Tighten It Up! Kegel Exercises for Pelvic Strength

We've all heard about Kegel exercises, the notariety of which began in the 40's when Dr. Arnold Kegel invented them to help a woman to prepare and strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor of her vagina for childbirth, and then to help tighten them back up post pregnancy. Kegel exercises are still a great way to strengthen and tighten that lower core of the body, both for men and women. In women, it has been proven that Kegels help to increase the vagina's ability to "grip" and contract and in men, Kegels have also been shown to help increase a man's sexual endurance and can also aid in some cases of erectile dysfunction. The exercises are performed basically by contracting the pubococcygeal (PC) muscles and the muscles surrounding them, including the pelvic diaphragm. The pubococcygeal is that muscle you use when you want to hold or stop your urine from flowing. Learning to hold and control these muscles even more strongly than you already naturally do is achieved through a series of contractions, (Kegels) best performed at least once or twice a day. The great thing about Kegel exercises is that you can do them anywhere! Nobody even has to know what you're up to. While sitting here reading this post you can be doing some Kegel exercises right now! Here is a little Kegel exercise routine that both men and women can use to get those nether regions tight and right within as little as a week!

The only motion you will have to employ here is the one you use to stop your pee from flowing. Do it right now. Contract like you're holding your pee in mid stream. Really grip and control it, not allowing it to open. Great! You've just located your PC muscle. This is what is mainly going to get worked so that you can build up that muscle control and strength.

Two techniques

Technique 1 - Staccato Contractions

Now that you know exactly how to engage that PC muscle, we're going to do a series of quick holds, one second each, one second in between each. Kind of like blinking your eye, but more firmly and in much more rapid successsion. "Blink" or one second hold your PC muscle on and off. Hold, release, hold, release. Try to keep doing it for one minute straight. After that minute, rest. You will have done anywhere from 27 - 30 or so in that minute. This will enable you to develop superior control over your pelvic muscles.


Technique 2 - Sustained Holds

Here, we're going to work on the muscle strength and endurance. You're going to once again contract that PC muscle, but this time you're going to hold it firmly for 5 seconds (count to five). Try to keep that muscle tightly contracted for the entire 5 seconds. Then let go, relax a couple seconds and do it again. Hold, count to five, release. You will do about 10 in a minute. Ladies, this is where you will begin to develop that Kung Fu grip down there, and for the men, this will help lift your testicles and allow you to have even more control over your ejaculations. A win win for everybody involved here!

Freestyle

Now that you've got the two basic techniques, you can do sets, switch it up, and also work on going for even longer than 5 second holds if you really want to become a champ at this. Another cool way to go about it is to do it to music. I'm not kidding folks! Next time a good song with a steady beat comes on, do a quick little Kegel routine to it! Mix it up and do staccatos AND sustained holds in sync with the music. Create your own rhythms! Not only fun (and yes, a party in your pants, for sure) but you are really practicing and developing the ultimate pelvic muscle control in this scenario. Strong pelvic muscles equal better sex for both you and your partner, so don't be shy!

As you're doing these techniques, be sure to also contract and hold all the surrounding muscles. Feel your whole lower core go tight and then release. That way, you make sure that the entire pelvic floor is engaged.

Start doing your Kegel exercises today! And just be careful about those facial expressions. Those might actually give you away, or either just confuse anyone around you at the time!