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Kegel exercises are simple exercises that target the muscles of your pelvic floor. Hence, these are also known as pelvic floor muscle training (or PFMT) exercises.
They were named after American gynecologist Arnold Henry Kegel, who was the first to define the pelvic floor muscles. He also came up with these exercises during the 1940s to help women regain control of their bladder after childbirth.
The pelvic floor provides support to the pelvic organs, which include the urethra, rectum, bladder, and bowel. They are also known as pub-coccygeal (PC) muscles.
As we age, the PC muscles tend to get weaker and stretch out. This could be aggravated by pregnancy, childbirth, bladder and bowel issues, prostate removal, and several other factors.
All these factors may affect bladder control and/or sex life.
Here’s how to do them
Kegel exercises can be done anywhere and at any time, even as you’re physically moving around and going about your day.
First, find the right muscles
One popular way to find your Kegel muscles is by actively stopping the flow of urination mid-stream. The muscles that are contracting while holding the urine back are the PC muscles.
To perform the exercise, you may start by lying down and getting used to it:
1. Start by contracting your PC muscles. Hold the tension for 5 to 10 seconds.
2. Relax the PC muscles completely for another 5 seconds. Proceed to follow this pattern of contraction and relaxation 15 to 20 times. You may repeat this exercise three to four times a day, every day.
As you progress with these exercises, you can start holding the tension for longer periods of time.
Benefits of Kegel exercises
Just as these exercises help improve women’s sexual performance, they also help men. More specifically, they may help improve erectile dysfunction and ejaculation control. Moreover, the PC muscles contract during orgasm. Strengthening these muscles helps improve orgasm intensity.
They also help maintain bladder control as the body grows older. Regular practice of these exercises ensures the PC muscle’s elasticity firmness.
These exercises are specifically helpful for men who have undergone prostate surgery. They can help prevent urine leakage by strengthening the weakened PC muscles.
Kegel exercises require minimal effort and literally do not hurt to try. However, if you do experience pain or difficulty, be sure to reach out to a healthcare expert. These exercises are a small effort that could prove to be of massive help in the future. So remind yourself to do them. You can do them while working, in the car, while you’re out with friends… Literally anywhere. And they are for everyone! So encourage your partners and your friends to do them too!
