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Vaginal
Fitness
The
Benefits To Keeping It Fit & Healthy Through Kegel Exercise
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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.
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Lisa
S. Lawless, Ph.D., C.E.O.
HolisticWisdom.com
Founder
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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.
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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 & Duotone Balls
What
Are They & Do They Work?

Ben
Wa Balls

Duotone
Balls
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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.
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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.
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