Episode Details

Half of women report leaking when they lift heavy, and we have somehow decided that’s normal. I’m not interested in telling you to accept it or to stop lifting. I want to help you understand what’s happening when you brace, why it shows up most on squats, deadlifts, and cleans, and how small coaching cues can protect your pelvic floor without sacrificing strength.

We get into the difference between a powerful brace and “bearing down,” using the core canister model to explain why pressure distribution matters. I talk through the common patterns I see in lifters: the pelvic floor that can’t quite keep up with heavy load yet, and the lifter who tries so hard not to leak that she over-tightens with constant kegels and ends up with pain or other symptoms. You’ll learn the bracing cue I use most, how to spot your symptom threshold, and how to build back up with smart sub-threshold training.

Then we tackle the weightlifting belt. I’m pro-belt when it’s used as a performance aid, but the belt can backfire if it changes your bracing strategy or becomes artificial support too early, especially postpartum. We cover how to choose a belt that fits your sport rules, why even width matters, how tight is tight enough, and when most athletes realistically return to hard bracing and belt use after having a baby.

If you lift, coach, or are returning to training postpartum, this conversation is packed with practical pelvic floor advice, bracing technique, and performance-focused takeaways. Subscribe for more evidence-based training guidance, share this with a lifting partner who needs it, and leave a review to help more moms keep barbells in their lives.

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