How To Do Kegels Exercise: Improve Your Control

Here is a guide on how to do Kegel exercises.

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How To Do Kegels Exercise: Improve Your Control

Kegel exercises are simple squeezes of the muscles in your lower body. These muscles are called your pelvic floor muscles. Doing these pelvic floor exercises can make the muscles stronger. This can help stop pee from leaking out when you cough or laugh. It can also help if your organs inside your body feel like they are slipping down. Both men and women can do Kegels. They are good for many people, including those who have had babies or prostate surgery.

Grasping the Pelvic Floor Muscles

First, let’s talk about the muscles you need to squeeze. These are the muscles that hold up your bladder, bowels, and for women, the uterus. They are at the bottom of your body, like a hammock or a sling. When you squeeze these muscles, you lift everything up inside. When you relax them, everything goes back down.

Finding these muscles is key to doing the kegel exercise technique the right way. Many people squeeze other muscles by mistake. This does not help your pelvic floor.

How To Locate Pelvic Floor Muscles

There are a few simple ways to find these muscles. Try one or two methods to be sure you have the right spot.

Method 1: Stopping Pee Midstream

This is a common way to find the muscles.
* Sit on the toilet like you are going to pee.
* Start to pee.
* Then, try to stop the flow of pee completely.
* The muscles you use to stop the pee are your pelvic floor muscles.
* You should feel a squeeze and a pull-up feeling.

Important Note: Do this only to find the muscles. Do not make a habit of stopping your pee every time you go. Doing this often can be bad for your bladder.

Method 2: Imagining Holding Back Gas

This method helps you feel the back part of your pelvic floor.
* Sit or lie down quietly.
* Imagine you are trying to stop yourself from passing gas.
* Tighten the muscles around your back passage (anus).
* You should feel a pull-up feeling in that area.
* These are also part of your pelvic floor muscles.

Method 3: For Women – Using a Finger

This method can help women feel the squeeze inside the vagina.
* Wash your hands well.
* Lie down with your knees bent.
* Gently put one finger inside your vagina.
* Try to squeeze your muscles as if you are trying to hold back pee or gas.
* You should feel your vagina tighten around your finger. You should also feel a lift inside.

Method 4: For Men – Feeling the Area

Men can feel the muscles lift near the base of the penis.
* Sit or lie down.
* Try to squeeze the muscles you would use to stop peeing or passing gas.
* You might feel a pull or lift at the base of your penis, near the scrotum. The testicles might lift slightly.

Once you know what the squeeze feels like, you can do the exercises anytime, anywhere. You do not need to be on the toilet or use a finger for the actual exercises. The goal is to squeeze only the pelvic floor muscles, not your stomach, butt, or leg muscles.

Performing the Kegel Exercise Technique

Now that you know where the muscles are, you can start doing the exercises. It is best to start lying down. This is the easiest position because gravity is not pushing down.

Steps for Doing a Kegel

1. Get Ready: Find a quiet place. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. You can also sit in a chair.
2. Find the Muscles: Squeeze the muscles you found in the steps above. Focus on only squeezing those muscles.
3. Squeeze and Hold: Tighten your pelvic floor muscles. Hold the squeeze. Start by holding for just 3 seconds. Do not hold your breath. Keep breathing normally.
4. Relax: Let the muscles go completely loose. Rest for 3 seconds. It is important to relax fully between squeezes.
5. Repeat: Do the squeeze and relax steps again. This is one repetition.

Building Up Your Strength

Start slow and build up as you get stronger.
* Begin by holding the squeeze for 3 seconds, then relax for 3 seconds. Do this 10 times in a row. This is one set.
* Try to do 3 sets of 10 squeezes each day.
* As the muscles get stronger, slowly increase how long you hold the squeeze. Add one second every few days. Work your way up to holding for 5 seconds, then 8 seconds, and finally 10 seconds.
* Always relax for the same amount of time you squeeze, or longer. If you hold for 10 seconds, relax for 10 seconds.

