Lifestyle

4 kegel exercises every woman should do

The pelvic floor refers to the muscles which support your organs including bladder, uterus and intestines.

The strength and general health of your pelvic floor muscles are vital to sexual function. They play an important role in arousal, pleasure, and orgasm response.

If your pelvic floor muscles are strong, you can experience a heightened orgasm response. The firmness can also improve pleasure for the partner.

What are kegel exercises?
Kegel exercises are also known as pelvic-floor exercises. Essentially, these involve repeatedly contracting and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles.

The great thing about these exercises is that you can pretty much do them anywhere and anytime. If you do them right, no one can tell. Plus, you need no special equipment, attire or space in order to do a good kegel exercise session.

Before you begin exercising, the first step is to identify your pelvic floor muscles. If you are not sure, imagine that you have to urinate but there is no washroom around. How do you hold it? The muscles you clench (contract) are your pelvic floor muscles, which we shall strengthen through the following exercises.

1. Pulses
Start by sitting in a comfortable position. You can also lie down if you want. Now remember the pelvic floor muscles you identified. All you need to do is to contract them like holding your pee, hold the clench for a second, and then release and relax the muscles.

Start with 15 counts at a time and then increase as you practice it daily. You can also do it multiple times in a day.

​2. Contract and hold
This is a more advanced stage of the previous exercise. All you need to do is to increase the duration of the hold for 3-5 seconds. You can do it whenever you find time. Do 10 reps in a row 3-4 times a day.

3. Kegel with bridge
If you want to further strengthen and challenge your pelvic floor muscles, then give this exercise a try.

Lie on your back and bend your knees and feet hip width apart. Now, gently inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. As you exhale, simultaneously do a Kegel contracting of muscles and lift your hips slightly up. Return back to the original position and inhale, while relaxing your pelvic floor muscles. Repeat 10 times.

4. ​Standing kegel
Stand tall with a good posture. Open your legs so that your feet stand hip width apart. First inhale for 5 seconds and then exhale for 5 seconds.

As you exhale, simultaneously do a Kegel by contracting and holding your muscles. Inhale and relax your muscles. Repeat 10 times.

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