Kegel muscles in women and men. How to exercise your Kegel muscles?

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The Kegel muscles are the pelvic floor muscles. Fit and trained, they facilitate childbirth and ensure successful sex. In order to have just such, it is worth starting to train these muscles systematically. How? Here are some hints.

Kegel muscles – history

In 1948, Dr. Arnold Kegel, an American gynecologist, published an article describing a non-surgical method of toning the pelvic floor to help women control urinary incontinence after childbirth. He explained that by exercising the pubococcus on the pelvic floor, women can reduce the likelihood of developing bladder problems after pregnancy and childbirth.

Currently, pelvic floor muscle exercise is considered the first line of treatment for stress urinary incontinence, as recommended by the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence (NICE). AND although people usually associate kegel muscles with women, men can benefit from these exercises as well.

Kegel muscles in women

The Kegel muscles are located between the pubic bone and the coccyx and extend all the way to the rectum. This can be felt very easily by trying to hold the urine flow for a few seconds. Another way to locate the Kegel muscles is to insert your finger into the vagina. Then you should feel a slight pressure caused by the movement of these muscles.

Kegel muscles, i.e. the muscles of the pelvic floor, are responsible for clamping the opening of the urethra, and they also tighten spontaneously when experiencing orgasm, which is associated with the feeling of gentle pulsation by ladies. Men can also feel this throbbing if the penis is still in the vagina. Kegel movement increases pleasure and facilitates simultaneous orgasm of both partners.

The Medonet Market offer includes SKYN Excite Orgasmic orgasm intensifying gel, which you can order now.

we recommend: Does Kegel Exercise Help With Urinary Incontinence?

Kegel muscles in men

Kegel muscles in men are also present. They line the pelvis and then extend from the coccyx to the pubis and wrap around the base of the penis. Kegel muscles in men are made of cross-striated tissue, so these muscles can be freely contracted and relaxed.

Most men are rarely knowledgeable about the Kegel muscles. Only a few know that – just like women – they should strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. This is important because the efficient Kegel muscles in men give a lot of positives. First of all, it is necessary to mention:

1. a strengthened and elongated erection,
2. intensified orgasms,
3. controlled ejaculation,
4. no trouble urinating.

Find out more: Kegel muscles in men and the problem of urinary incontinence. How to exercise your Kegel muscles?

How to locate Kegel muscles?

Kegel muscles can be easily located by interrupting the flow of urine while urinating. The muscles we use then are the Kegel muscles. When fastening them, the anal sphincters, the urethra and the entrance to the vagina also tighten. However, remember not to exercise these muscles while urinating, as this may lead to inflammation of the urinary tract.

You can also perform a test to find out if our Kegel muscles require training. To do this, try to sit on your hands and force a cough or sneeze. If we feel a fairly weak reaction from the Kegel muscles, it is a sign that we should provide them with training.

How to exercise your Kegel muscles?

First of all, systematically and correctly. What does it mean? Well, in order to properly perform Kegel exercises, you need to contract the pelvic floor muscles themselves – not the buttocks and abdominal muscles. Besides, you have to pay attention to your breathing – you cannot hold it, you have to breathe normally. In addition, exercise while urinating must be avoided as obstructed urination may contribute to infection.

It is worth noting that at the beginning, Kegel exercises can be difficult, but if you get into practice, then you can do them in different body positions – sitting or standing, also in any situation – e.g. watching TV. In addition, Kegel exercises have another plus – their performance is invisible to the environment, so you can exercise anywhere.

You also need to know that the effects of exercise will only be noticeable after a few weeks of regular exercise. But they will certainly appear, so it is not worth resigning from being systematic.

Kegel exercises

In the 40s, Dr. A. Kegel created exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Below are some sample workouts.

1. While standing or lying down, contract your Kegel muscles and count to five. After this time, your muscles should be relaxed. A little rest. After that, you should repeat the series of five contractions and relaxing exercises daily – preferably three times a day. In the following weeks, you can increase the number of contractions and repeat them even more times (5 times a day).

2. Another variant is to tighten the Kegel muscles more and more tighter, so that at some point they are fully tense. Once this is achieved, the muscles must then gradually be relaxed as they were gradually tensed.

3. To exercise the Kegel muscles, you can also use geisha balls or anal balls. Such gadgets consist of two balls that are attached to each other. Inside there are smaller balls that make a rattling noise when shaken. Anal / geisha balls placed in the anus cause the pelvic floor muscles to vibrate, which in turn causes involuntary contraction of the muscles. This solution is a good method to improve sexual performance and intensify sensations.

Do you want to start your adventure with geisha balls? You can already order the selected model or a set of vaginal balls:

1. Teneo Uno geisha balls – an improved version;
2. Teneo Duo geisha balls – an improved version;
3. kulki gejszy Pretty Love Kegel Tighten Up III;
4. Luna – replaceable Lelo geisha balls (set of 4 balls);
5. progressive Ami Je Joue geisha balls of various sizes and shapes.

When applying the balls and intimate close-ups, it is also worth reaching for the caring lubricant Aqua Panthenol Pjur, which soothes irritations and cares for the skin. The regenerating lubricant Med Repair Pjur will also work for vaginal dryness.

See also: Treatment of urinary incontinence – exercises, drug therapy

Kegel muscles and pregnancy

Interestingly Kegel muscles can be trained during pregnancy and it is even recommended, because this is how a woman can ensure that all the proper functions of the body are maintained:

1. They take care of the correct posture

Kegel training has a very good effect on the spine, which is loaded more and more by the growing belly. Additionally, the Kegel muscles prevent the pelvis from falling out and keep it in the correct position. In addition, regular exercise of these muscles will relieve labor pain (assuming it’s natural).