Adding Different Types of Squeezes

Once you are good at holding the squeeze, you can add quick squeezes.
* Slow Squeezes: This is what we talked about – squeeze slowly, hold, relax slowly. These build endurance.
* Quick Squeezes: Squeeze the muscles quickly and strongly, then relax right away. Do not hold the squeeze. These help the muscles react fast, like when you cough or sneeze. Do 10-20 quick squeezes after your slow ones.

How Often To Do Kegels

Consistency is key with pelvic floor exercises. You need to do them regularly to see results.
* Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 slow squeezes each day.
* Add 10-20 quick squeezes after each set if you like.
* Doing them every day is best. Like any muscle, if you do not use it, you lose strength.
* Spread your sets out during the day. You can do one set in the morning, one at lunchtime, and one in the evening.

You can do Kegels while:
* Sitting at your desk.
* Watching TV.
* Driving your car.
* Lying in bed before you sleep.
* Standing in line.

The great thing about Kegels is that nobody knows you are doing them!

Benefits of Kegels

Doing pelvic floor exercises regularly offers many good things for your body. These are the benefits of kegels:

• Better Bladder Control: This is one of the main reasons people do Kegels. Strong pelvic floor muscles help keep the opening of your bladder closed. This can stop or reduce kegels for urinary incontinence (leaking pee). It helps with leakage when you cough, sneeze, laugh, jump, or lift something heavy. It can also help if you feel a sudden, strong need to pee (urge incontinence).
• Improved Bowel Control: These muscles also help control the opening of your bowels. Stronger muscles can help prevent accidental poop leakage or help control gas.
• Support for Organs: The pelvic floor muscles hold up important organs like the bladder, uterus (for women), and rectum. If these muscles get weak, organs can drop down into the vagina (for women) or towards the anus. This is called pelvic organ prolapse. Strengthening the muscles can help support these organs and prevent or improve prolapse.
• Better Sex: For both men and women, stronger pelvic floor muscles can increase feeling during sex. For men, it might help with control over ejaculation. For women, it can lead to stronger muscle contractions during orgasm.
• Recovery After Childbirth: Pregnancy and giving birth can stretch and weaken the pelvic floor muscles. Doing kegels during pregnancy and after birth can help these muscles heal and get strong again. This helps with common issues like pee leakage after having a baby.
• Recovery After Prostate Surgery: Kegel exercises for men, especially after surgery for prostate cancer, are often very helpful for regaining bladder control.

Kegel Exercises for Men

Men have a pelvic floor too! It supports the bladder and bowels. It also plays a role in erectile function and ejaculation.

• Finding the Muscles: As described earlier, men can find the muscles by stopping pee flow or by imagining holding back gas. Feel the area between the scrotum and the anus lifting.
• Why Men Do Kegels:
  • To improve bladder control, especially after prostate surgery.
  • To help with bowel control.
  • To potentially improve erections and control over ejaculation.
• Technique: The kegel exercise technique for men is the same as for women: squeeze, hold (build up to 10 seconds), relax, repeat. Do 3 sets of 10-15 slow squeezes a day, plus quick ones.

Kegel Exercises for Women

Women often hear about Kegels, especially related to pregnancy and childbirth. The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder, uterus, and rectum and go around the vagina.

• Finding the Muscles: Women can use the methods of stopping pee, holding back gas, or feeling a squeeze around a finger inside the vagina.
• Why Women Do Kegels:
  • To prevent or treat pee leakage (kegels for urinary incontinence).
  • To prevent or help with pelvic organ prolapse.
  • To recover muscle strength after pregnancy and childbirth.
  • To prepare the pelvic floor for childbirth (kegels during pregnancy).
  • To improve sexual feeling.
• Technique: The kegel exercise technique for women is the same: squeeze, hold (build up to 10 seconds), relax, repeat. Do 3 sets of 10-15 slow squeezes a day, plus quick ones.

Kegels During Pregnancy

Pregnancy puts extra weight and pressure on the pelvic floor muscles. Hormones can also make the tissues softer. This can weaken the muscles.

