Kegel exercises work out the pelvic floor by clenching and releasing the muscles in the area. That’s pretty much the whole process. Clench. Release.  

Once you get it down, you can literally do these exercises anywhere from the privacy of your own home to the daily commute.

Exercise is important for every part of your body. Kegels are especially important if you want to prevent leakage as you age. Like every other muscle, our pelvic floors get tired over the years, especially with pregnancy or weight gain. Toning up the pelvic floor with kegels will keep you from bladder and bowel issues.  

They also have been shown to help improve arousal and orgasms in women. Definite plus for spicing up the romance.

To get an idea of where these muscles are, you can insert a clean finger into your vagina and clench until you feel the muscles tighten up. Another way to find these muscles is stopping yourself mid-pee, but we don’t recommend stopping your stream regularly! It can cause UTIs and other issues but it will help you isolate the muscles for Kegels.

Make sure you take a pee before your kegels and empty your bowels completely. When you start out, strive to clench for 3 seconds and then relax for 3 seconds. As time goes on, work your way up to clenching for 10 seconds and then relaxing for 10 seconds.  

Setting aside 10 minutes for kegel exercises everyday will help make your pelvic floor super strong. Think of the pelvic floor like a sling or hammock. The more you exercise it, the tighter it gets. This helps hold everything in place including your bladder, bowels, and uterus.  

Remember, like everything else, this takes patience! Don’t expect to see results immediately, especially if you’re experiencing bladder issues. It takes months for some people to start seeing results. Make kegels a part of your self-care. If you’re on the hunt for other self-care rituals, check out our blog post for treating yourself like a goddess and tapping into your divine femininity.