1. They help restore the correct vaginal width

Kegel training during the puerperium helps restore the normal vaginal width. It is very common for women to feel “looser” in their intimate place and this may have a negative impact on intimate life. However, this can be remedied precisely by training the Kegel muscles, which will quickly restore the former shape of the vagina. However, when training the Kegel muscles, it is also worth working on breathing, which will improve the general well-being of the pregnant woman and facilitate childbirth.

1. They help to regain shape and sexual performance after childbirth 

Kegel muscle training can be started as early as 24 hours after childbirth, if only ours allows it and we do not feel any serious pain associated with difficult childbirth.

However, it should be noted that training the Kegel muscles should start even before pregnancy, because thanks to strong muscles, there will be no problem with keeping the pelvis constantly enlarging. In addition, it is also a good prophylaxis, protecting the mother in the event of a multiple pregnancy.

Kegel exercises and catheter

A catheter is a thin rubber tube placed in the body to drain urine from the bladder through the opening of the urethra. Don’t do any Kegel exercises if you have a catheter.

Start doing Kegel exercises as soon as the catheter is removed from the penis. After the catheter is removed, you may experience urine leakage (urinary incontinence) when you stand up, cough, sneeze, laugh, or pick something up. You will probably need to use incontinence cartridges for a while. However, doing Kegel exercises can help you control urine flow more quickly.

The harm of Kegel exercises?

Kegel muscles can be exercised a dozen or so times a day. Exercising Kegel muscles is a good way to relax, and the first effects of training are visible from 4 to 6 weeks after starting daily exercise. After this time, you may also notice an improvement in urine continence.

Exercising the Kegel muscles has no negative effects, as long as we perform the exercises correctly and stick to a few simple rules:

1. Don’t exercise your Kegel muscles too often

Many people do kegel exercises all the time. They want to tighten the pelvic floor muscles so much that they forget one important thing: no exercise should be done continuously. If we constantly flex our biceps throughout the day, we should expect them to be tired and we will feel pain, and the same goes for the pelvic floor muscles. If we constantly exercise the kegel muscles, there is a risk of hypertonic (too tight) contraction of the pelvic floor muscles. This can result in pain during sex, urge to urinate, constipation … and for some, urinary incontinence.

1. Exercise your Kegel muscles the right way

Many women do Kegel exercises incorrectly. This means that they may be using too much force, which puts the pelvic floor muscles under tension. The point is, it’s quite difficult to tell if you’re doing these exercises the right way. This group of muscles is hard to feel and cannot be seen. Women with a weak pelvic floor are even more prone to errors in Kegel exercises, and even with the help of a physical therapist, there is a chance that we will do it wrong.

1. Do not exercise your Kegel muscles while urinating

While exercising your Kegel muscles occasionally while urinating shouldn’t cause you anything bad, it should be kept to a minimum. Exercising your Kegel muscles while urinating more than a few times a month can lead to pelvic floor muscle weakness, receding urine, and inflammation of the urethra, bladder, and kidneys. Consequently, it can damage the bladder and kidneys, resulting in problems with urinary incontinence or emptying the bladder.

Sometimes it can happen that your pelvic floor is already overactive, so if you start exercising your Kegel muscles regularly, you will end up with a hypertonic pelvic floor. While pelvic floor dysfunction may result from childbirth, injury, or muscle weakness, this is not always the case. It is really important to be aware of this before you start exercising your kegel muscles, otherwise you could end up dysfunction even worse.

How often do you exercise your Kegel muscles?

Kegel muscles can be exercised virtually anytime, anywhere. Before training, you just need to empty your bladder and sit comfortably, so you can exercise at work, at home while watching TV or while driving a bus. Kegel muscles should be exercised three times a day, initially with five repetitions, and with time increasing their number.

Why is it worth exercising Kegel muscles?

There are many advantages to exercising your Kegel muscles regularly, for both women and men. Training the Kegel muscles not only improves erotic sensations, but also has a positive effect on health and a sense of comfort.

Exercising the Kegel muscles allows reduce the risk of problems with urinary or faecal incontinence in old age. Moreover, the Kegel muscles have a positive effect on the muscles of the anus, preventing hemorrhoidal disease, but also significantly facilitating defecation, which should be noted by people who have problems with recurring constipation. By training the Kegel muscles, we take care not only of the pelvic floor, but also of the urethra and anus. It is associated with a lower chance of the appearance of haemorrhoids.

In the case of ladies, weak Kegel muscles can lead to vulvar neuropathy, i.e. a significant reduction in sensation in the area of ​​intimate zones, which in turn has a very negative impact on erotic life. For men, Kegel exercise is used to treat premature ejaculation, and properly trained muscles can prevent the development of prostate cancer. Trained Kegel muscles affect the length of sexual intercourse as well as stronger and more frequent orgasms. Kegel training can also help women who are having trouble reaching full orgasm. Well-trained Kegel muscles can bring both partners an unforgettable experience during intercourse, which translates into an improvement in the overall quality of the relationship and strengthens the relationship between the partners.

It should also be added that Kegel training has a very positive effect on numerous ailments resulting from pregnancy and childbirth. Regular exercise of the Kegel muscles reduces the risk of perineal tears during natural childbirth and the emergence of problems with urinary incontinence after childbirth. The kegel muscles are also responsible for keeping the organs in the lower abdomen in place and positioning them properly, which prevents the uterus from falling out.

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