• Benefits: Doing kegels during pregnancy helps keep the muscles strong while they are under extra load. Stronger muscles may help support the growing uterus and baby. They may also help during labor and delivery. Some people believe strong pelvic floor muscles might help with pushing during birth, though this is not proven for everyone. Most importantly, strong muscles before birth help the body recover faster afterwards.
• How to Do Them: The kegel exercise technique is the same. Start early in pregnancy and keep doing them daily.
• After Birth: Keep doing Kegels after your baby is born. This helps the muscles heal and get strong again. This is very important for preventing or fixing common problems like pee leakage after having a baby. Your doctor or a physical therapist can tell you when it is safe to start again after giving birth.

Kegels for Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence means you leak pee when you do not want to. This is a very common problem for both men and women. Kegels for urinary incontinence are often the first treatment suggested.

• How They Help: Strong pelvic floor muscles act like a valve. They help keep the urethra (the tube pee comes out of) closed tightly. When these muscles are weak, the valve does not work as well, leading to leaks.
• Types of Leakage Helped:
  • Stress Incontinence: Leaking pee when pressure is put on the bladder, like when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or lift. Kegels are very effective for this type.
  • Urge Incontinence: Feeling a sudden, strong need to pee and sometimes leaking before you can get to the toilet. Kegels can help calm the bladder and improve your ability to hold on.
• Seeing Results: Doing Kegels for incontinence takes time and regular effort. Most people see improvement after doing them correctly for 3 to 6 months. Keep doing them even after you see improvement to keep the strength.

Common Kegel Exercise Mistakes

Doing Kegels the wrong way will not help. It might even cause problems. Be sure to avoid these kegel exercise mistakes:

• Squeezing the Wrong Muscles: This is the most common mistake. People squeeze their stomach, butt, or inner thigh muscles instead of the pelvic floor. You should not feel your stomach tighten or your butt lift off the chair. The squeeze is internal and centered in the pelvic area. If you are not sure, try locating the muscles again using the methods described earlier.
• Holding Your Breath: You need to breathe normally while doing Kegels. Holding your breath can make you tense up other muscles. Relax your body and keep breathing.
• Pushing Down: Some people push their muscles down instead of pulling them up and squeezing. This is the opposite of a Kegel and can weaken the muscles. Always think “squeeze and lift.”
• Doing Them While Peeing: While stopping pee is a good way to find the muscles, you should not do your Kegel exercises regularly while peeing. This can make it hard for your bladder to empty fully later. It could also lead to bladder problems. Only do the stop-start pee test to find the muscles, then do your exercises at other times.
• Not Relaxing Fully: It is just as important to relax the muscles completely between squeezes as it is to squeeze them. If you do not relax, the muscles can get tired quickly. They need rest between contractions.
• Doing Too Many Too Soon: Start with short holds and a small number of reps. Doing too much too fast can tire the muscles out. Build up slowly.
• Not Doing Them Often Enough: Doing a few Kegels once in a while will not work. You need to do them every day, or most days, to build strength.

If you are having trouble finding the muscles or are not sure you are doing them right, do not worry. This is very common. You can ask your doctor or a nurse for help. They might send you to a physical therapist who knows about the pelvic floor. These therapists are very good at helping people learn how to do Kegels correctly. They can use special tools if needed to check if you are squeezing the right muscles.

Making Kegels Part of Your Day

Fitting Kegels into a busy life is easier than you think. Since you can do them almost anywhere, try linking them to things you already do every day.

• Every time you stop at a red light, do one set.
• Every time your phone rings, do a few squeezes.
• Do a set while you are brushing your teeth.
• Do a set while you are waiting for the coffee to brew.
• Do a set during TV commercials.

Find what works for you and make it a habit. Write it down or set a reminder on your phone until it feels natural.

Tracking Your Progress

It can be helpful to track how you are doing. This helps you see how you are getting stronger and makes sure you are doing enough.

Here is a simple table you could use:

Day of the Week	Set 1 (Holds & Reps)	Set 2 (Holds & Reps)	Set 3 (Holds & Reps)	Quick Squeezes? (Yes/No & How Many)	Notes (How it felt, any leaks?)
Monday	e.g., 5s x 10	5s x 10	5s x 10	Yes, 15	Felt good, slight leak today
Tuesday	5s x 10	5s x 10	5s x 10	Yes, 15	Muscles a bit tired
Wednesday	6s x 10	6s x 10	6s x 10	Yes, 15	Trying longer hold! No leaks!

