Discover the magic of Reverse Kegels and how this lesser-known exercise can help you improve your pelvic floor health, enhance your intimate life, and prevent pelvic floor dysfunction! In this article, we will delve into the versatile world of Reverse Kegels, teaching you how to master the technique and incorporate it into your daily routine.
What is a Reverse Kegel?
A Reverse Kegel, also known as a Relaxation Kegel, is a pelvic floor exercise that focuses on relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, as opposed to the traditional Kegel exercise that focuses on tightening and contraction. This is incredibly important because a healthy and strong pelvic floor should be balanced-both able to contract efficiently and relax entirely. Incorporating Reverse Kegels into your pelvic floor exercise routine can help address issues such as pelvic floor muscle tension, sexual dysfunction, and incontinence.
Benefits of Reverse Kegels
- Reduced Pelvic Pain: By promoting relaxation in the pelvic floor muscles, Reverse Kegels can help alleviate muscle tension and pain associated with conditions such as pelvic floor dysfunction, vulvodynia, and dyspareunia (painful intercourse).
- Improved Sexual Performance: When your pelvic floor muscles are balanced, they allow for better sexual function, making orgasms more intense and increasing overall sexual satisfaction.
- Prevention of Incontinence: A balanced pelvic floor is essential to maintaining proper bladder and bowel control, and incorporating Reverse Kegels into your exercise routine can help prevent incontinence and other pelvic floor issues.
How to Perform a Reverse Kegel
Just like with any exercise, it's essential to learn the proper technique to maximize the effectiveness and minimize the risk of injury. Here's a step-by-step guide to performing a Reverse Kegel:
- Find a comfortable position: You can do Reverse Kegels while sitting, standing, or lying down-whatever is most comfortable for you. Just ensure that your spine is in a neutral position and your body is relaxed.
- Locate your pelvic floor muscles: Imagine stopping the flow of urine or holding in gas. The muscles you engage to do this are your pelvic floor muscles.
- Breathe deeply: Take a deep breath in through your nose, allowing your diaphragm and abdominal muscles to expand.
- Relax your pelvic floor muscles: As you exhale, imagine your pelvic floor muscles are softening and releasing-think of it as the opposite of a regular Kegel. Do not force or push the muscles; the focus should be on the relaxation and release of tension.
- Hold and Repeat: Hold this position for the duration of your exhale, and then release. Repeat the exercise for about 10 repetitions, 3-4 times per day for maximum results.
How To Do A Reverse Kegel Example:
Sarah, a 35-year-old woman who has been struggling with occasional incontinence and painful intercourse, decided to give Reverse Kegels a try. She began incorporating them into her daily routine by following these steps:
1. She found a comfortable seated position on her yoga mat.
2. Sarah located her pelvic floor muscles by imagining she was stopping the flow of urine.
3. Taking a deep breath in through her nose, Sarah allowed her belly to expand, relaxing her abdominal muscles.
4. As she exhaled, she focused on relaxing and releasing tension in her pelvic floor muscles.
5. Sarah held this position for approximately 5 seconds, then released. She repeated this exercise 10 times for a total of three sets throughout her day.
After a few weeks of consistently doing Reverse Kegels, Sarah noticed a significant decrease in her pelvic pain and an improvement in her overall sexual function.
Congratulations, you're now ready to add Reverse Kegels to your pelvic floor exercise toolkit! Remember that consistency is key, so be sure to practice regularly to maximize the benefits of this powerful exercise. Don't forget to share this guide with your friends and explore other Pelvic Floor Therapy resources to stay informed and maintain your pelvic floor health!
