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Kegel vs. Pelvic Floor Exercises
If you’ve ever experienced changes in sexual sensation or bladder leaks when exercising, your pelvic floor might be part of the reason why. Kegels are one type of exercise that can help. But, they’re not the only type of pelvic floor exercises.
Pelvic floor muscles weaken for many reasons, including aging, weight gain, and childbirth.1 They can also lead to incontinence and issues with sexual function. Fortunately, certain types of pelvic floor exercises, such as like Kegels, can help you strengthen these muscles. But what is a Kegel vs pelvic floor exercise, and how can you do them properly? Here, we'll look at the different types of pelvic floor exercises you can do and how they can enhance your sexual health.
What Are Pelvic Floor Exercises?
Pelvic floor exercises are exercises that work to strengthen the muscles that support your bowels, bladder, and sex organs. They require you to tighten and relax these muscles, similar to how you stop the flow of urine when going to the bathroom.
In order to be effective, it's important to do these exercises daily and start slowly, gradually increasing the number of repetitions you do as your muscles get stronger. If you're ready to give them a try, here are 5 exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles.
How Kegels Work
Your pelvic floor muscles are a sling of muscles that are located at the base of your pelvis. They support the bladder, bowels, and, in women, the uterus. Kegel exercises work by strengthening these muscles and improving bladder control. These exercises can help with issues like urinary leakage and pelvic organ prolapse.
Core Benefits for Sexual Health
Kegel exercises are a great way to boost your sexual health and functioning. A scientific review of several studies found that Kegels can improve the quality of your sex life by:2
- Improving sexual function
- Making it easier to reach orgasm
- Increasing sexual arousal
- Reducing vaginal discomfort during sex
Kegel exercises can also help restore vaginal muscle tone, which can enhance pleasurable sensations during sex for both partners.
Impact on Premature Ejaculation
While Kegels help to strengthen a woman's pelvic floor, you may be wondering what they can do for men. For example, "How do Kegels help premature ejaculation?" Studies have shown that men strengthening their pelvic floor muscles can experience significant improvement in ejaculatory control and an increase in their stamina.3
During ejaculation, the pelvic floor muscles are activated. Strengthening them can give many men better control over their ejaculatory reflex. Stronger pelvic floor muscles also encourage better blood flow to the genitals, which may help with erectile dysfunction.
In addition to using enough lube, like KY lubricants, improved muscle tone and blood flow may also be one of the secrets to better orgasms and a more comfortable and fulfilling sexual experience.
Kegels vs. Other Pelvic Floor Exercises
You can perform more than just Kegel exercises for your pelvic floor. Another thing you may do is Pompoir exercises. They are slightly more challenging motions you can do to get better control of your pelvic floor muscles.
Key Differences
Pompoir exercises are more complicated than Kegels. When you do Kegels, you work on tightening and loosening the muscles in your pelvic floor. However, with Pompoir exercises, you focus on performing pulling and pushing motions.
With Pompoir exercises, the main goal is to achieve specific control of your pelvic floor muscles, while the main goal of Kegels is to strengthen the general pelvic floor. While Pompoir involves pulling the back vaginal wall and then releasing through coordinated effort, Kegels are more basic and require contracting and relaxing.
Which Is More Effective?
Both exercises are effective. If you want to improve your general pelvic floor strength, Kegel exercises may be a good option. If you're looking to gain more sexual control and improve your pelvic floor coordination to a much higher level, Pompoir exercises may be suitable for you.
Best Practices for Beginners
If you're new to Kegels, start off slowly and with a simple routine. For example, you could start with 5 to 10 repetitions, 2 or 3 times a day. Increase your hold time slowly until you can hold them for 10 seconds. Make sure to rest between moves.
Takeaway: Building Strength and Control
Exercises like Kegels and Pompoir can improve your sexual health and confidence, but strengthening your pelvic floor takes time and effort. Remember to always start slowly and talk to your doctor if you have any questions.
References
- Snyder, A. (April, 2024 ). Pelvic Floor PSA. NIH Record, Vol. LXXVI, No. 9. https://nihrecord.nih.gov/2024/04/26/pelvic-floor-psa
- Hadizadeh-Talasaz, Z., Sadeghi, R., & Khadivzadeh, T. (November 2019). Effect of pelvic floor muscle training on postpartum sexual function and quality of life: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Taiwan Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Advance online publication. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31759521/
- Myers, C., & Smith, M. (June, 2019). Pelvic floor muscle training improves erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation: a systematic review. Physiotherapy, 105(2), 235–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2019.01.002
