Kegel exercises for men and women: benefits and how to do them

Lately, Kegel exercises have grown in popularity both among men and women. Initially, this exercise was better known as gymnastics for mothers who had just given birth. However, Kegel exercises actually offer a myriad of benefits that are not only good for women who have given birth.

Therefore, now Kegel exercises are recommended for anyone who wants to train or tone the pelvic muscles. Don't worry just yet, even though it is called gymnastics, actually this muscle training does not require certain physical strength or endurance. Kegel exercises are easy to do for anyone, anywhere. Just take a look at the various benefits and ways to do the following Kegel exercises for men and women.

What are Kegel exercises?

Even though they are called gymnastics, Kegel exercises are actually exercises to tone only your lower pelvic muscles. Because of this, your body and the rest of your body don't need to move around.

The pelvic floor muscles are located in the pelvic area (groin), which is the muscle used to control the rate of urine (urine).

Initially, this exercise was developed by a gynecologist from the United States, namely dr. Arnold Kegel in the 1940's. The main goal at that time was to treat urinary incontinence in women who had recently given birth.

Over time, this exercise has been proven to be able to overcome various problems around the pelvis and intimate organs if done regularly. Therefore, nowadays, obstetricians or urologists around the world have often recommended Kegel exercises as a home treatment for various health conditions involving a person's reproductive or intimate organs.

Make no mistake, this exercise is not only beneficial for women, but also for men. However, how to do men's Kegel exercises and women's Kegel exercises are certainly different. For more details about lower pelvic muscle exercises with Kegel, read on for the following information.

What are the benefits of Kegel exercises?

Anyone who regularly does this exercise will feel the changes and benefits. Kegel exercises are muscle exercises that focus on the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor muscles are located in the area of ​​the male and female sex organs. So, those of you who regularly do Kegel exercises will get the following changes.

Benefits of Kegel exercises for women

• Close the vagina after a normal delivery.
• Speed ​​up vaginal recovery after episiotomy (vaginal scissors during childbirth). The reason is, Kegel exercises can increase smooth blood circulation to the vaginal area. Blood that contains oxygen and various nutrients is needed to regenerate various cells and vaginal tissues that have been damaged by an episiotomy.
• Helps overcome hemorrhoids (hemorrhoids), especially after vaginal delivery. This is because Kegel can improve blood circulation to the rectum and vagina.
• Tighten the vagina which has loosened, for example when a woman enters menopause. This benefit can help achieve a more satisfying sexual performance.
• Help with pelvic organ prolapse symptoms. Pelvic organ prolapse is when the muscles and ligaments that support the organs in the pelvic area weaken. This was proven in a study by experts from Norway in 2012. This research was published in the Journal of Urology.

Benefits of Kegel exercises for men

• Helps relieve urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is a condition where it is difficult to hold back urination or always feels an urge to urinate, in both men and women. Kegel's success in overcoming this problem was discussed in a 2009 study that was thoroughly reviewed by Cochrane, an international organization engaged in medical information.
• Blood circulation so that the penis can erection stronger during sex. A team of experts from Israel found that these lower pelvic muscle exercises can help men with erectile dysfunction (impotence) to maintain an erection. Experts believe that this exercise can help better control your sexual function and response.
• Prevent and help overcome premature ejaculation. The effect of Kegel exercises in dealing with premature ejaculation is proven in the International Journal of Andrology. According to this study, doing Kegel exercises for approximately twelve weeks can help more than 50 percent of men with premature ejaculation problems to delay orgasm so that sex feels more satisfying.
• Prevent urinating incomplete or post-micturition dribble (urine still dripping after urinating) especially in men. Research in the journal BJU International says that this exercise can indeed help men control their urine output, especially after undergoing prostate surgery.
• Maintain male prostate health. This exercise is good for training the muscles around the prostate so that it can support the various male reproductive organs firmly.

How to do Kegel exercises for women

Just like men's Kegel exercises, women's Kegel exercises can be done while lying down, sitting, standing, or walking. If this is your first time trying this lower pelvic exercise, it's best to do it lying down, with your knees bent. This position will minimize the force of gravity so that your body is more relaxed.

To locate the pelvic floor muscles, try to tighten the muscles in the vaginal area as if you were holding back the urine while urinating. The muscles that contract are your pelvic floor muscles.

If you already know the location of the pelvic floor muscles, see how to do the following female Kegel exercises.

1. Tighten your lower pelvis for about 3 seconds.
2. While toning these muscles, don't hold your breath or tighten your abs, thighs, and buttocks.
3. Relax your pelvic floor again for 3 seconds.
4. Repeat this muscle exercise up to 10 times.
5. For maximum results, do this exercise 3 times a day.

Once you get used to doing Kegel exercises, try to hold your pelvic floor muscles even longer. Start by holding for 5 seconds, until you can hold for 10 seconds. Give it a suitable pause of 5-10 seconds. Don't forget to breathe normally during the women's Kegel exercises.

