Kegel exercises strengthen the pybococcygeal (PC) muscles that provide support for the genital organs and run from the pubic bone to the tail bone. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic say that strengthening these muscles can be beneficial for both men and women by helping control incontinence and increasing sexual satisfaction. Strengthening the PC muscles can help women cope with the strain of pregnancy and childbirth, and men can combat premature ejaculation. There are several variations to Kegel exercises, but to perform them properly, it is important to identify the PC muscles.
Finding the PC Muscle
You can identify the PC muscle by trying to stop the flow of urine while using the bathroom. The muscle that clenches to stop the flow is the PC muscle. If this is ineffective, researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) suggest that women insert a finger into their vagina and try to grip the finger with their vaginal sphincter muscles. Men can find their PC muscle by inserting a lubricated finger into their anus and gripping it with their anal sphincter. In both cases, it is the PC muscles that are contracting.
Method One
Contract the PC muscles, and hold the contraction for five seconds. Follow the contraction with a five-second release. UCSB researchers recommend that as this becomes more comfortable, increase the contraction period to 10 seconds. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic recommend that you perform this exercise in sets of 10, three times a day, to achieve maximum benefit.
Method Two
Count from one to five while tightening the PC muscles a little more with each count. This is followed by incrementally relaxing the muscles while slowly counting backward to one. UCSB researchers recommend 10 sets. A variation of this method suggested by doctors at the Mayo Clinic involves visualizing an elevator going up four floors while tightening the muscles a little more at each floor and relaxing them slowly as the elevator descends.
Method Three
Quickly clench and release the PC muscles repeatedly. UCSB researchers say to start with 10-second sets, slowly working up to 30-second sets as the exercise becomes more comfortable. They recommend a short rest between sets. The Mayo Clinic suggests a variation of this exercise by counting rapidly to 10 or 20, with a contract/relax repetition with each count.
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