Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor. This simple, discreet exercise helps prepare the pelvic floor for childbirth, strengthens after childbirth, and tones throughout the rest of a woman's life.
Step 1
Find your pelvic muscles. You can do this by stopping the flow of urine when you are going to the bathroom. Then start it again. These are your pelvic muscles. Do this only to find the muscles. It's not healthy to stop and start urinating.
Step 2
Tighten and relax these muscles daily. Try and work up to 100-200 times a day. Or you can choose a certain thing to associate with them - for instance, kegel at every red light you come to, or every time you open the fridge.
- Get into a comfortable position. You can do these exercises either sitting in a chair or lying on the floor. Make sure your buttock and tummy muscles are relaxed.
- Imagine you are trying to hold back urine; lift and squeeze from the inside. Try and hold that action for the count of three.
- Imagine that you are trying to stop yourself from passing wind; lift and squeeze your anus and hold for a count of three.
- Combine those two movements into one fluid movement. Starting from the front, lift and squeeze, don't let go, follow through to your anus, lift and squeeze. Relax. Hold this position for 10 seconds.
- Rest for 10 - 20 seconds and repeat.
- Work towards 12 strong holds and as it starts to become easier, try holding for longer, and repeat as many times as you can.
Step 3
You can practice more complex kegels after mastering the basics. Tighten up and down the vaginal barrel progressively. Some believe that this can enhance a woman's sexual pleasure.
Tips
- Imagine your lungs are in pelvis and relax perineum on inhale and draw up on exhale.
- Try not to hold your breath, squeeze your buttocks or thighs, pull your tummy in tightly, or push down instead of squeezing and lifting.
- As you become more confident with these exercises, you will find that you will be able to do them standing up. The important thing is to keep practicing throughout the day and you can do them while you're washing the dishes, waiting in a queue, or even sitting at your desk in the office, during television show commercials, or when you are stopped at a stoplight while driving.
Warnings
- Don't kegel while using the bathroom, except to locate the muscles initially. Interrupting urine flow can result in urinary tract infections.
