How to Do Kegel Exercises: Naughty North's Guide to a Stronger Pelvic Floor

Kegel exercises are often seen as the key to a stronger pelvic floor, improved intimacy, and better bladder control, but are you doing them correctly? In this blog, we cover the basics of how to perform Kegels properly and build real strength where it matters.

ISOLATING YOUR PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES

This step is key to doing Kegels correctly, after all, they won’t help much if you’re not using the right muscles. Here are a few simple ways to identify your pelvic floor:

• Try stopping your urine mid-stream once to identify the muscles, but DON'T use this method to exercise them as it can lead to bladder issues
• Think about the muscles you use to prevent passing gas - don't pretend you don't know what you're talking about!
• You should feel a gentle “lifting” sensation, not pushing down like during a bowel movement.
• While sitting, envision sitting on a marble and trying to pick it up with your pelvic floor muscles
  
• Keep the rest of your body relaxed - your thighs, stomach, and glutes shouldn’t be moving.
• You can place a finger on your perineum or inside the vagina to feel the contraction. You should feel some contracting of the vagina or movement of the muscles through the perineum
• Rest a hand on your stomach to ensure you’re not tensing your abs.

HOW TO DO KEGEL EXERCISES

• Start by lying down so you can focus on how the movement feels
• Progress to sitting or standing as you become more comfortable
• Gently contract your pelvic floor muscles for 3–5 seconds
• Relax for 3–5 seconds
• Repeat for 10 repetitions
• Increase the hold time by 1 second each week, working up to 10-second holds and releases
• Build up to 30–40 total repetitions per day
• Make it part of your daily routine

For a challenge or to monitor your progress, you can download kegel exercise apps or try vaginal kegel balls and exercise

COMMON MISTAKES IN KEGEL EXERCISES

• Contract and hold your muscles, don’t pulse them
• Contracting your core, stomach, buttocks and other muscles is a no no. The secret to kegels is isolating only the pelvic floor
• Don’t bear down like with a bowel movement. Pull upwards instead.
• Don’t expect instant results. It can take up to 6 months to feel a difference.

If you are thinking of choosing a kegel exerciser either for motivation or to up your kegel game, you can read our helpful article A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO CHOOSING A KEGEL EXERCISE DEVICE