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Kegel
Exercises
For
Health & Pleasure
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A
Little History
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Robert
W. Birch, Ph.D.,
Sexologist &
Adult Sexuality Educator
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A band of
muscles stretch between the legs of both men and women, stretching
from the pubic bone in front to the coccyx (tail) bone in back.
Playfully, we could say that with out these muscles, all of our
internal organs would fall out! Along their way, this sling of
muscles includes the sphincter of the bladder, the sphincter of
the anus, and, in a woman, the sphincter surround the opening
of her vagina.
These muscles
are clinically known as the pubococcygeus (pronounced pew-bo-kak-se-gee'-us)
muscles, but this group of muscles is more commonly called the
"PC muscle." To talk as though there is just one muscle is an
over-simplification, for there are actually a number of muscle
groups that collectively make up this pelvic floor sling. We'll
use the plural and call them the PC muscles.
Many younger
women have been introduced to their PC muscles during a pregnancy
or during a postpartum exam when they were advised to exercise
these muscles in order to restore muscle tone following childbirth.
Many older women have been introduced to their PC muscles because
these are the muscles that are exercised to correct the condition
known as urinary incontinence (the involuntary loss of urine when
coughing, sneezing, etc.). In fact, the exercise of these PC muscles
as a medical treatment for urinary incontinence was first proposed
in 1950 by the surgeon Arnold Kegel, for whom the exercises have
been named.
In 1952, Dr.
Kegel published a report in which he claimed that the women doing
his exercises were becoming more easily, more frequently and more
intensely orgasmic! As these are the muscles that contract rhythmically
during orgasm in both males and females, it is not surprising,
therefore, that sex therapists have emphasized the importance
of these pelvic floor muscles that surround the vaginal opening
and play a major role in the orgasmic response.
Thirty years
after Dr. Kegel's article, sex therapist Bryce Britton wrote a
book titled "THE LOVE MUSCLE," calling her publication "Every
Woman's Guide to Intensifying Sexual Pleasure." Many people still
refer to the PC muscles as the love muscle. Now, almost 50 years
after Dr. Kegel published his discovery, and after several decades
of "prescribing" the Kegel exercises as a component in teaching
women to become orgasmic (or more easily orgasmic), what can we
say about "Kegeling" the love muscle? We can say that doing the
exercises will tone up the sphincter of the bladder and might
tighten the muscles around the opening of the vagina. We can also
assume that any well-toned muscle will contract more powerfully
than would a flabby muscle, and hence the likelihood of stronger
orgasms with stronger PC muscles. We can report with confidence
that some women squeeze their PC muscles, forcing blood down into
their genital tissue, and in so doing turn themselves on. A very
small minority of women might even be able to bring themselves
to orgasm exclusively with voluntary pelvic floor contractions.
Finally, it is safe to say that a woman can add novelty to a sexual
encounter by voluntarily squeezing her well-toned vaginal sphincter
around her partner's penis, and this might be fun for both giver
and
receiver.
What can most
confidently be said about the entire "PC muscle controversy" is
that in doing Dr. Kegel's exercises, a woman will achieve closer
contact with her pelvis, is more likely to take ownership of her
internal and external genitalia, will strengthen the muscles that
contract during orgasm, and is probably making an investment in
her lifelong urinary control! Is it a major component in a woman
becoming orgasmic? Probably not, but it is certainly something
non-orgasmic women should include in their quest for the "Big
O." It is a part of the learning package.
Doing
The Kegel Exercises
In getting
started with the Kegel exercise of the PC muscles, the first task
for many women is to locate them. The best advice for finding
the muscles is to do so while urinating. Sitting on the toilet
with legs slightly spread, try to interrupt the flow of urine
without bringing your legs together. Stop and start the flow,
trying to sense those muscles that are involved. Once you can
control the flow of your urine and can also find and squeeze them
when not on the toilet, you have identified this band of important
pelvic floor muscles.
Remember,
these muscles are not located in your abdomen, nor are they in
your thighs! Try to isolate the muscles so you can tighten them
without flexing your "abs" and without putting tension in your
legs. It might take time to fine-tune your ability to find, isolate
and contract the muscles, so do not become discouraged if you
have difficulty at first.
Once you know
you have found your PC muscles, you will find that you can flex
them ("Kegeling") most any time you choose and without being noticed
by others who might be around you. Doing a series of Kegel exercises
each day in the course of typical activities is most helpful.
For women who drive or ride to and from work each day, a practical
plan is to do a series of contractions at each red light encountered,
or at each gas station passed, or in response to some other reminder.
While watching TV, squeeze your PC muscles during each commercial.
Contract the muscles and hold them tight for a slow count to five.
At first you might not make it to five, but keep trying. As with
any muscle, the more you exercise that muscle, the less effort
is required to tighten it and the longer you will be able to keep
them tight. In addition to taking advantage of opportunities
in your daily life, set aside specific times when you can be alone
at home. Lay down and relax. Starting with a warm bath might help.
In your mind,
find those PC muscles. Then begin tightening and relaxing five
times, each time holding the contraction for a slow count of five.
Your goal over a period of time is to increase the number of contractions
and the length of time held (although there is a limit to which
the PC muscles can be tightened before they automatically begin
to relax). Work at it, each time striving to improve your count.
If the muscles feel tired, stop and relax for a few seconds and
then start in again.
While on your
back, also try to do a series of quick Kegels, tightening and
relaxing the PC muscles as rapidly as possible, initially five
times. Relax for a minute and then do another series of these
quick rapid contractions. Work to increase the number of contractions
in each series, and work to increase the number of series. You
might think of this as "fluttering" your PC muscles. Rest when
you need to.
It is important
to exercise often and it is helpful to add a variety of physical
positions. It has also been suggested that it would be helpful
to pull in the entire pelvic floor, imagining that you are able
to draw water up into your vagina. Then bear down as though you
are pushing this imaginary water out. Do that five times to start,
and more often as you gain strength.
Initially
you might want to do the exercises clothed (certainly those series
performed on your way to work). At home, however, when you will
be comfortable and will have the time, it might be helpful to
begin doing the exercises nude. Combine your "Kegeling" with other
activities designed to increase body awareness and sexual sensitivity.
You might find that doing your Kegels while masturbating increases
the level of your arousal and might even trigger an orgasm.
Kegeling
With Your Partner
With a partner
present and with sufficient arousal and lubrication, have your
partner insert two fingers into your vagina. Once inside, your
partner should open the fingers up like scissors, and you try
to close them with your vaginal sphincter muscles. Repeat this
five times on each occasion that you do it.
If you are
uncomfortable with two fingers, have your partner put in just
one and then curl this finger upward. You try to straighten it
out! If you are a heterosexual woman with a partner, you might
also want to use the PC muscles that surround the opening of your
vaginal during intercourse. Grip and relax, grip and relax five
times, saying nothing to see if your partner will acknowledge
feeling you tighten around him. You could think of it as a flirtatious
"vaginal wink." Have fun learning about your pubococcygeus muscles
and share!!
This article
is an adaptation of a chapter in the Appendix of PATHWAYS TO PLEASURE:
A Woman's Guide to Orgasm (© 2000) by Sexologist Robert W. Birch,
Ph.D. & Sexuality Counselor Cynthia Lief Ruberg, M.S.Ed.
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