• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

What every woman needs to know to master the Kegel exercise

by Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS Leave a Comment

By Isa Herrera, MSPT, CSCS, founder of www.PelvicPainRelief.com
~~~

Let’s face it. How many times has your doctor, fitness trainer or yoga instructor told you “do your Kegels” and “you’ll be fine.”  A Kegel is a strengthening exercise for the pelvic floor-vaginal muscles that improves continence, sexual function and organ support. The problem is that many women are not given explicit Kegel instructions and are left wondering, “How do I do them?” The best way for women to stop leaking, improve mobility and birth more easily is to do Kegel exercises consistently and in the right way.

Research has shown that 25% of women do not know how to do a Kegel. Many new moms and pregnant women are getting Kegels all wrong and are suffering. After helping thousands of women recover from pelvic floor disorders. I have come up with the perfect way to master the Kegel exercise, Four Steps to The Perfect Kegel Checklist.

Kegels in action

The perfect Kegel has three actions. The best way to master these actions is to use a mirror while one performs the Kegel exercises. The mirror is the best form of biofeedback that I found and an excellent tool that provides instant feedback. The three actions that make up the perfect Kegel are:

-Action one consists of a clitoral nod where the clitoris moves and nods in a downward direction.

-Action two consists of an anal wink where the anus contracts creating a wink motion.

-Action three involves the perineal body (the area between your vagina and anus) moving inward and upward towards your head.

These three actions should happen at the same time. Don’t despair if you can’t see all three movements at first and with practice, you will master the Kegel.

Not all Kegels are created equal

The most important Kegels are the slow and quick ones. Both types must be included in every set of Kegel exercise you do. Incorporating them trains these muscles thoroughly ensuring long-lasting pelvic power, beautiful orgasms and continence.

The slow Kegels builds endurance, and you should hold them anywhere from 3 to 15 seconds depending on your strength. The quick Kegels are contractions that usually last 1 to 2 seconds. It is important to know that one must relax the vaginal muscles after every single Kegel contraction. Contracting the pelvic floor muscles without rest can lead to more issues down the line.

Kegel breathing

All Kegels must be coordinated with the breath to get the most exceptional results. Exhale as you contract and lift your pelvic floor muscles

and count aloud as you hold your Kegel contraction. Counting aloud ensures that you don’t hold the breath. Breath holding is an absolute “no-no” when doing Kegels. Practicing your Kegel breathing every day for 5 minutes will help you to do your Kegels correctly every single time.

The mind conquers the Kegel exercise

The pelvic floor muscles are the basin of our being, and they can be difficult to connect to. These muscles hold our organs up, control our bladder, sexual function, act as a sump pump and provide us with stability. Some women have difficulty connecting to these muscles and need extra help. The best way to connect to one’s pelvic floor muscles is to use imagery and visualization. My favorite description that helps women to connect to their Kegels is:

“Close your eyes and as you do your Kegel imagine that your vagina is a vacuum cleaner and you are picking up a piece of lint off the floor and pulling it up into your vagina, and you’re holding it there.” … Isa Herrera, MSPT, CSCS

Now you are ready to master your Kegels. All you have to do is practice, practice, and practice. Need more help? Read this- Four Steps to The Perfect Kegel Checklist.

Filed Under: Pregnancy Health

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

how to be a good mother

How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect

By Sarah Moore

Aligned Parents webinar

By Paul Banas

Footer

Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • A Beginner’s Guide to Gentle Parenting: 5 Ways to Lead with Love
  • How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect
  • Best Parenting Books: 28 Books That Will Change Your Life for the Better
  • Aligned Parents webinar
  • How to make sure your home is ready for the new addition to your family

Search

© Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT