Vaginal Fitness
         The Benefits To Keeping It Fit & Healthy Through Kegel Exercise

Just as men benefit from taking care of their equipment and can do exercises to enhance their penis size and control, women benefit as well when they address their sexual health through vaginal exercise. The Kegel exercise is named after Dr. Arnold Kegel who studied the pubococcygeal muscles (or muscles of the pelvic floor). These muscles form a hammock that spans the area between the anus and the pubic bone.

Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., C.E.O. HolisticWisdom.com Founder

Kegel exercises help tone and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are important for proper tone of the bladder, urethra, vagina, uterus and rectum. Kegel exercises should be done by all women, but especially after the delivery of an infant, as a treatment for urinary incontinence and pelvic relaxation that often comes with the aging process, and for improving sexual relations by improving pelvic floor control.

Good vaginal muscle tone and control are important for several reasons:

SUPPORT OF THE BLADDER: Certain circumstances, especially childbirth and hysterectomy, can lead to a dropping down of the bladder. This can result in loss of control and leakage of urine due to sneezing, coughing, laughing, running or straining.

PROPER PLACEMENT OF THE CONTRACEPTIVE DIAPHRAGM.

REDUCED CHANCE OF VAGINAL INFECTIONS: By bringing an increased blood supply to the vaginal lining.

SEXUAL RELATIONS: Increased interest, greater participation and more satisfaction as it allows for better control in tightening the vaginal walls as well as have better control during orgasm and female ejaculation (although it is important to note that a woman can female ejaculate without having an orgasm and can do both without doing such exercises).

For more information on this see our book "The Art Of Female Ejaculation."

Tips For Exercises

In order to improve your tone and control begin by urinating with your legs spread apart. Start and stop the stream several times. After you have done this, get into a comfortable position when you are lying in bed. Put one or two fingers inside the vagina and imagine that you are starting and stopping the urinary stream. You will notice that the muscles on the sides of the vagina put pressure on your fingers. Experiment to determine the way of contracting these muscles that puts the maximum pressure on your fingers. Make sure you experience a drawing up or pulling inward rather than a bearing down.

You can incorporate this exercise into your daily schedule so you do it often during the day. Especially in the beginning it is important that you occasionally put one or two fingers inside the vagina to make sure you are doing the exercises correctly.

Exercises that strengthen the pelvic muscles involved in urination vaginal exercises are used to treat stress or urge incontinence.

Kegel exercises are done as follows:

~ The muscles to be exercised are the pelvic muscles. These can be felt by
    purposely stopping the flow of urine in midstream and starting again. The muscles
     that squeeze the urethra and anus are the ones involved.

~ Remembering what it felt like to control these muscles during urination, a woman
    tries to contract them when not urinating. If the stomach or buttocks muscles
    tighten, the muscles are not being exercised correctly.

~ A woman tightens these muscles for 3 seconds and then relaxes for 3 seconds.

~ The exercises should be repeated 10 to 15 times per session. A woman should do
    these at least three sessions per day for it to be effective.

Kegel exercises can be performed while traveling, at work, or at odd moments during the day. No one will be aware that a woman is doing the exercises.

Kegel exercises are often combined with biofeedback techniques to teach the proper exercise methods and maintain exercise effectiveness. Biofeedback allows a person to see, feel, or hear when an exercise is being performed correctly. For women, this can be done by having her place a finger in her vagina or anus to feel it contract when the pelvic muscles are exercised. More elaborate devices can also be used that measure the pressure of the bladder and abdominal muscles or provide a measurement of the pressure within the vagina.

Another exercise technique involves using a weighted cone that is inserted into the vagina. The woman must contract the pelvic muscles to prevent the cone from dropping out of the vagina. A set of cones identical in size and shape but of increasing weight are provided. As treatment progresses, heavier cones are used that require stronger contractions to keep them in place.

Kegel exercises improve urinary incontinence in nearly 80% of those who use them, and improve sexual health and pleasure! Kegel exercises can build up the muscles in order to counteract any muscle loosening that occurs as a result of menopause.

There are no risks associated with these treatments. Kegel exercises with or without biofeedback techniques require a high level of motivation and frequent repetition to be successful.

Bottom line... toning your vagina is not just good for sexual pleasure, it's good for your health!

Ben Wa Balls are made from a variety of substances, including gold plating, silver, steel, plastic, Lucite and any combination thereof. They are slightly larger than a child's marbles. They are sold by the pair and are intended for vaginal insertion.

Duotone Balls are a variation on the Ben Wa theme: metal ball bearings are enclosed within hollow plastic or metal balls tied together with a string. (Ben Wa Balls are not intended for anal use as they can get easily "lost," while Duotone Balls are less likely to via the string attachment.)

