How to Do Kegel Exercises Part 1

How to Do Kegel Exercises

Three Parts:Preparing to Do Kegel ExercisesDoing Kegel ExercisesGetting Results

The pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, rectum, and small intestine, also known as the "Kegel muscles," were first described in 1948 by Dr. Arnold Kegel, a gynecologist who invented the exercises as non-surgical treatment for genital relaxation. Incorporating Kegel exercises into your daily routine can help ward off pelvic floor problems, including urinary and fecal incontinence, and it can also improve your sex life. The most important thing is that you learn to isolate those Kegel muscles and then commit to a daily routine.

Men can also strengthen their pelvic floor muscles by doing PC muscle exercises.

1}  Find your pelvic muscles by stopping the flow of your urine mid-stream.Before you do your Kegel exercises, it's important to find your pelvic muscles. These are the muscles that form the floor of your pelvic floor. The most common way to find them is to try to stop the flow of your urine mid-steam. This tightening is the basic move of a Kegel. Let those muscles go and resume the flow of urine and you'll have a better sense of where those Kegels are.^[1] Just remember to see a doctor before you begin your Kegel exercises if you have any medical problems that may prevent you from doing Kegels safely.

• However, don't stop urinating mid-stream as your regular Kegel exercise routine. Doing Kegels while urinating can actually have the opposite effect, weakening the muscle.

2] If you still have trouble finding your Kegels, place your finger in your vagina and squeeze your muscles. You should feel the muscles tightening and your pelvic floor move up. Relax and you'll feel the pelvic floor move back again. Make sure your finger is clean before you insert it into your vagina.^[2]

• If you're a sexually active woman, you can also ask your partner if he can feel you "hugging" his penis and letting go during sex.

3} Use a hand mirror to find your Kegels. If you're still having trouble locating or isolating your Kegels, place a hand mirror below your perineum, which is the skin-covered area between your vagina and your anus. Practice squeezing and relaxing what you think are your Kegel muscles. If you do this correctly, you should see your perineum contracting with each squeeze.^[3]

4} Make sure you have an empty bladder before you begin your Kegels. This is important. You don't want to do your Kegels with a full or a partially full bladder, or you may experience pain while you do your Kegels, as well as some leakage. Before you start your exercise routine, do a bladder check so you can perform those exercises as efficiently as possible.

5} Concentrate on only tightening your pelvic floor muscles. Your Kegel exercises should focus on these muscles only, so you should avoid flexing other muscles, such as your buttocks, thighs, or your abdomen, for best results. To help your concentration and the efficiency of your movements, make sure you breathe in and out as you perform each set of Kegels, instead of holding your breath. This will help you relax and get the most out of your pelvic floor exercises.^[4]

• One way to keep your muscles relaxed is to place one hand on your belly to make sure that your belly is relaxed.
• If your back or belly ache a bit after you complete a set of Kegel exercises, then it's an indication that you're not doing them correctly.

6} 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. If you are lying down, then you should be flat on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees up and together. Keep your head down, too, to avoid straining your neck.