Are you looking to improve your pelvic floor health, enhance your intimate moments, or reduce your chances of facing urinary incontinence? Good kegel exercises are the perfect solution for you! In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the benefits, techniques, and variations of Kegels to help you achieve your pelvic floor goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Understanding kegel exercises
Pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that support your pelvic organs, such as the bladder, bowel, and uterus (in women). kegel exercises are designed to strengthen these muscles, leading to numerous health benefits, including better bladder control, stronger orgasms, and improved childbirth recovery.
Benefits of kegel exercises
- Improved bladder control: Weak pelvic floor muscles can lead to urinary incontinence or the inability to control your bladder. Kegels can help strengthen these muscles and decrease your chances of accidental leaks.
- Enhanced sexual performance: Stronger pelvic floor muscles can lead to more intense orgasms in both men and women due to increased blood flow and better muscle control.
- Better childbirth recovery: Women who practice Kegels during pregnancy may experience an easier labor and faster recovery postpartum due to the increased strength of the muscles involved in childbirth.
- Reduced chances of pelvic organ prolapse: Strengthening the muscles that support your pelvic organs can help prevent these organs from slipping out of place and causing discomfort or pain.
How to Perform kegel exercises
Step 1: Identify and Isolate Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
The first step in doing kegel exercises is to locate your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are the ones you use to stop the flow of urine or prevent passing gas. To identify your pelvic floor muscles, try stopping the flow of urine midstream; the muscles you contract to do so are your pelvic floor muscles. Make sure not to use your abdominal, buttock, or inner thigh muscles when practicing Kegels.
Step 2: The Basic Kegel Technique
Once you've located your pelvic floor muscles, you're ready to perform basic kegel exercises. Follow these simple steps:
- Lie down on a flat surface, bending your knees and keeping your feet flat on the ground.
- Contract your pelvic floor muscles for three to five seconds, ensuring that you're isolating the correct muscles while relaxing your abdomen, buttocks, and thighs.
- Slowly release the contraction for the same amount of time that you held it.
- Repeat this process 10-15 times per session, working up to three sessions per day.
Variations and Progression
As you become more experienced with kegel exercises, you can add variations to increase their difficulty and efficacy.
While Seated or Standing
Once you're comfortable performing Kegels while lying down, you can transition to doing them while seated or standing, making it easier to incorporate them into your daily routine.
Progressive Noises
One way to progress is by increasing the duration of contractions and holding for 10 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of relaxation. You can also increase the intensity of contractions by imagining that you're lifting your pelvic floor muscles in a step-by-step manner, as if climbing up and down a ladder.
Using Kegel Exercise Tools
There are various Kegel exercise tools available in the market, such as vaginal weights and biofeedback devices, that can help enhance your Kegel routine and ensure you're performing the exercises correctly.
Good kegel exercises Example:
Jane, a 35-year-old mother of two, was struggling with urinary incontinence after giving birth to her second child. She decided to incorporate kegel exercises into her daily routine and noticed significant improvements within a few weeks. By practicing Kegels three times a day, Jane has effectively regained control of her bladder and improved her overall pelvic health.
Congratulations, you're now well-versed in the world of kegel exercises! With dedication and practice, you can reap the numerous benefits of strong pelvic floor muscles and improve your overall wellbeing. Don't forget to share this enlightening guide with your friends and loved ones, and explore the other helpful resources available at Pelvic Floor Therapy for even more ways to optimize your pelvic health journey.
