How to Strengthen Your Core Without Making Leaks Worse

For a lot of women, “getting your core back” is a fitness goal that shows up sometime in your 30s—after having a baby, after a stressful season, or simply when your body starts feeling not quite like yours.

But here’s the part no one tells you:Jumping straight into core workouts can actually make leaking worse.And that doesn’t mean you're broken—it means your body is asking for a different kind of support.

First, Why Does Core Work Cause Leaking in the First Place?

When we say “core,” most people think of abs—planks, sit-ups, crunches, etc. But your true core is more like a pressure system. It includes:

• Your diaphragm (top)

• Your abdominal muscles (front and sides)

• Your back muscles (rear support)

• Your pelvic floor (bottom)

When you do core work—especially if you’re holding your breath or gripping through your abs—you're increasing pressure inside that system. If your pelvic floor isn’t able to respond well to that pressure (from being weak, overactive, disconnected, or just overwhelmed), the pressure finds a way out—often in the form of:

• Urine leaks

• Pelvic pressure or heaviness

• Pain or discomfort during movement

Common Core Mistakes That Make Leaking Worse

Holding your breath

This increases intra-abdominal pressure dramatically. Breath-holding during effort (especially lifting or crunching) is a top trigger for leaks.

Over-bracing your abs

If you “suck in” your stomach or grip through your belly while doing planks or ab work, your pelvic floor gets overloaded trying to counterbalance that pressure.

Jumping into advanced moves too fast

Box jumps, V-ups, and double-unders are great—but they often require more pelvic floor control than people realize. If you leak during those moves, it doesn’t mean stop forever. It means step back and rebuild smarter.

How to Strengthen Your Core Without Making Leaks Worse

Start with breath

Your diaphragm and pelvic floor are meant to move together. Try this:

• Inhale: let your ribs and belly expand gently

• Exhale: gently engage your pelvic floor (like lifting a blueberry) and lower abs

• This helps train coordination, not just raw strength

Focus on control over intensity

Trade crunches for moves like:

• Dead bugs

• Heel slides

• Modified side planks

• Elevated bird dogsThese encourage core engagement without excessive pressure.

Use the “blow before you go” technique

Before lifting, rolling up, or standing: exhale gently and engage your core first.This trains your system to manage pressure before movement.

Build from the inside out

If you’ve had kids, are dealing with diastasis recti, or notice heaviness in your pelvis, your core needs more than ab work. A pelvic floor therapist can assess how your whole system is functioning and help you rebuild strength without symptoms.

The Bottom Line

Leaking during core work isn’t something you have to live with—or ignore.

The answer isn’t to avoid exercise forever.The answer is to retrain your system to breathe, engage, and move in sync again.

You can absolutely get stronger. You can absolutely feel like yourself again.And we’re here to help you get there—one smart, supported step at a time.