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Kegels Are Not Enough: Do These Pelvic Floor Exercises...

For too long now, the Kegel has reigned supreme when it comes to the most frequently recommended pelvic floor exercise for pregnant and postpartum women. But the truth is, when not properly understood or done in tandem with other pelvic floor exercises, Kegels can do more harm than good.

While attractive in its simplicity, the idea of “doing your daily Kegels” ignores the importance of a) truly understanding how the pelvic floor muscles work b) creating balance in the muscles with smart, intentional training, and c) making sure to bring in the core/breath connection. To shift the way we are “training” our pelvic floors, we’ve got to be open to changing the way we address overall…

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Featured

 How to work out your pelvic floor (and why everyone should)

Talk of pelvic floor muscles may bring to mind images of jade eggs, but while buying expensive rocks to stick up your nethers is a bad idea, maintaining a strong pelvic floor is a great one. Here’s everything you never knew you needed to know about keeping that pelvic floor jacked:

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In this video, I’m breaking down the outdated advice that’s keeping women weak, scared, and stuck and explaining why strength training is exactly what your pelvic floor needs.

Articles of Interest

Easy wins: strengthen your pelvic floor a little more every day

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What you need to know about the essential yet misunderstood body part, including common issues and helpful exercises.

Every Woman Can Benefit From This Pelvic Floor Workout

It’s time to show these overlooked muscles more love.

Gentlemen, Start Your Kegels! Study Looks at Incontinence Treatment

Incontinence is a very common and very not-fun side effect of surgery to remove a cancerous prostate gland. As many as 65% of men who've had the surgery still have episodes of incontinence five years down the road. One approach for more serious cases is yet more surgery. But a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Associationfinds that therapy to help men learn exercises to build up their pelvic-floor muscles can help address the problem. Kegel exercises, as they're called, are often prescribed for women but less familiar to men.

Here Is the Right Way to Do Kegel Exercises

FYI, they’re not just for postpartum recovery.

How to Actually Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor—And Why You Should

Multiple studies suggest that pelvic floor muscle training can be very effective for pelvic-floor-related issues like urinary6 and fecal incontinence7 and pelvic organ prolapse.8 Some people even find that consistent and correct pelvic floor muscle training helps them to have stronger orgasms.

How to Do Kegel Exercises and Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

No doubt you've heard the word "kegel." You’ve also probably been told that you should do your Kegel exercises often, but don't really know why, or how to do Kegel exercises.

Looking after your pelvic floor is so important (yes, even if you're not pregnant) – here's how

It seems we're all pretty awkward when it comes to talking about an area that, as Miranda from Sex And The City explains, "helps you stay tight down there", but it's a topic that could benefit from some loud, shameless conversations – because if you're not already talking about it with your mates, you should be.

Men have pelvic floors too – and can benefit when they exercise them regularly

“Kegels” and pelvic floor exercises are usually associated with “women’s business” – think pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. But men have pelvic floors too. Just like women, at various times in their lives men can benefit from training their pelvic floors to address a variety of health concerns.

Pelvic Exercises for Men, Too

But Kegels are not just for women anymore. Pelvic floor exercises can help treat incontinence and perhaps sexual dysfunction in men, too, studies have found. Now the rush is on to persuade middle-aged men to get on the bandwagon. Studies showing that Kegels can hasten recovery from prostate surgery have been so convincing that surgeons now routinely recommend patients start Kegels before or shortly after the surgery. In one clinical trial of men about to undergo prostate surgery, patients were randomly assigned to start doing Kegels before the operation or to get standard care without exercises.

Pelvic Floor Advice That Could Help Improve Your Sex Life

Like any other muscle, the right therapy could help get the pelvic floor get back in shape. And that can include the famous Kegel exercises you can do while driving or sitting at your desk. Just make sure you do them properly. "I really respect Dr Kegel for understanding how important these muscles are and that they can be trained," says Benini. "But if you don’t breathe correctly, the tension in the muscle can get worse."

Pelvic Floor Exercises for Women You Should Do Whether Pregnant or Not

Whether you're expecting, a mom, or none of the above — give your pelvic floor muscles some love with these pelvic floor exercises for women designed by a doula and personal trainer.

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The Most Important Muscle All Women Forget To Exercise

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What to Know About The Benefits of Pelvic Floor Therapy

Do you really need to do kegels?

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Resources

9 Best Kegel Weights, According to Pelvic-Floor Experts

The best Kegel weights, as well as smart trainers and machines, exist to strengthen your pelvic floor. Unsure what the pelvic floor even is? Think of it as a hammock that supports some very important organs, like your uterus, bladder, and bowels—and keeps you from going number one or two when you have to go. The pelvic floor enables childbirth, but it's also a major player in your sex life.

Pelvic Floor First

Pelvic Floor First is an initiative of the Continence Foundation of Australia and aims to reduce the number of men and women who experience pelvic floor dysfunction as a result of inappropriate exercise regimes.