Kegel exercises or also called lower pelvic muscle training exercises are useful to improve conditions that can reduce lower pelvic muscle strength, such as labor, aging, being overweight, and surgery can reduce lower pelvic floor muscle function and strength.
Kegel exercises are movements aimed at tightening the pelvic floor muscles. This activity is beneficial to tighten the muscles under the uterus, bladder, and large intestine.
Urine Management to Intimate Relations
In general, the benefits of Kegel exercises can be detailed as follows:
- Helps maintain muscle control to urinate.
- Kegel exercises in men are also beneficial to improve sexual performance. Tightening the lower pelvic muscles during intercourse can help manage erections or delay ejaculation.
- For pregnant women, Kegel exercises are useful to facilitate labor. The strong and elastic pelvic muscles are useful to open the birth canal.
To get maximum results, Kegel exercises can be done during pregnancy or after childbirth. Kegel exercises are very useful especially for those of you who experience problems like the following:
How to do Kegel exercises
Kegel exercises do not require complicated steps and instructions, or special rooms and clothing. As a first step, Kegel exercises can be done while lying down with the following stages:
- Identify the part called the pelvic floor muscles. The trick is to try to stop the discharge of urine when you urinate. The muscle that holds urine is what is called your pelvic floor muscles. In men, if you tighten your pelvic muscles while looking in the mirror, the bottom of your penis will move toward the stomach and the testicles will rise.
- Empty the bladder. Take a lying position. Tighten your lower pelvic floor muscles, hold for up to 5 seconds, then release. Repeat 4-5 times. Then increase the duration from 5 to 10 seconds.
- When tightening the pelvic floor muscles, avoid tightening the abdominal muscles, thighs, and buttocks, and keep breathing relaxed.
- Repeat this movement three times a day with repetitions of at least 3 times 10 times. But avoid doing this movement to hold urine because it can weaken the pelvic muscles and risk the urinary tract infection.
To get maximum results, this gesture should be done every day. You don't need time and space to do it. Kegel exercises can even be done when you are sitting typing or on the way. After your pelvic muscles get tighter, try to do Kegel exercises while standing or walking.
Here are some things that can be applied to maximize the benefits of Kegel. Among them:
- Remember the benefits of Kegel exercises so that you are motivated to do it regularly.
- Do Kegel exercises at the same time every day, such as when brushing your teeth, watching the evening news on TV, or sitting typing in the morning.
- Pay attention to the development you feel.
However, like all sports activities, the benefits of Kegel exercises cannot be felt immediately. If you regularly do Kegel exercises three times a day, generally the benefits can be felt around 4-6 weeks later. If not, you can check the movements that have been done. There could be something wrong in the movement or muscle that you train. But if the condition you are experiencing does not experience improvement after 3-4 months of Kegel exercises, consult a doctor.