(Fill in the blanks with your own numbers as you progress)

This kind of table helps you remember how often to do kegels and how long to hold the squeeze. It also lets you see if the exercises are helping with things like leakage over time.

What to Expect and When to See a Doctor

Building muscle takes time. Do not get frustrated if you do not see results right away. Most people need to do pelvic floor exercises regularly for at least a few months before they notice a big difference in things like bladder control. Keep doing them even when you see improvement to maintain strength. Kegels are usually a lifelong exercise for many people, like brushing your teeth.

While Kegels are safe for most people, sometimes problems do not get better or get worse.

See a doctor or physical therapist if:
* You cannot figure out how to squeeze the right muscles.
* You are doing Kegels but not seeing any improvement after 3-6 months.
* Your leakage gets worse.
* You have pain in your pelvic area.
* You have other bladder or bowel problems that concern you.

A specialist can check if you are doing the exercises right. They can also find out if there are other reasons for your problems that Kegels alone cannot fix. They might suggest other treatments too.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

h4: Are Kegels Only For People With Problems?

No, Kegels are not just for people who leak pee or have other issues. Anyone can do pelvic floor exercises to keep these muscles strong. Strong muscles can help prevent problems from starting later in life. They can also help with sexual function.

h4: How Long Does It Take To See Results From Kegels?

It takes time! Be patient. Most people need to do them correctly and regularly (most days) for at least 3 to 6 months before they notice a real change, especially for things like urinary incontinence. Keep going even if you do not see results right away.

h4: Can I Do Too Many Kegels?

Yes, you can. Doing too many repetitions or sets, or holding the squeeze for too long before the muscles are ready, can make them tired. This is like overworking any other muscle. Tired muscles are weak muscles. Stick to the suggested plan (3 sets of 10-15 holds) and increase slowly. Make sure to relax fully between squeezes.

h4: Do Kegels Hurt?

No, Kegels should not hurt. If you feel pain while doing them, you might be squeezing other muscles, holding your breath, or doing them too hard. Stop and check your technique. If pain continues, stop doing them and talk to your doctor or a pelvic floor physical therapist.

h4: Can Kegels Help With Back Pain?

Sometimes. The pelvic floor muscles work together with your deep tummy and back muscles. Strengthening the pelvic floor can help make your core stronger, which can sometimes help with lower back pain.

h4: I’m Pregnant, When Should I Start Doing Kegels?

You can start doing kegels during pregnancy as soon as you feel comfortable. It is a good idea to start early in your pregnancy and make them part of your daily routine. This helps prepare your muscles for the changes of pregnancy and childbirth. Always talk to your doctor if you have any questions about exercise during pregnancy.

h4: I Just Had a Baby, When Can I Start Kegels Again?

Talk to your doctor first. They can tell you when it is safe to start exercising your pelvic floor after giving birth. For many people, it is possible to start gentle Kegels within a few days after a normal vaginal birth, but this can vary. After a C-section, it might take a bit longer. Start slowly and gently.

h4: Will Kegels Help With Prolapse?

Pelvic floor exercises can help support the organs and improve symptoms of mild to moderate pelvic organ prolapse. They can make the muscles stronger to better hold things up. However, Kegels cannot fix all cases of prolapse, especially severe ones. If you have prolapse, talk to your doctor about all your treatment options. Kegels are often part of the treatment plan.

h4: Is There Equipment to Help With Kegels?

Yes, there is some equipment available, like weighted cones (for women) or biofeedback machines. Weighted cones are placed in the vagina, and you use your pelvic floor muscles to hold them in. Biofeedback uses sensors to show you on a screen if you are squeezing the right muscles and how strong the squeeze is. This can be very helpful if you have trouble finding the muscles. A pelvic floor physical therapist often uses biofeedback.

Finishing Thoughts

Doing pelvic floor exercises is a simple yet powerful way to improve your body control. It can help with common problems like pee leakage, support your insides, and even boost your sex life. It just takes knowing how to find the right muscles and practicing regularly. Make Kegels a small, daily habit. Be patient with yourself, and do not be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Strong pelvic floor muscles can make a big difference in your comfort and quality of life.