Daily Kegel Exercises

Kegel exercises strengthen the deep muscles in the pelvic floor, which support the bladder, uterus and bowels. They also can help males and females improve sexual satisfaction by increasing blood flow into the pelvic area for a stronger erection and greater control over ejaculation. Performing daily Kegel exercises can decrease incontinence, or leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh or jump. Kegel exercises are recommended for anyone who has urinary incontinence, benign prostatic hyperplasia or a prolapsed uterus.

Finding Your Kegel Muscles

• Finding your Kegel muscles and knowing what it feels like when they contract is the first step in exercising them. Don't use your gluteus maximus, leg, or abdominal muscles because they will interfere with strengthening the pelvic floor. The Kegel muscles are used in shutting off the flow of urine. To find them, sit on the toilet and start to urinate, then stop the flow. How the pelvic floor muscles feel while the urine has stopped flowing is how a Kegel exercise will feel. Only stop the flow of urine a few times until you know what it feels like, and it is not recommended to shut off urine as a daily exercise. Before you exercise your pelvic floor muscles, empty your bladder. Exercising the Kegels with a full bladder can weaken the muscles, MayoClinic.com says.

Feeling The Pelvic Floor Muscle Move

• Women can find and exercise the Kegel muscles by lying or sitting down, inserting a finger into the vagina and squeezing the muscles until you feel a tightening around the finger. You will also feel your pelvic floor muscles moving upward. Do this several times until you know what it feels like to tighten the muscle. Men can locate the Kegels by inserting a finger into their anus and squeezing; if they are able to do this, they have found the correct muscles. Men should be able to see the testicles lift when performing a Kegel correctly.

Sitting In A Chair

• Kegel exercises can be performed discreetly at any time, even sitting in a chair at work. Sit up tall in a chair with your back supported. Lift your pelvic floor muscles and tighten. Try to hold the contraction for five seconds, and then release. You will be able to tell if you are squeezing your gluteus maximus if you get taller when you squeeze them. Tightening the Kegels will be completely imperceptible to anyone except you, as your body makes no movement. Try to squeeze and hold the contraction for five seconds, and work up to 10 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds between each contraction. Work your way up to 10 Kegels three times a day.

Lying Down

• Exercise your Kegels before getting out of bed in the morning. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the bed. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold for five to 10 seconds. Relax for 10 seconds, and then repeat for up to 10 contractions. Try to do Kegels three times a day either sitting or lying down.

Kegel Exercising Equipment

• Though equipment is not necessary to do Kegel exercises, a peristal, prostate massager, pelvic eggs or beads can be used. These pelvic floor exercising equipment are made safely and specifically for doing Kegel exercises. The equipment is used by inserting in the vagina for females or the anus for men.

Kegel Copulation

• It is possible and enjoyable to perform your Kegel exercises during sexual intercourse. If you are a female, tighten your pelvic floor muscles around his penis. Males can tighten and try to move the penis without thrusting.