How to Perform Kegel Exercises

The pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, rectum, and small intestine, are commonly referred to as 'Kegel muscles.' This term was first introduced by gynecologist Arnold Kegel in 1948. He developed these exercises as a non-surgical treatment for pelvic health. Incorporating Kegel exercises into your daily routine can help you prevent pelvic floor-related issues, such as urinary and fecal incontinence, and it can also enhance your sexual health. The key is to learn how to isolate your Kegel muscles and then consistently practice the exercises. Men can also strengthen their pelvic muscles through the PC muscle exercises—an area extending from the pubic bone to the tailbone.

Identify your pelvic muscles by stopping the flow of urine midway. Before starting Kegel exercises, it's important to identify your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles form the base of your pelvic cavity. The most common way to locate these muscles is by attempting to halt the flow of urine midstream. This clenching motion is the foundational movement of Kegel exercises. Once you've identified the muscles, allow the urine flow to continue to better understand where the Kegel muscles are located. It's a good idea to consult a doctor before beginning Kegel exercises if you're dealing with any health concerns that might affect your ability to safely perform them.

• However, avoid using the practice of stopping urination as a regular method for training Kegels, as doing so frequently can weaken your muscles over time.

If you're still struggling to locate your Kegel muscles, try inserting your finger into the vagina and contracting your pelvic muscles. You should feel the muscles and pelvic floor tighten and lift. Relax, and you will feel the pelvic floor drop again. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before inserting your finger.

• If you're confident in your sexual health, you may also want to ask your partner if they can feel your vagina contracting and releasing during intercourse.

Use a hand mirror to locate your Kegel muscles. If you're having trouble identifying or isolating your Kegel muscles, try placing a mirror under your pelvic area, between the vagina and anus. Tighten and relax the muscles you believe to be your Kegels. If you're doing it correctly, you should see the perineum contract with each squeeze.

Make sure your bladder is completely empty before starting Kegel exercises. This is crucial. You don't want to perform Kegel exercises with a full or even partially full bladder, as it could cause discomfort or even lead to urine leakage. Before starting, check your bladder to ensure you're in the best possible position to do the exercises effectively.

Focus on contracting your pelvic floor muscles. Kegel exercises should only target these muscles, so avoid engaging other muscle groups such as your glutes, thighs, or abdomen for the best results. To help with focus and improve effectiveness, make sure you're breathing in and out with each contraction, rather than holding your breath. This will help you relax and achieve the best results from your exercises.

• One way to relax your muscles is by placing a hand on your stomach and fully releasing your abdominal area.
• If you experience any discomfort in your back or abdomen after each Kegel session, it may be a sign you're not performing the exercises correctly.

Choose a comfortable position. You can practice sitting on a chair or lying on the floor. Ensure your glutes and stomach are fully relaxed. If you're lying on the floor, lie flat on your back with your hands by your sides and knees raised. Keep your head on the ground to avoid straining your neck.

Contract your pelvic floor muscles for five seconds. When you're just starting out, this is a good duration. You don't want to overstrain your Kegel muscles by holding the contraction for too long. If five seconds feels too long, try contracting for just 2-3 seconds instead.

Relax your muscles for 10 seconds. It's best to fully relax your pelvic floor muscles for 10 seconds before repeating the exercise. This gives your muscles enough time to recover and prevents them from becoming overly strained. Count to ten before you start the next round.

Repeat the exercise 10 times. Ten repetitions is considered one set of Kegel exercises. If you're starting with a 5-second contraction, hold the contraction for another 5 seconds, then relax for 10 seconds, and repeat 10 times. This completes one round, and you should aim for 3-4 sets each day without overdoing it.

Increase your pelvic floor contractions to 10 seconds per round. You can gradually extend the length of each contraction week by week. There's no need to hold longer or do more than one set at a time. Once you're able to hold for 10 seconds, continue with a set of 10 contractions for 10 seconds each, repeating this 3-4 times per day.

Perform the 'pull-in' Kegel exercise. This is a variation of the standard Kegel exercise. To do this exercise, imagine your pelvic floor as a vacuum cleaner. Tighten your glutes, raise both legs high, and bring them inward. Hold this position for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat this 10 times. It should take around 50 seconds to complete the exercise.

Perform Kegel exercises at least 3-4 times a day. If you truly want to improve this muscle group, you need to make it part of your daily routine. 3-4 times a day is a reasonable frequency for these exercises, as each Kegel session doesn't take long, and you can easily incorporate it into your daily activities. You can practice in the morning, at lunch, and at night, so start doing Kegel exercises naturally rather than worrying about scheduling specific times.

Fit Kegel exercises into your busy schedule. One of the best things about Kegel exercises is that you can do them discreetly. You can practice while sitting at your desk at work, having lunch with friends, or relaxing on the couch after a long day. While lying down and focusing on isolating the Kegel muscles is important for beginners, once you're comfortable with isolating these muscles, you can practice Kegels almost anywhere, anytime.

• You can form a Kegel routine while performing daily tasks like checking emails.
• Once you find the right level of Kegel exercise for you, focus on maintaining that routine instead of trying to increase the number of exercises or overdoing it. Overexertion can strain your muscles, especially when urinating or defecating.
• Keep in mind that although stopping your urine flow is a great way to identify your Kegel muscles, you should not do Kegel exercises while urinating, as this can lead to issues with incontinence.

You may start seeing results after a few months of regular Kegel practice. For many women, the results are quite impressive; for others, Kegel exercises help prevent urinary issues. Some women may feel frustrated after weeks of practice without seeing noticeable changes. Keep at it until you feel the difference in your body. According to the National Institutes of Health, Kegel exercises typically show results within 4-6 weeks of consistent practice.

Seek help if you believe you are not performing Kegel exercises correctly. A doctor can assist you in identifying and isolating the correct muscles to ensure you're doing the exercise properly. If you have been practicing Kegels for an extended period, such as several months, and have not seen results, you should consult a doctor for further assistance. Here are some methods a doctor may use to help you:

• If necessary, the doctor can help you train your body's biofeedback system. This involves placing a monitoring device inside your vagina and an external electrode. The device will provide feedback on your ability to contract your pelvic floor muscles and how long you can maintain the contraction.
• Your doctor may also use electrical stimulation to help you identify your pelvic floor muscles. During this process, a small electrical current is sent to the pelvic muscles, causing them to contract. After some time, you will be able to replicate this contraction on your own.

Continue Kegel exercises if you want to eliminate urinary incontinence. To maintain strength in these muscles and avoid urinary incontinence, you must keep practicing Kegel exercises. Stopping your routine, even after several months of practice, could lead to the return of incontinence. Continue performing these exercises regularly to strengthen your muscles and be prepared to incorporate Kegels into your daily routine.