#329 Strength Training & Pelvic Floor: Why Breath Matters More Than Bracing
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
Release Date: 02/17/2026
#329 Strength Training & Pelvic Floor: Why Breath Matters More Than Bracing
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
If you or your clients leak, feel pelvic pressure, or struggle with back pain during strength training — this conversation is for you. In this Core Connections podcast interview, Erica Ziel sits down with Pilates instructor and powerlifter Lauren Carder to break down why so many movement professionals are unknowingly teaching breath and bracing strategies that drive pressure into the pelvic floor instead of supporting it. This episode dives into: 04:13 Why Pilates Feels “Too Easy” at First — and Why It’s Not 05:11 The Missing Mind-Body Connection in Modern Strength Training 06:22 A...
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#328: Peptides Explained: Healing, Weight Loss & Hormone Support with Dr. Kela Smith
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
Peptides are everywhere — but are they actually safe, effective, and necessary? In this episode of Core Connections, I’m joined by Dr. Kela Smith, functional medicine practitioner and founder of the Hormone Puzzle Society, to break down the truth about peptides. 00:00 Introduction to Holistic Health and Peptides 04:09 Understanding Peptides: The Basics 06:56 The Benefits of BPC 157 and Other Peptides 10:05 Injectable vs. Oral Peptides: What You Need to Know 12:43 Cycling Peptides: How and Why 15:46 Peptides for Postpartum Recovery 18:38 Peptides and Weight Loss: A Cautious Approach 21:36...
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#327: Burnout: How Cortisol, Minerals, and Digestion Affect Weight & Energy with Monika Eva
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
If you’re eating well, exercising consistently, and still struggling with fatigue, stubborn weight, and burnout — this episode is for you. In this episode of Core Connections, Erica Ziel sits down with Monika Eva, Hormone Nutritionist, to unpack the hidden reasons women feel stuck despite doing everything “right.” We dive into cortisol dysregulation (especially low cortisol), mineral depletion, gut health, digestion, and why traditional testing often misses what’s really going on in the body. This conversation is empowering, educational, and deeply validating for women who have been...
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#326 Pelvic Floor Health: 5 Myths That Could Be Holding You Back
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
04:30 - Understand what your pelvic floor actually is 08:42 Myth Busting: Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Issues 10:28 The Kegel Controversy 15:02 The Importance of Breath in Pelvic Health 21:58 Hip Tightness and Its Connection to the Pelvic Floor 25:25 Learning a New Language: Pelvic Floor Awareness ✨ In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why incontinence is common but not normal • What the pelvic floor actually is (and how big it really is) • Why Kegels often don’t work—and can make things worse • How breath and the pelvic floor work together • The connection between hips, back...
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#325: Hidden Connection Between Your Spine & Nervous System Regulation with Dr. Veronica Schiltz
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
Learn how nervous system regulation impacts energy, pain, posture, stress, pregnancy, and healing. Erica Ziel interviews Dr. Veronica Schiltz on gentle, nervous system–focused chiropractic care and long-term wellness. 00:00 – Welcome & why nervous system regulation matters more than ever 03:30 – What nervous system–focused chiropractic care really means 07:45 – How chronic stress, pregnancy, and life experiences shape the nervous system 12:40 – Why gentle care is often more effective than force 17:20 – Understanding nervous system scans & what they reveal 22:30 –...
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#324: Cracking the Code to Infertility: A Functional Medicine Approach with Dr. Stephanie Gray
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
Infertility is on the rise, and it's becoming a crisis that affects more couples than ever before. In this eye-opening episode of the Core Connections podcast, I sat down with Dr. Stephanie Gray to discuss her 10-year infertility journey and the hidden factors that conventional medicine often misses. Dr. Gray, who runs a hormone replacement therapy clinic, shares her deeply personal story and professional insights in her new book, Your Fertility Blueprint. Grab a copy of her NEW book Your Fertility Blueprint: Check out Dr. Stephanie Gray's Podcast Your Longevity Blueprint: Erica's Prenatal...
