5 Reasons You're Peeing during Your Workouts

It’s a super common occurrence, one minute you’re enjoying your workout and the next you’re running to the bathroom and hoping everyone thinks it’s sweat not pee.

If this has happened to you, know that you aren’t alone! In fact, stress urinary incontinence- where you pee when you cough, sneeze, run, jump, etc.- affects an estimated 15 MILLION adult women in the U.S. alone! And let me be real honest with you, in many countries getting quality help for pelvic health issues is severely lacking.

I talk to people every day who don’t have access to pelvic health resources around them, have been dismissed by their providers, or have seen so many people who haven’t been able to help or haven’t given them quality support.

I could go on and on, but I’ll circle back to the subject. Peeing during workouts is one of those things that gets brushed off as “just a part of being a (woman, birthing person, mom, etc.)” and it’s either something we should deal with or maybe we just shouldn’t do those exercises anymore or it’s something that’s joked about in and outside of the gym.

Incontinence can also be a reason someone isn’t working out, or working out as they would like to be. Maybe all you want to do is run or attend that bootcamp class but every time you attempt it, your pants end up soaked and you embarrassingly leave early or slog back home. Maybe you just think it’s completely off the table so why even try?

Well, my friend, I’m here to give you 5 potential reasons you may be leaking during your workouts and 5 possible solutions so that you can focus more on enjoying your workouts and less about the nearest bathroom or change of clothes.

1. Potential Problem: Your Alignment Isn’t Supporting Your Pelvic Floor

   The first thing to look at is your alignment during that particular activity. What does it look like when you leak urine? Sometimes you may move into forms or positions that aren’t supporting your pelvic floor well during certain activities, loads, or after a certain amount of sets/reps.

   Solution:

   First note your alignment or posture tendencies at the beginning of the exercise or workout. If you leak during rep 1, then it could be your “normal” position that needs tweaking. If you’re leaking several reps or sets in, it may be fatigue related- taking a break top reset alignment and give your pelvic floor a rest could be super helpful! A Game Changer for my clients and their pelvic floors: a slight lean forward from the hips in exercises that cause pressure/leaking. Like the photo shown.

2. Potential Problem: You Are Using Too Much/Too Little Body Tension

   I’m just going to rip off the band-aid here… “brace your belly” cues are HIGHLY overused in fitness. And I often see that hard belly brace playing a big role in leaking during an exercise. See, your core is a pressure system and when that pressure has no where else to go (out in the belly or out of your mouth)- it will often go down, contributing to pressure and leaking. To learn more about the pressure system and why this happens, click here to watch this short YouTube video- and maybe subscribe while you’re at it!

   Solution:

   Elsa. That. Shit. Let it goooooooo. Okay, not all the time. You want to use enough tension to get the job done, but not too much to overload the pressure system. I know, it sounds like a weird version of Goldilocks, but I digress.

   This is where your breathing comes into play. Learning to manage pressure through breathing at different loads and intensities can not only help you learn more about where you naturally hold tension, but can also help you engage the core/pelvic floor pressure system more effectively.

3. Potential Problem: Your Pelvic Floor Isn’t Coordinating Effectively

   Adding on to what I mentioned above- sometimes the core pressure system can get a little out of what. AHEM after pregnancy and birth *cough cough*

   These changes can throw off pelvic floor coordination. Meaning, when you go to cough, sneeze, jump, take off running, your pelvic floor may not pre-cue as well as it used to. And by pre-cure I mean your brain doesn’t quite communicate the need to get ready to support the bladder because we are getting moving, my friend! This delay in coordination could play a role in why you’re leaking.

   Solution:

   Back to breathing! Going back to the basics and re-learning (or learning for the first time) how your pelvic floor coordinates with your breath is hugely valuable when you’re experiencing leaking, pain, or prolapse and getting back into exercise or when you’re working on resolving symptoms in the gym/during exercises. And the great thing about it is that you won’t have to think about it forever, just for now.

4. Potential Problem: You Are Working Beyond Your Current Capacity

   This one is fairly simple, but for my very athletic or competitive readers it may sting a little. It could be that you’re working beyond the current capacity of your pelvic floor and that this load or intensity just isn’t the best place for you right now. And while that may sting, it could be a fairly simple fix as well!

   Solution:

   Dial back and focus more on the basics. Progressive overload is key here. This is basically trainer speak for you need to build up to what you’re currently unable to do a little bit more methodically. Baby steps. Adding specific strength work that focuses on pelvic floor coordination would be a great place to start.

5. Potential Problem: Your Pelvic Floor is Too Weak/Tight

   But Madison, isn’t leaking due to having a weak pelvic floor? So why this is at the bottom of the list? Ahhhh, while this is the first place to start- I often speak to and work with people in two main camps:

   1. The people who have done the physical therapy, they’ve gotten the go ahead for this activity- and yet they’re still leaking.

   2. Then there are the others who are religiously doing kegels, yet still leaking.

   In both situations, it takes a more nuanced approach.

   Solution:

   If you identify with camp 1: In very many cases there is a bridge between physical therapy and returning to desired methods and levels of fitness symptom-free. This is my specialty. I help you build the bridge- meaning I help you identify what may be going on and work towards the solution.

   If you identify with camp 2: I highly encourage you to go see a pelvic floor physical therapist for an assessment because your pelvic floor may actually be too tight! And if you have seen one and find yourself in camp 1, well that’s why I’m here.

Leaking may be common, but it DOES NOT have to be your normal. You don’t have to skip the colorful leggings on HIIT days, wear a panty liner during your runs, avoiding trampolines forever, or swear off lifting heavy and doing what you love because of leaking… if you don’t want to.

Seeking more guidance and resources on this and other pelvic floor, pregnancy, postpartum, and fitness topics? Follow me on Instagram or on TikTok.

Tired of peeing on yourself and want 1:1 support to help you live the active life you love without always changing your pants? Apply to work with me 1:1 and book a call to chat with me here.