New Year, New You: Pelvic Floor Wellness Day

Winter Balance is more than a retreat. It is a day to step away from the busyness of everyday life and reconnect with yourself, your body, and the natural world.

The Day

Morning • Awaken

• Begin with a guided winter trail walk through the beautiful Wicklow landscape, connecting with your body, your breath and the natural environment.
• We’ll return to Anam Kara for herbal tea and refreshments before moving into the day's pelvic floor workshop.

Midday • Nourish

Explore Pelvic Floor Health through a practical and accessible workshop, looking at the relationship between the pelvic floor, breathing, posture, abdominal muscles, hips, movement and whole-body connection.

There is a common perception that pelvic floor problems are simply about having a pelvic floor that is “too weak”. In reality, the pelvic floor is a complex group of muscles that needs to be able to contract, relax and move through its full range of motion.

For many women, particularly those who are active or regularly exercising, the issue may not be a lack of strength but excessive tension or an inability to fully relax.

It is also possible to have different levels of tension or strength within different areas.

You may experience:

• Low muscle tone
• Excessive tension or tightness
• A combination of tightness and low tone in different areas

A healthy muscle needs both strength and the ability to relax. A muscle that is constantly contracted cannot function optimally, just as a muscle that lacks tone may struggle to provide adequate support.

The goal is not simply to “strengthen” the pelvic floor — it is to develop awareness, control, strength, relaxation and full range of movement.

What We’ll Explore

This workshop is about moving beyond the idea that “stronger is always better.”

We will explore how the pelvic floor works as part of the whole body and how breathing, posture, abdominal muscles, hips, movement and nervous system regulation can all influence pelvic floor function.

You will learn practical ways to:

• Develop greater awareness of your pelvic floor
• Understand the difference between tension and weakness
• Explore both activation and relaxation
• Coordinate pelvic floor movement with breathing
• Improve whole-body connection and movement
• Recognise when you may be holding unnecessary tension
• Develop simple tools that you can take into everyday life

We’ll then take time to enjoy a delicious seasonal lunch inspired by local produce.

Afternoon • Restore

• Slow the pace with guided breathwork, self-massage and restorative movement.
• There will be time to relax, release tension and absorb what you have explored throughout the day, allowing the body and nervous system to settle.

Closing • Reset

• Bring the day gently to a close with space to reflect, restore and reconnect, leaving you feeling grounded, refreshed and supported.

Optional Extra • Sauna & Cold Plunge

• For those who wish to extend their experience, an optional sauna and cold plunge provides an invigorating way to finish the day and reset.

You'll Take Home

• A renewed understanding of the balance between movement, strength and rest
• Greater awareness of pelvic floor tension, relaxation and control
• A better understanding of how the pelvic floor connects with breathing, posture and whole-body movement
• Simple tools to help you release tension and reconnect with your body
• Practical ways to support pelvic health and wellbeing
• Time and space to slow down, reset and recharge
• Inspiration to bring more mindful movement and relaxation into everyday life

You don't need to have a pelvic floor problem to benefit. This is an opportunity for women to understand how their pelvic floor works, how it connects with the rest of the body, and how to develop better awareness, control and ease of movement.