Breathing is under-rated. People who lift weights understand that it is important to breath when actually lifting the weight, since holding your breath can increase blood pressure or potentially cause a hernia. It is important to breath with exertion to control the increase in abdominal pressure that happens.
Women who work with a pelvic health physiotherapist after they have given birth learn to master core breathing, which is the same exhalation with exertion, but adding a pelvic floor muscle contraction with every exhale.
“Core Breathing” is using your breath when you properly contract your pelvic floor muscles with movement. You want to inhale, expand your belly and relax your pelvic floor, then when you exhale, lift and engage your pelvic floor muscles.
Try these two exercises:
