Do you know how to Kegel? Sarahjane West-Watson takes us through our paces
The autumn chill is the perfect excuse to cosy down on the sofa under a warm blanket, put on our favourite box set and yes, you guessed it… do our Kegels!
But, did you know that when questioned, many women don’t know how to kegel? Generally, we know they should involve a squeeze and lift… but when I ask clients how they do a pelvic floor exercise, they recoil shyly, admitting they don’t really know.
So, how do you Kegel?
Let’s unpick it so that you can make the most of your cosy kegel time!
First, don’t just focus on the vagina and stop the flow of urine, because it is about so much more than that!
Know Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
The pelvic floor is a complex system of 14 muscles that make up the base of our core. Broadly speaking, they can be grouped into 3 main areas
- A wonderful large, broad hammock-like muscle that runs from the base of our tailbone, right under our pelvis, to the pubic bone at the front of our pelvis. This is the main muscle that really supports your pelvic organs and should work in tandem with your abs and your diaphragm (think breath).
- Our sphincter muscles enclose the entrance to our anus and the vagina (think of closing a draw-string bag). These are important to keep or allow things in and to let things pass out.
- The vertical muscular walls of the vaginal canal and the rectum, and reflect the ‘lift’ component of a kegel.
For an effective and well-functioning pelvic floor, we must be able to create an effective contraction AND relaxation of all these muscles.
If you’re still not too sure, check out Sarahjane’s video.
Your 6-Step Kegel Guide:
The first thing I encourage clients to do is to explore each of the 3 main muscle groups, by trying to connect with them by contracting and then relaxing them in the following order:
- Subtle lift of the clitoris
- Closure and opening around the entrance to the vagina
- Lifts and lowers within the vaginal canal
- Closure and opening of the anus
- Lifts and lowers within the rectum (back passage)
- Subtle lift of that broad hammock muscle from the back to the front.
Top 5 Kegel Tips:
- If you are struggling to find the muscles, have a go at letting everything go, it’s likely that you already holding everything tight!
- Focus on the quality not the size of the contraction.
- Control the release of the muscles, rather than just letting everything go.
- Relax your breath and relax your jaw as you contract.
- Don’t expect perfect straight away, your pelvic floor isn’t going anywhere, so enjoy building the connection and strength within it!
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