Kegel exercises for women and men: how they are done and how they work
What are Kegel exercises and how do they work? These exercises, designed for both men and women, have been specially designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, those that serve to support the uterus, urethra, bladder, rectum and small intestine. They are therefore very useful, if not indispensable, for those suffering from incontinence disorders, as often happens to women after pregnancy.
Kegel exercises are named after the American gynecologist Arnold Kegel, who conceived them back in 1948 in order to remedy the relaxation of the genital muscles without having to perform surgery. If the main goal of these exercises, therefore, is to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, you will find that constant practice will also bring many benefits from a sexual point of view.
Not only! In general, intimate gymnastics exercises are a real cure-all for our physical health and our sex life. Here is explained in the video that follows everything there is to know!
Kegel exercises for men and women: how they work
There are several factors that can lead to excessive relaxation of the pelvic muscles, from pregnancy to obesity problems, from menopause to prolonged stress or physical trauma. Kegel exercises bring good results for both men and women whether they suffer from urinary incontinence or uterine prolapse, premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction. They can also be useful as pre-birth exercises, or to combat anorgasmia, helping to have a healthy and more satisfying sex life.
For Kegel exercises to bring concrete results, it is important to perform them continuously, daily for at least three or four times a day. As we will see, these are "invisible" exercises that can be performed safely even while we are doing something else during the day: no one will notice!
It will take at least a month to begin to see the first results: for each, then, they may arrive sooner or later and we must not be discouraged. Furthermore, it is important to continue to practice consistently: interrupting the exercises may cause you to lose the results acquired.
How are Kegel exercises done?
To do the Kegel exercises, you will first need to find the pelvic floor muscles. To identify them, it will be enough, during urination, to interrupt the flow of urine: you will immediately perceive where the offending muscles are! Attention, however, do it only to identify them and do not repeat this kind of experiment anymore because it would bring results opposite to those you hope to get.
Another way to identify the pelvic floor muscles is to insert a finger into the vagina and squeeze it. The muscles that contract around your finger (or around your partner's penis, if you try to do the same movement during penetration) are just what you are looking for.
Before starting Kegel exercises it is important to always have an empty bladder. So remember to go to the bathroom before you start exercising your pelvic floor muscles. At this point, you just need to put yourself in a comfortable position: sitting or lying, the important thing is that the muscles of the buttocks and stomach are relaxed.
The basic exercise consists simply of contracting the pelvic floor muscles, keeping them in contraction for five seconds (if you can't, even three are enough at first). Then relax your muscles and release them for 10 seconds, then you are ready to resume with the contraction.
This exercise should be repeated ten times. Then resume the exercise at other times of the day: a series of ten for three or four times a day. Over time you will be able to increase the time of the contraction, reaching up to 10 seconds at a time, no more.
A variation of this exercise is the so-called "pull-in": to perform it, squeeze the buttocks and bring the legs towards each other, then towards the torso, always contracting the pelvic muscles. Also in this case, repeat the exercise for 10 times in a row.
Kegel exercises for pregnant women
Kegel exercises are particularly recommended for pregnant women: they will be very useful, in fact, to train the pelvic floor muscles in anticipation of childbirth, when they will be subjected to inevitable stress.
With Kegel exercises you will have greater muscle control during childbirth. Many women have claimed to have had a less painful labor thanks to the practice of these exercises, which also have a preventive function for the relaxation of the muscles of the post-pregnancy phase.
The benefits of Kegel exercises for men and women in the sexual sphere
As we have anticipated, Kegel exercises are not only beneficial for your physical health, but also for your and your partner's sex life.
In fact, Kegel exercises help the man to control premature ejaculation, helping him to postpone the moment of orgasm and to maintain an erection. Men who regularly practice these exercises strengthen their pelvic muscles and have greater dominance of the pubococcygeus muscle.
For the woman, however, these miraculous exercises will be very useful to reach orgasm more easily, defeating anorgasmia and amplifying sexual pleasure. Here are some positions to experiment with your partner after having both "trained" properly:
Kegel exercises: contraindications
Kegel exercises, if not practiced correctly, can bring effects opposite to those hoped for. Making an incorrect contraction or repeating them too frequently could worsen incontinence or cause so-called Kegel's dyspareunia.
As Dr. Alessandra Graziottin explains: "The pause must last twice the contraction time. In fact, after the contraction the muscle needs a break to be oxygenated and nourished, in order to maintain an appropriate tone. "
The advice is to avoid do-it-yourself and always contact your gynecologist (or andrologist) to be guided in the correct execution of Kegel exercises.
To find out more, you can view the advice of Dr. Alessandra Graziottin
