You'd think this is how to exercise your Kegel muscles. No. But doing your Kegels are just as simple! Think of the benefits of working out: it improves your sex life, outlook on life and self-esteem (it's Naked November, after all). The human body consists of several hundred muscles. Exercising each and every muscle can be a bit daunting--but it doesn't have to be. Today, we would like to share some exercise tips for the all important Kegel muscles. What makes them so important? How does one exercise their Kegel muscles anyway? GetLusty's Jason Estrada reports.* * *
Raise your hand if you know what and where your pubococcygeus (PC) muscles are. Never heard of it? Well, you might wanna pay attention. The PC muscles are part of the pelvic floor, and these muscles play a big role in your daily life. These muscles stretch from your anus to your urinary sphincter and hold your internal organs in place.
Back in 1948 a doctor by the name of Arnold Kegel published something called a pelvic floor exercise. Today, we call it a Kegel exercise. All it really consists of is repetitive contractions and relaxation of the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor. Most people, today, refer to them as the "Kegel muscles."
Below are reasons why you want to exercise these muscles:
Pregnant Women
All sorts of craziness happens to a woman's body during, and after, pregnancy. I don't mean "craziness" - I mean, a woman's body is endowed with natural and beautiful manifestations. Beautiful things like vaginal prolapse, uterine prolapse, and urinary incontinence. Kegel exercises can prevent and treat these effects of pregnancy.
Men (pregnant or not)
Don't worry men, you're in no danger of vaginal prolapse, but urinary incontinence does affect you. Another thing to keep in mind is your prostate. Kegel exercises are beneficial in treating prostate pain and swelling due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis.
Now that we have your attention: Dr. Kegel published a report that claimed women doing these exercises were climaxing more easily, more frequently, and with greater intensity.
Research published in BJU International concluded "that pelvic floor exercises should be considered as a first-line approach for men seeking long-term resolution of their erectile dysfunction. After the 3 month study, 40% of men regained normal erectile function, and 35.5% had experienced some improvement.
Also, having more control over these pelvic muscles is said to have benefits for the problem of premature ejaculation.
Exercises for Women
First, you have to find your pelvic floor muscles. A good trick is to stop urination in midstream. The alternative is doing the same exercise after you've stopped peeing. The muscles that stopped your urine are the ones you're looking for. Now finishing emptying your bladder. You should always have an empty bladder when exercising your pelvic floor muscles.
Now that you're off the "John", go lie on your back. Contract your pelvic floor muscles and hold for 5 seconds, then relax for 5 seconds. Do a set of 4 to 5. Your goal should be to constantly improve the amount of time you can keep the muscles contracted. Work up to 10 second repetitions. Also, keep your focus on the pelvic floor muscles. Don't flex your abs, thighs, or buttocks. This exercise is no different from any other, so keep breathing. Do not hold your breath.
For the gents
Locating the "Kegel" muscles is the same for men. During urination, stop or slow down the flow. Another way - pretend you're trying to stop the passage of gas. Yep, there it is. Squeezing the pelvic floor muscles gives us guys a pulling sensation. Now do it like the ladies. Start with a set of 4 to 5 second contractions, and work your way up to 10 second reps.
The goal for both men and women should be 3 sets of 10 second repetitions each day.
Kegel exercise tools
Naturally, there are a large array of tools manufactured and sold to help exercise this tiny little patch of muscles.
Vaginal Cone: These weighted devices work like the Kegel balls. These cones can be rigid or filled with gel or a fluid. Once inserted, just hold on.
Biofeedback: It's not as intense as it sounds. That's a lie - it is pretty extreme. Biofeedback uses electrical stimulation to help identify your pelvic muscles, and can also exercise the muscles for you.
Kegel Exerciser: These are meant for resistance training. It looks like a hand grip strengthener. After it's inserted into the woman's vagina, the handles are spread apart. The woman, then, squeezes the handles together, building muscle strength by holding the device closed for several seconds.
If you can't seem to locate your "Kegel" muscles, or are having trouble strengthening the area, go ahead and look into these kinds of tools. If you don't need them, then don't waste your money.
Tool or not, don't ignore the importance of a strong pubococcygeus muscle. Stay Lusty!
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Jason Estrada is currently working on his master's for creative writing, in the hopes of becoming a very rich screenwriter some day. His other interests include photography, cinematography, and video editing. His favorite book is The Great Gatsby. Favorite movie is either The Crow or When Harry Met Sally - can't decide. And his all time favorite show is Doctor Who.When he's not enjoying any of those things, you can find him at home, drinking and smoking way too much while listening to VNV Nation. Connect with him via email at jason@getlusty.com or subscribe via Facebook.
