of your pelvic organs. With kegels you are concentrating simply on contracting, holding and then releasing the sphincter muscles. When firebreathing, the lift of your pelvic organs will naturally contract your sphincters as part of the movement. With kegels your pelvic organs are left alone.

Dear Louise
I think I get what you are saying.

Dear Surviving,
Yeah after some of the fuss, a bit confusing .

Cheers Fab

Dear Fortitude,

Can't say there is a connection between this and nauli/firebreathing. I personally have not found it to be the case. Things do change though and we are not always sure why. The newly assumed practice of shifting of organs would naturally be something you would question, but if they are being lifted up and forward one would assume their bettering. I take it that the kegel aspect of the firebreathing is specifically what is worrying you in this regard. I hope the above post helps to reassures you.

Cheers Fab

Sorry, I wondered if that might have been a bit confusing. There was a lot of technical stuff in that post and I didn't want to expand on it unless someone requested it. Here goes.

If you have saggy pelvic floor muscles because your pelvis is tilting back and closing your pelvic floor (making the drumskin loose) your pelvic organs are pressing down on them all the time they are not ever able to contract properly, this is kind of like a man who develops a big belly from slouched shoulders, and his abdominal muscles all get very weak because they can never contract. Because they are weak he cannot hold his tummy in, so his belly gets bigger and bigger and his shoulders get rounder and rounder.

Muscles become strong by being stretched and contracted to their full extent, often. Strong muscles in general, can be stretched further, and can contract up shorter than weak muscles. Therefore, whatever the reason your pelvic muscles might be weak, they will not stretch fully when you have the abdominal vacuum in place and they are being stretched as your pelvic contents are sucked in. There is connective tissue joining everything together in the belly. It is feasible that if your pelvic floor muscles can't stretch fully, they may hold the pelvic organs closer to the vulva. I just don't know how much. That's how I see it anyway. I don't have anything authoritative to back it up.

Strong pelvic floor muscles will move more than weak pelvic floor muscles. If your pelvic floor muscles have more give your whole pelvis will also be more flexible and more resilient. You will be able to take longer strides when walking. Your lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints will be more resilient.

By strong pelvic floor muscles I really mean responsive pelvic floor muscles that you can feel moving when you do Kegels. And they move when you ask them to, without much effort. I don't mean pelvic floor muscles that can stop you peeing mid-stream or that can hold Ben Wah Balls in your vagina for a long time!

I just think it is worth doing Kegels to get the pelvic floor muscles moving if they aren't already, because your whole body will thank you. Whole woman posture used all day during your daily activities including exercising, will make your pelvic floor muscles stronger, as a result of the alternate nutation and counternutation of the pelvis and sacrum as you walk around. That is pretty constant exercise for them. Why do Kegels as well if your PF muscles already work all day? However, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle Kegels could be quite valuable.

Heaven help us if Kegels are ever an Olympic sport!

L ;-)