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#323 Top Tips for Healthy Living in 2026
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
Modern life asks a lot of women—our energy, our attention, our nervous systems. In this episode of my Core Connections Podcast, I share a high-level but deeply practical approach to building a healthier lifestyle by starting where it matters most: nervous system regulation. From movement and breath to sleep, nutrition, and detoxification, this conversation invites you to rethink health through a more nourishing, sustainable lens. visit for Core Rehab or Core Studio, plus Instructor Training Courses visit for my Knocked-Up Fitness Prenatal Program
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What 92% of Diets Miss About Lasting Weight Loss With Holly Bertone
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
I’m THRILLED to have today’s guest back on the podcast! I sat down with Holly Bertone—certified health coach, speaker, and author—to dive into the truth about lasting weight loss. This isn’t just an episode about shedding pounds; it’s about breaking free from diet culture, understanding the root causes of emotional eating, and creating sustainable habits with science, self-awareness, and empowerment. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the endless cycle of dieting, frustrated with a lack of results, or unsure how to create lasting change, this episode will inspire...
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How to Navigate Postpartum Challenges and Anxiety with Julia Kim
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
The journey through pregnancy and postpartum recovery is deeply personal for me…My career is dedicated to helping prenatal and postpartum women heal their bodies and feel empowered. I KNEW the pain and dysfunction many believed were inevitable during this time didn’t have to happen—and that’s what drives me to educate and support women on this transformative journey! I had the pleasure of sitting down with , a licensed marriage and family therapist. This conversation is a must-listen for new moms, moms-to-be, or anyone supporting someone through this period of change...
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How to Bring Homeopathy into Your Home with Paola Brown
Core Connections with Erica Ziel
She’s worked on creating life-changing educational tools (think: homeopathy curriculum for moms). , a passionate advocate for natural health and generational wellness, has found success with homeopathy because of one singular philosophy: true health starts in the home. Homeopathy uses highly diluted natural substances to trigger the body’s innate ability to heal itself. It focuses on treating the root cause of illness rather than suppressing symptoms. But here’s the catch: it’s not as mainstream as modern medicine, and many people don’t know where to start. This...
info_outlineIf you or your clients leak, feel pelvic pressure, or struggle with back pain during strength training — this conversation is for you.
In this Core Connections podcast interview, Erica Ziel sits down with Pilates instructor and powerlifter Lauren Carder to break down why so many movement professionals are unknowingly teaching breath and bracing strategies that drive pressure into the pelvic floor instead of supporting it.
This episode dives into:
04:13 Why Pilates Feels “Too Easy” at First — and Why It’s Not
05:11 The Missing Mind-Body Connection in Modern Strength Training
06:22 A Gym Story That Reveals What’s Broken in Fitness Culture
07:53 Why Leaking During Workouts Is Common — But Not Normal
09:37 Heavy Lifting, Pelvic Floor Pressure & Misleading Research
10:03 How Powerlifting Breath Techniques Push Pressure Down
10:49 Deep Core Activation vs. Bracing Hard
11:19 Why Weight Belts Often Mask Core Dysfunction
11:47 How Breath-Led Core Training Changed Lauren’s Lifting
12:40 Back Pain, Joint Overuse & Core Disconnection
13:32 Why Maxing Out Isn’t Smart for Most Bodies
14:36 Lifting “Based on Vibes”: Listening to the Body
15:44 Pilates as Functional Strength & Mobility Training
16:57 Shoulder Mobility, Fascial Connections & Performance
18:19 Breath, Nervous System & Pelvic Floor Function
19:49 Why Learning a New Breath Pattern Feels Backwards
21:27 From Bracing to Support: Re-training the Core
22:16 Why Deep Core Muscles Take Time to Connect
23:28 Strength, Longevity & Aging Well
25:27 Why Mobility Matters Long Before Pain Starts
27:51 Will Pilates Make You Weaker or Slower?
28:59 Fascia, Lengthened Strength & Intentional Movement
31:57 Soreness Culture & Why Feeling “Destroyed” Isn’t the Goal
32:50 Instructor Training: Seeing Bodies as Individuals
33:52 Overview of Core Athletica® Instructor Pathways
36:30 Why Every Coach Working With Women Needs Pelvic Floor Education
37:41 Final Thoughts for Lifters & Movement Professionals
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