What Are Kegel Exercises & Why They’re Important For EVERY Body

We bet you’ve all hear the word “kegels” and know it has something to do with not peeing when you sneeze, or maybe you’ve heard they can give you stronger orgasms. But what are kegels, exactly? Let Betty guide you through this confusing topic.

WHAT IS A KEGEL?

A Kegel is not a muscle or part of your body. It’s actually an exercise that was developed back in the 1940s by Dr. Arnold Kegel to help with urinary incontinence through a sequence of clenching and unclenching your pelvic floor or pubococcygeal (PC for short) muscle. What began as an exercise to stop you peeing when you sneeze was soon discovered to help people’s sex lives as well. More on that little gem later.

WHAT ARE YOUR PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES?

Think of your pelvic floor muscles like the hammock that keeps all of the organs in your pelvis supported – your uterus, bladder, and bowel. They are what you use to control your bladder or bowel movements, or when you stop yourself from farting in public. They are the same muscles that contract when you have an orgasm and they support the muscles that make (and keep) a penis erect.

With all of these important tasks to keep up, it’s no surprise that weakened pelvic muscles can lead to all kinds of unpleasant problems like loss of bladder or bowel control, loss of feeling during sex, painful sex, premature ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction.

HOW CAN KEGEL EXERCISES IMPROVE YOUR SEX LIFE?

Since your pelvic floor muscles contract when you have an orgasm, by strengthening them you are looking at some major benefits. The more toned those muscles get, the easier it will be for your body to achieve orgasm, with some folks reporting an increased ability for multiple orgasms as well. That same control and awareness is also what can help those experiencing painful intercourse learn to relax those vaginal muscles and achieve some relief.

Stronger muscles can also help support an erection that lasts longer and is more firm, as well as giving you more control over ejaculation.

Another amazing benefit of kegel exercises is getting blood flowing in your vagina and pelvic floor. Increased blood circulation can help increase sexual arousal and can increase vaginal lubrication (wetness).

Now that we’ve convinced you of the importance of kegel exercises, you can check out our article HOW TO DO KEGEL EXERCISES and get clenching!