By Lizzy Bliss
Your vagina is probably the last thing you think about when you hear the word “exercise”, but it really shouldn’t be. After all, if you train your legs, back and arms, why not your pelvic muscles?
The pelvic muscles support your bladder, intestines, rectum, and uterus and also play an integral part in stabilizing your core.
They allow you to urinate when relaxed and play a pretty important role in sexual function. Kegel exercises are like push-ups for your vagina. Only they’re a lot easier to do, and you can have quite a bit of fun while you’re doing them.
They were originally developed by Dr Arnold H Kegel in the 1940s as a non-surgical option to treat urinary incontinence. Still, research shows that similar methods have been used by Japanese women since as early as 500 A.D. to increase sexual pleasure.
Some of the benefits of Kegel Exercises include:
Preventing urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a loss of bladder control or “bladder leakage” which can occur during strenuous exercise or while sneezing, coughing, or laughing. This can be problematic for women of all ages and usually happens as a result of weakened pelvic floor muscles.
It’s always best to consult your health care provider, but Kegel exercises have been proven to be the best way to strengthen these muscles.
Recovering from childbirth
Up to 75 percent of women experience issues with leaking urine during pregnancy or after childbirth. After giving birth, Kegel exercises can help tighten and tone vaginal muscles that have been damaged during childbirth. Stronger pelvic muscles can also assist during labour and make delivery easier.
Improved overall fitness
Pelvic floor muscles are part of your inner core that supports your hips and spine, and as with any other muscle, they can get weaker as you get older. Many women who struggle with urinary leakage also experience lower back pain.
A strong pelvic floor can help alleviate both of these conditions as well as prevent vaginal prolapse and painful intercourse.
You’ll have better sex
Not really one of your traditional sex toys but it serves a purpose in this respect as well.
Strong pelvic floor muscles are vital when it comes to orgasm, for you and your partner.
Kegel exercises make the vagina feel tighter and will intensify the contractions you feel when you orgasm.
Healthy pelvic floor muscles will also help improve blood flow to your genitals to increase lubrication and sexual arousal, increasing your ability to reach orgasm. Not to mention that you’ll be able to grip your partner tighter as well.
So how do you do Kegel Exercises?
First, you have to locate your pelvic muscles. Imagine trying to stop the flow of urine or passing gas; you should feel the muscles in your nether region lift. Hold this contraction for five seconds while breathing normally and then relax. Congratulations, you just did one Kegel.
Repeat this process 10 times to complete one set. Start by doing two to three sets a day, if you can’t do ten repetitions in a row, just do as many as you can. Over time your pelvic floor
will get stronger, and you can increase the duration of your contractions to 10 seconds.
Please note that it is not advisable to do kegel exercises while you pee as this could lead to other problems such as urinary tract infections.
Kegel Balls
Kegel Balls (often called Ben-Wa Balls or Geisha-Balls) are like little weights for your vagina.
They come in many different shapes, sizes, and weights (from 10g to 100g) and usually consist of one or more balls lined up in a row with a cord at one end.
You insert them into your vagina with the cord sticking out and then contract and release your pelvic muscles around them. It’s always better to start small and then work your way up to bigger, heavier kegel balls as you get more experienced.
Once you’re comfortable with using kegel balls on your own, you can even try spicing things up with vibrating kegel balls, which you can keep inside you during penetrative sex for some pretty unique sensations. This is definitely the most fun you will ever have while working out.
For info, visit Lizzy Bliss.