Leg Day, The Pelvic Floor, and the Brain Chat That Isn’t Actually Yours.

Feb 18
4 min read

Updated: Apr 26

Every time I train legs properly—and by properly, I mean the kind of session that makes stairs a philosophical problem—I notice a pattern. I get flooded with excessive negative chatter in my mind.

Yup, leg day rolls around, and a few hours later, my brain starts chatting. Not useful chat. Not “Good session, well done.” More like: a football pitch full of bullies shouting at me—background criticism, old emotional noise, and a sudden urge to review my entire life as if it’s gone terribly wrong.

For a while, I thought, brilliant—squats now come with an existential crisis.

Turns out, it’s not psychological trauma; it’s wiring.

Here’s the Context

A couple of years ago, I had prostate cancer surgery. When the anaesthetic wore off, I felt everything the amazing NHS staff had done inside my pelvic floor. Not slight discomfort. Not “manageable.” Proper 100 elephants passing through that region—system-flooding pain. Agony in the real world.

I’ve also experienced sexual trauma in that same region earlier in life. And before anyone gets nervous—this isn’t a disclosure piece. I’ve done my process: EMDR, decades of structured recovery, the lot. This isn’t me processing; this is me explaining some mechanics that most people don’t like to talk about. Because that region is not neutral territory for anyone.

If you’ve had surgery, medical procedures, or trauma there, stay with me.

What Leg Day Is Actually Doing

You think you’re training quads, but you are not. You’re loading:

Adductors
Deep hip flexors
Psoas—the emotional muscles
Pelvic floor
Fascia that’s wired straight into your threat-detection system—what I would call “the get the fuck out of there system.”

So, you’re in the gym, and when you go heavy and proper, that whole pelvic floor lights up. Blood flow. Pressure. Neural input.

Your nervous system goes, “Right. We’re back here again. Everyone awake.”

Your nervous system doesn’t care that you’re in a nice gym with good lighting and a protein shake waiting. It recognises intensity in a region with history. That’s enough.

The Thoughts Are Not the Problem

This is the bit that changed everything for me. Disengage from the narratives.

The thoughts that show up after those sessions? They’re not deep truths. They’re commentary trying to explain a body state.

Your chemistry shifts after brutal training: cortisol moves, adrenaline hangs around, and you’re in full gorilla mode. Inflammation goes up. Blood sugar drops if you’re under-fuelled.

So, the brain goes, “Wtf! Why do we feel like this?”

Instead of saying, “Because we just did walking lunges that violated several human rights,” it pulls an old file—Trauma.

That file might contain:

Shame
Failure
Threat

Whatever your system learned years ago.

So now it sounds like your life is the issue. It isn’t. It’s your pelvic floor saying, “This area has seen some things.”

And listen carefully, this isn’t:

“Training is bad for trauma survivors.”

I train hard. Even in my 50s, I’m not swapping squats for scented candles, no mate.

This is about understanding what’s happening so you don’t start negotiating with intrusive thoughts like I did when I didn’t have a clue what was going on.

Nothing is wrong with you. Your system is doing pattern recognition—very efficiently, like ChatGPT.

What I Do Now

Now, when the post-leg day brain chat starts, I don’t analyse my childhood or question my direction in life.

I run my protocol:

Eat like an adult.
Slow nasal breathing.
Long exhales.
Deliberately relax the pelvic floor—micro movements. Most men live there like they’re permanently bracing for impact.
Warm shower. Ibuprofen.
No heroic cold plunge to prove I’m emotionally invincible.

And this is the key bit: I don’t believe the narratives. Because it’s not a narrative. It’s a body state looking for a story.

Why I’m Saying This Publicly

Because a lot of strong, capable men are walking around thinking they’re mentally unstable when, in reality, they’ve just:

Had pelvic surgery
Experienced trauma
Or lived years in a braced, hypervigilant body.

No one explains the link, so they go silent. Or they stop training. Or they push harder and get more confused.

You don’t need fixing. You need context.

Finding Balance in Bodywork

In the hustle and bustle of life, stress can accumulate. It’s essential to find ways to release that tension. Holistic bodywork can be a game changer. Techniques like massage therapy can help you reconnect with your body, easing both physical and emotional burdens.

When you engage in bodywork, it’s not just about relaxation; it’s about realigning your nervous system. This can lead to a profound sense of well-being, allowing you to navigate life’s challenges with greater ease.

The Importance of Self-Care

Self-care is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Taking time to care for your body and mind can significantly impact your overall health. Whether it’s through exercise, meditation, or simply taking a moment to breathe, prioritising self-care can help you manage stress effectively.

Incorporating practices that promote relaxation and mindfulness can create a buffer against the daily grind. This is where holistic therapies shine, offering a pathway to deeper healing.

Relevant Support

For anyone dealing with the areas mentioned above, these organisations offer confidential help:

Stay tuned—All the Best.

Sergio Alexander Norton