Regular exercise of the kegel muscles can have a positive effect on urinary function, bowel peristalsis, and satisfaction with intercourse. It is worth learning about ways to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Training is recommended primarily for women during pregnancy and after childbirth, but it can be used by anyone, including men and older people. Kegel muscle training helps prevent dysfunction and promotes breath control skills. In addition, it improves erotic experience and overall sexual performance. Here is the most important information about kegel muscles and how to exercise them
Kegel muscle training is recommended primarily for women preparing for pregnancy, women before or after childbirth. The training is excellent for supporting the structures of the birth canal, so that the pregnancy can go more smoothly and safely, both for the mother and the baby. Exercises to make the pelvic floor muscles more flexible and stronger can be carried out as early as the second trimester
Exercising the Kegel muscles after giving birth will help stretched tissues regenerate faster. Training during the postpartum period helps many women regain confidence in intimate relationships. However, Kegel exercises are also recommended for the elderly and those with urinary retention problems. Regular training can significantly help reduce this condition. In both men and women, Kegel exercises increase the pleasure of sexual intercourse, help to better control movements, and intensify the sensation of orgasm
Kegel exercises actually affect a whole group of interconnected muscles, so for best results it’s a good idea to do them precisely. The easiest way to feel and locate the Kegel muscles is to stop the stream of urine. In women, they cover the area of the pubic bone, the hyoid bone, and extend all the way to the rectum. In men, the Kegel muscles pad the pelvis, extending from the tailbone to the pubic bone, wrapping around the base of the penis
Kegel training involves alternately squeezing and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, while keeping the thighs and buttocks muscles relaxed. Breath control is very important during exercise. The muscles should be tightened when you exhale and loosened when you inhale – the opposite of what most people do intuitively. Training will only produce noticeable results with regular and systematic repetition. Sometimes just a few minutes of exercise a day, repeated every day for a few weeks, is enough to see a definite improvement
Vary the positions of the exercises – you can do them lying on your back, sitting, kneeling, standing, or even moving. After each series of exercises consisting of 10-15 repetitions, it is a good idea to do an endurance squeeze for a rest, i.e. to squeeze your Kegel muscles with moderate force and to hold this position for about 1 minute. Training can be done even several times a day
Optimally, specialists recommend exercising in 4 series of 10 repetitions 3-4 times a day for 4 weeks to see results. During the training, it is imperative to remember about breathing, which plays a key role in the activity. Additionally, it is advisable to avoid tensing the surrounding muscles of the thighs, buttocks and abdomen, as this reduces the effectiveness of the workout. You should also exercise while urinating in the toilet and consciously pause for a moment. You can do the training yourself at home or at the office of a urological physiotherapist. To strengthen the results, you can, after consultation with your doctor, get professional equipment (such as geisha balls) that will intensify the exercises.
Main photo: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