You can train your pelvic floor muscles anywhere and anytime, for example when sitting at your desk or watching television. Do not hold your pelvic floor muscles when you urinate, as this can harm your bladder.

How to do Kegel exercises for men

Men's Kegel exercises do not require special preparation or equipment. You can do it anywhere. However, for the first time you can do Kegel exercises while lying down. This is so that your body is more relaxed and the lower pelvic muscles are more sensitive.

All you have to do is determine where your pelvic floor muscles are. To do this, try to tighten your muscles as if you were holding back the urine while urinating. The muscles that contract are your pelvic floor muscles.

After knowing the location of the pelvic floor muscles, follow how to do the male Kegel exercises below.

1. Tighten your lower pelvic muscles for three seconds.
2. As you tone your lower pelvis, breathe normally and don't hold your stomach, thighs, or buttocks.
3. Relax your lower pelvis and pause for about three seconds.
4. Repeat this muscle exercise for about 10 times.
5. Try to do Kegel exercises three times a day.

If you are used to doing these pelvic floor exercises, try to hold the pelvic floor muscle contractions longer, which is 5 to 10 seconds. Give it a balanced pause as well, about 5 to 10 seconds.

You can also do men's Kegel exercises while standing, on foot, or while sitting behind an office desk. Don't tighten your pelvic floor muscles when you urinate. This is at risk of causing problems with the bladder.

What not to do when doing Kegel exercises

While this exercise is easy enough for anyone to do, there are a few things to be aware of. Keep these few things in mind, huh.

• Don't hold your breath while doing Kegel exercises. Breathe normally through your nose. To make it easier, you can take a deep breath while holding the contraction of the pelvic muscles. Then, relaxing your muscles again, exhale slowly.
• For men, do not tighten the muscles downward, as if trying to urinate. This exercise is actually done by tightening the muscles upward, as if you were holding your pee.
• Relax the muscles in the abdominal area, thighs, or buttocks. You may reflexively tone the muscles in these areas inadvertently. To prevent this mistake, you can do Kegel exercises with one hand on your stomach and the other on your buttocks. That way, you will feel movement or contraction when the muscles that are not in the lower pelvis also tighten. However, with regular exercise you will get used to relaxing muscles other than the pelvic floor muscles.
• Always relax the muscles in your lower pelvis again each time you are exhausted from holding a contraction.
• Do not do this exercise if you are urinating or defecating. This will actually have a bad effect on your bladder. Therefore, it is important for you to do this exercise after you urinate or urinate. Indeed, the best time to do this exercise is when your bladder is empty.

How often do you have to do Kegel exercises so that you can feel the results?

For maximum results and changes, the health site WebMD states that this exercise should be done regularly. Just like the other muscles in your body, your lower pelvic muscles will also be more flexible and stronger if you are diligent in exercising them.

For beginners or people who have never done Kegel exercises at all, you can start by practicing once a day. Find a time that is most suitable, which is a time when you can relax and not feel rushed. For example, after you shower in the afternoon or evening.

If you are used to it, gradually increase the duration of the exercise and the frequency. However, it is not recommended that you do Kegel exercises more than three times a day. Too often doing this exercise can actually make your muscles tired so that you actually experience interference when you urinate or defecate.

According to various studies, usually this exercise will only feel the effects and changes after you routinely do exercise for four to six weeks. However, the effect is certainly very beneficial for the health problems you are facing.

So, so that you can get a routine, you can do Kegel exercises while doing various other daily routines. For example, while watching television. You can even do this exercise together with your partner. That way, you can simultaneously increase intimacy and increase sexual pleasure thanks to this exercise.

Is it necessary to use tools?

Currently, there are a lot of assistive products offered for your training sessions. The most common example is Kegel balls (Kegel ball) for women's Kegel gymnastics.

Basically, this tool was created by borrowing from another concept of body fitness, which is that putting weight on the muscles can help build and train the muscle strength. This is why many people who want to build muscle do weight training.

Now, the concept of the Kegel ball is more or less like that. While sitting or standing, the woman must insert the special ball into the vaginal opening.

Then, when the ball is fully inserted, hold as much as possible so that it doesn't move any further in or fall out of the vagina. This can be done by slightly covering your legs so that the position is not too straddling.

It is believed that the weight of the Kegel balls you use can help women tone and tone the muscles in the pelvic area.

However, keep in mind that there is no research to prove that Kegel ball exercises are more effective than regular regular exercise. In addition, you are at high risk for bacterial or fungal infections of the vagina if the tools used are unhygienic and sterile.

Not to mention the risk of injury if the tools used are stuck in the vagina or injure the vagina. In the end, the risks that may occur outweigh the benefits of doing exercise with tools.

Therefore, you should discuss further with your nurse, midwife, or obstetrician how the most appropriate and safe way to do Kegel exercises.