Kegel exercises – aren’t they just for women who wet themselves? Apparently not!
For those who follow me on Instagram stories, you may have seen I do Kegel exercises as part of my morning routine. (And no Duncan Roy, they are not the same as a kettlebell exercise 😂)
Pre-2018, I’d known about Kegels but never paid much attention, mostly because I didn’t piss myself when on a trampoline.
Then I started dating a gloriously handsome man who did Kegel exercises and taught me all about them.
He’d do his Kegels on the tube on his commute to work – 7 stops which was 15 minutes! If you know Kegels you’ll know that’s a long time to be contracting!
But before I get into ‘that’ story, I’ll give you the basics.
What are Kegel exercises?
Cue Wikipedia description:
Kegel Exercise, also known as pelvic floor exercise, involves repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor, now sometimes referred to as the ‘Kegel muscles’.
If that didn’t help: women, that means contracting your vagina muscles and men, that’s like trying to stop your pee mid-flow. It’s basically contracting the muscles around your sexual organs.
Typically, Kegels are associated with incontinence, but before you think I wet myself (I don’t!) and before I lose you entirely, there is a far juicer reason for doing them….
The Kegel Story & The Surprising Benefit
Let’s go back to the handsome boy……
For the purpose of this story, we will call him Dave.
He introduced me to a Kegel app* and told me doing the exercises would make sex more pleasurable and give stronger, more intense, prolonged orgasms. My ears were ready to receive more information!
* I’d love to tell you more about the app but it’s been discontinued from the app store. There are, however, loads of Kegel apps available.
Back then, I thought Kegels were just for women and asked why he did them.
He told me, doing them meant he could control his ejaculation and have an orgasm WITHOUT ejaculating. That meant that he could maintain his erection and keep going even after having an orgasm. (Crumbs, I hope my younger followers and my dad aren’t reading this!)
I’d read about men who could do this in the past but I’d never actually met one!
I can confirm… It is possible! He was a bedroom Zen Master! 🥴
When I tell my female friends about this magical event, their expression is like seeing a genie emerge from a lantern – total shock and disbelief.
Dave told me that Kegels for women makes sex more pleasurable for both the man and the woman; giving stronger orgasms for the woman and improving things for the man because it helps to tighten the muscles in the vagina.
After hearing this magnificent story, I was up for all of it, so I downloaded the app and started on Level 1.
There are 20 levels and 1.5 years later I’m on level 17.
Dave was on level 20 which took him all the way from East Ham to Whitechapel – I will never look at Whitechapel the same again!
Conclusion
So, there you have it. That’s the Kegels Exercise Story.
I’ve been doing them since September 2018 and really enjoy them, not just because of the sex part.
As a result of doing them, I have also noticed other benefits beyond the sex thing; If you’re into fitness, doing them improves core strength, posture and body awareness.
If you’re into mindfulness and meditation, you may like doing them because it’s an action that takes concentration – and to some extent – it is relaxing for the mind.
I enjoy doing them in the morning because:
– it only takes 10 minutes
– it gives me something to concentrate on that isn’t the computer
– it’s great for my overall body wellness
– it benefits my fitness
– it massively improves sex!
– at least I won’t be that 40-year old on a bouncy castle with a wet patch on her trousers
Notes
- If you give Kegel exercises a try, they can be weird and frustrating at first. But stick with it – even if you only do them on the Tube. But be careful not to pull ‘that’ face.
- The exercises I do on the (discontinued) app are:
– basic contract and relax – the contract and relax are about the same length of time
– quick reps
– long holds
- Why the capital K?
Because the exercises were designed by an American gynaecologist called Arnold Kegel. They were developed as a non-surgical alternative to urinary incontinence.
- If you’re wanting to try Kegels I’d say the best thing to do would be head to the internet and search for the best apps.
I hope you enjoyed this blog and found it insightful. I’d love to hear what you think.
Have you been doing Kegels for a while? If so, what benefits have you experienced?
Did you learn something new from reading this?
Come and find me on social media and let me know.