Kegel-exercises are a type of workout designed to improve on your sex life coupled with solving any pelvic floor problems including; urinary and fecal incontinence. In fact, these exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles which support the uterus, bladder, small-intestines and rectum. In fact, kegel workouts can be done daily and below are some of the steps you will need to follow while doing these exercises.
STEP-1: How To Prepare Yourself for Kegel Exercises:
> Locate your pelvic muscles by stopping the flow of urine mid-stream: It’s very crucial to find your pelvic muscles before you begin doing Kegel exercises. In fact, pelvic-muscles are located at floor of your pelvic floor. The best way to find these muscles is to try to stop the flow of your urine midstream. The tightening you make to stop urine midstream is actually a basic move of a Kegel. After, relax the muscles and resume the flow of urine and you will have a better sense of where those Kegels are. However, never stop urinating midstream as your regular Kegel exercise routine because doing Kegels while urinating more than twice a month can have a negative effect of weakening the muscles. It may even cause damage to your bladder and kidneys.
> Try finding your kegel-muscles by placing a finger in the vagina and then squeeze the muscles: With method, you will feel the muscles tightening and your pelvic floor move up. Relax and you’ll feel the pelvic floor move back again. However, make sure your finger is clean before you insert it.
> Use a mirror to find the kegels: In case you’re still having trouble locating your Kegels, then position a hand-mirror below your perineum which is the skin-covered area between your vagina and your anus. Do some squeezing and relaxing in-order to your perineum contracting with each squeeze. If you do this correctly, you will locate the kegels easily.
> Empty your bladder before starting Kegels: Try not to do Kegels with a full or a partially full bladder because you may experience pain and some leakage while exercising. So, always make a bladder check before you start kegel-exercises in-order to perform more efficiently.
> Pay attention on only tightening the pelvic floor muscles: Kegel exercises should focus on your pelvic floor muscles. So, you should avoid flexing other muscles like the buttocks, thighs, or abdomen in-order to achieve the best results. To keep your concentration, breathe in and out as you perform each set of Kegels. In fact, this will help you to relax and get the most out of your pelvic floor exercises. On the hand, in-order to keep your muscles relaxed, place one hand on your belly to make sure that your belly is relaxed.
> Go into a comfortable position: Kegel-exercises can be done by either sitting in a chair or lying on the floor over a mat. However, make sure your buttock and tummy muscles are relaxed. In case you are lying down, then you should be flat on the back with your arms at the sides and knees up together. Also keep the head down in-order avoid straining your neck.
STEP-2: How To Perform Kegel Exercises:
> Gently squeeze the pelvic floor muscles for 5-seconds: When you’re starting off, this can be a great workout but avoid straining the muscles too much by squeezing them for too long. In fact, if 5-seconds make you feel strained, then consider squeezing those muscles for only 2-3 seconds.
> Release the pelvic floor muscles for 10-seconds: You should give the pelvic floor muscles a 10-second break before you repeat the exercise. This will actually give the muscles enough time to relax and avoid straining. So, just count to 10 before you start the next repetition.
> Do the kegel-exercise for 10-times (10-Reps): Repeating the exercise for 10-times is considered to be one set of Kegels. So, incase started off by squeezing the muscles for 5-seconds, then relax them for 10-seconds and repeat the process for 10-times in-order to finish one set. Try doing a set of kegels (10-reps) for about 3-4 times a day in-order to achieve the best results.
> Build towards squeezing the pelvic floor muscles for 10-seconds at a time: Try increasing on the amount of seconds that you squeeze pelvic floor muscles each week. After reaching the amazing number of 10-seconds, stick to it and continue to do one-set of 10 with 10-second squeezes for 3-4 times a day.
> Try doing pull-in Kegels: This is actually a great variation-workout to add into your kegel exercise routine. To do a pull-in kegel, think of your pelvic floor muscles as a vacuum. So, tense your buttocks and pull your legs up and in. Try holding this position for 5-seconds and then release it. Make this exercise for about 10-times in a row and it will take about 50 seconds to complete.
STEP-3: How To Get Results From Kegel Exercises:
> Do Kegel exercises for at least 3-4 times a day: Make kegel-exercises part of your daily routine by simply doing them for 3-4 times a day. In fact, you should find ways of fitting Kegels into your daily routine and aim at doing them in the morning, afternoon, and evening instead of worrying about scheduling a time to do them.
> Fix Kegels into your work routine: Kegels can be done without anyone knowing and you can actually do them while sitting at your desk in office, when having lunch, or by relaxing on the couch after a long day at work. In fact, once you learn how to isolate pelvic floor muscles, then you can do Kegels almost anywhere at any time.
> Expect to see results in a few months if you do Kegels daily: For some people, the results are dramatic while for others Kegels tend to prevent further urinary tract problems. So, just stick to kegel-exercises for long to feel the changes in your body. In fact, you will be able to feel results after 4-6 weeks.
> Try asking for help on how to do Kegels properly: A doctor can actually help you identify and isolate the correct pelvic floor muscles to perform the kegel-exercise. In case, you have been doing Kegel-workouts for a considerable amount of time like for a few months but not seeing any results, then consider seeking help from your doctor. The doctor will use an electrical stimulation to help you identify the pelvic floor muscles.
> Continue doing Kegels to keep pelvic floor muscles strong: In case you want to keep pelvic floor muscles or even keep incontinence away, then continue doing your Kegel-exercises. All in all, you have to do kegel-exercise daily so as to keep pelvic floor muscles in shape.
