Kegel exercises: A how-to guide for women
Kegel exercises can help you prevent or
control urinary incontinence and other
pelvic floor problems. Here's a step-by-step
guide to doing Kegel exercises correctly.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor
muscles, which support the uterus, bladder,
small intestine and rectum. You can do Kegel
exercises, also known as pelvic floor muscle
training, discreetly just about anytime.
Start by understanding what Kegel exercises
can do for you — then follow step-by-step
instructions for contracting and relaxing your
pelvic floor muscles.
Why Kegel exercises matter
Many factors can weaken your pelvic floor
muscles, including pregnancy, childbirth,
surgery, aging and being overweight.
You might benefit from doing Kegel exercises if
you:
Leak a few drops of urine while sneezing,
laughing or coughing
Have a strong, sudden urge to urinate just
before losing a large amount of urine
(urinary incontinence)
Leak stool (fecal incontinence)
Kegel exercises can be done during pregnancy
or after childbirth to try to prevent urinary
incontinence. Kegel exercises — along with
counseling and sex therapy — might also be
helpful for women who have persistent
difficulty reaching orgasm.
Keep in mind that Kegel exercises are less
helpful for women who have severe urine
leakage when they sneeze, cough or laugh.
Also, Kegel exercises aren't helpful for women
who unexpectedly leak small amounts of urine
due to a full bladder (overflow incontinence).
How to do Kegel exercises
It takes diligence to identify your pelvic floor
muscles and learn how to contract and relax
them. Here are some pointers:
Find the right muscles. To identify your
pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in
midstream. If you succeed, you've got the
right muscles.
Perfect your technique. Once you've
identified your pelvic floor muscles, empty
your bladder and lie on your back. Tighten
your pelvic floor muscles, hold the
contraction for five seconds, and then relax
for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a
row. Work up to keeping the muscles
contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing
for 10 seconds between contractions.
Maintain your focus. For best results, focus
on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles.
Be careful not to flex the muscles in your
abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding
your breath. Instead, breathe freely during
the exercises.
Repeat 3 times a day. Aim for at least
three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
Don't make a habit of using Kegel exercises to
start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegel
exercises while emptying your bladder can
actually weaken the muscles, as well as lead to
incomplete emptying of the bladder — which
increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.

Kegel exercises for men: Understand the
benefits
Kegel exercises for men can help improve
bladder control and possibly improve sexual
performance. Here's a guide to doing Kegel
exercises correctly.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Think Kegel exercises are just for women?
Think again.
Kegel exercises for men can strengthen the
pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder
and bowel and affect sexual function. With
practice, Kegel exercises for men can be done
discreetly just about anytime — whether you're
relaxing on the couch or driving your car.
Before you start doing Kegel exercises, find out
how to locate the correct muscles and
understand the proper technique.
Benefits of Kegel exercises for men
Many factors can weaken your pelvic floor
muscles, including the surgical removal of the
prostate (radical prostatectomy) and conditions
such as diabetes and overactive bladder.
You might benefit from doing Kegel exercises if
you:
Have urinary or fecal incontinence
Dribble after urination — usually after
you've left the bathroom
Some studies suggest that Kegel exercises for
men might also benefit some men who have
erectile dysfunction. However, further research
is needed.
How to do Kegel exercises for men
It takes diligence to identify your pelvic floor
muscles and understand how to contract and
relax them. Here are some pointers:
Find the right muscles. To identify your
pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in
midstream or tighten the muscles that keep
you from passing gas. These are your pelvic
floor muscles. If you contract your pelvic
floor muscles while looking in the mirror,
the base of your penis will move closer to
your abdomen and your testicles will rise.
Perfect your technique. Once you've
identified your pelvic floor muscles, empty
your bladder and lie on your back with your
knees bent and apart. Tighten your pelvic
floor muscles, hold the contraction for three
seconds, and then relax for three seconds.
Try it a few times in a row but don't overdo
it. When your muscles get stronger, try doing
Kegel exercises while sitting, standing or
walking.
Maintain your focus. For best results, focus
on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles.
Be careful not to flex the muscles in your
abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding
your breath. Instead, breathe freely during
the exercises.
Repeat 3 times a day. Aim for at least
three sets of 10 repetitions a day.



www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/mens-health/in-depth/kegel-exercises-for-men/art-20045074