The point of both of these products are that they are supposed to roll around inside causing a degree of sexual arousal. There are vibrating versions of the Duotone balls which certainly makes the stimulation more intense.

Because they are made from hard, non-porous substances, Ben Wa Balls don't absorb bacteria, unlike some Duotone Balls made from rubber and need to be cleaned.

Some women claim they wear them all day, experiencing fun at the office, the grocery store and even on dates. Other women enjoy using them for partner sex, and say their male partners love encountering the smooth balls during penetration. However, some women say the toys are little more than useless, producing a sensation so slight, they may as well not be using the balls at all.

Ben Wa Balls and Duotone Balls: The Difference

Duotone Ball Material Concerns:
Silicone or plastic are generally the best materials both for their hygienic properties and texture. Latex is a good material but it is less than a perfect substance because it is hard to keep clean. It has some porous elements, and some women may have an allergic reaction to latex.

Arguments Against Ben Wa Balls & Duotone Balls

Ben Wa Balls are sometimes a disappointment to those women that purchase them. Ben Wa Balls are placed in the vagina like a tampon and are often marketed to provide women with multiple orgasms while you do daily activities.

The truth is that women's vaginas envelop the balls, and you have to leap up and down to get them to move around much. They are not for intense stimulation, in fact they are often quite subtle. Also, one would want to be aware that laughing and sneezing can "pop" them out and make for interesting conversation if you were in public!

Arguments For Ben Wa Balls & Duotone Balls

While being a disappointment for women who expect incredible ecstasy when trying them, it should be pointed out that the culture of their origin prizes the subtle and understated, not intense, quick excitement.

"Vaginal neglect" is common in our culture as most women focus on their clitoris for sexual stimulation. Ben Wa Balls are designed to teach women to learn more about subtle stimulation in their vagina.

Tantra enthusiasts, Taoist sex practitioners, yoga and meditation advocates and other endorsers of spiritual sex feel that a woman would benefit by learning to enjoy life's subtler pleasures. It's rumored that the orgasms achieved from using Ben Wa Balls are worth the wait.

Tips For Using Ben Wa Balls & Duotone Balls For Pleasure

Insert Ben Wa balls into the vagina one at a time. Use lube and lie down if necessary. Then stand up and move around actively for at least 10 minutes. For example, many women use Ben Wa balls while cleaning the house, during their beauty routine in the morning, or during exercise.

Sitting-
Insert the Ben Wa Balls into your vagina and while sitting down - squeeze your legs together. After the Ben Wa Balls have been inserted and your legs are pressed together, start rocking back and forth.

During Sex-
Use them during sexual vaginal penetration which will allow them to bump into one another like billiard balls and create increased sensation.

Use With A Vibrator-
Use them while inserting a vibrator in your vagina or using on the clitoris for increased pleasure.

Lubricate-
Using plenty of lube gives the balls a better chance of moving independently, rather than as a group, so don't just use a couple of drops, use ample amounts for more movement when laying down or sitting.

Unique Tip For Duotone Balls-
Place one ball in the vagina while letting another ball hang out.

Kegel Exercise

Ben Wa Balls can provide one very good benefit: with proper use, they can help to tighten and strengthen your Pubococcygeus (PC) muscle, which not only gives you a more desirable grip during intercourse and also helps to control your bladder and prevent incontinence as you age.

To find your PC muscle, stop the flow next time you urinate. The muscle you tighten to do this is your PC. Hold the Ben Wall Balls or Duotone Balls in place for about 15 minutes a day to strengthen them. Also, pushing and pulling them in through your vagina over and over will give your vagina a good work out.

If You Have A Hard Time Getting Them Out

Because of the weight, they won't get permanently stuck. However, if you are really clenched up they may be a challenge to get out right away so try a couple of deep breaths, then gently bear down as if having a bowel movement. If needed insert some lubricant and they’ll slide right out.

If You Have A Hard Time Keeping Them In

If your PC muscles are not very strong or if you have recently given birth or been playing with very large sex toys than you may find it more challenging to hold Ben Wa Balls inside your vagina. Plastic balls may be easier to start out with, as the Ben Was are quite heavy in comparison.

Caution
They will set off metal detectors, and have a nasty habit of sliding out at inopportune moments. We recommend using Ben Wa Balls with common sense and at home to avoid public embarrassment.

Ben Wa Balls & Duotone Balls To Buy Or Not To Buy

What this really comes down to is your own sexuality and preference for pleasure inducing toys. There's no right or wrong answer here, and no medical, health or scientific reason why you would want to avoid them. They aren't particularly expensive, but if you do purchase them be prepared to spend some time perfecting your technique and understand that they are not meant to be used for that intense, quick orgasm that vibrators provide.

Kegel Exercisers Find toys for kegel exercise below as well as articles that help you to better understand what are kegels, how strengthening them improves your health and sex life and how to exercise them.