Lift Heavy Without Fear! Strength Training and the Pelvic Floor with Christina Walsh

Strength training is one of the most important things women can do for their health—but for many, lifting heavy comes with fear: Will this cause leaks? Is my pelvic floor strong enough? What about squats, deadlifts, or weighted vests?

In this episode of Wellness After 40, I’m joined by Christina Walsh—physical therapist, published researcher, and cofounder of Tighten Your Tinkler—to break down what’s actually happening in your body when you train under load.

Christina shares a functional, biomechanics-based approach to pelvic health that moves beyond kegels and devices—helping women lift, carry, and get stronger with confidence.

In this conversation, we cover:

• What the pelvic floor is doing during strength training at a muscular and pressure level
• How squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and carries challenge pelvic support
• What current research says about heavy lifting as a risk—or a protective factor
• Common mistakes with breathing, bracing, posture, and grip that increase symptoms
• How to safely progress load if you experience leaks, prolapse, or pelvic heaviness
• Weighted walking and wearing a weighted vest—what changes biomechanically
• Who benefits from adding load while walking and who should be cautious
• How to tell if a weighted vest is building true stability or layering compensation
• What “training the pelvic floor functionally” looks like in real life
• The very first step women should take to lift heavy without fear

🎯 Want to learn more?
Take the quiz and explore Christina’s work at https://www.tightenyourtinkler.com/

💥 Use code WELLNESSAFTER40 for $50 off the Tighten Your Tinkler Signature Program.

📲 Follow Christina on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/tighten.your.tinkler/