Kegel Buddies
Most of us have groups of friends that we hang out with, and those groups may change based on the activities and interests. I have work friends, church friends, school friends, childhood friends and other social groups of friends. I have friends who share my birthday, so we celebrate together. I even have a very special group of friends who know exactly where I keep all of my vibrators just in case they need to clear them out in case of an emergency. My life is definitely richer because of these amazing friends.
Because there is such love between us, we try to help each other be the best that we can be. Today, I met a lovely young woman who belongs to a texting group that reminds each other to do their Kegel exercises every day. Genius!! Why not? We have breast buddies to remind us to do self-checks monthly or do annual pap smears. We have exercise buddies to invite us to the gym, or in my case, drag me kicking and screaming. I have friends who bring me healthy lunches, or buy me chocolate. We share all of these great experiences, so why wouldn’t we remind each other to exercise the muscles that hold everything up?
If you aren’t familiar with what Kegels are or the benefits, let me break it down. Kegel exercises are exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles hold up the bladder, uterus, rectum and bowels. There are things like pregnancy, childbirth and age that women go through that can weaken the muscles, but we can reverse it. Rebuilding, or building, those muscles help decrease urinary incontinence and anal seepage. Even better, Kegels help with increase blood flow to vaginal area resulting in stronger orgasms. Your partner will also benefit as you are able to more easily contract the muscles, gripping the penis.
I even have a very special group of friends who know exactly where I keep all of my vibrators . . .
There are many ways to strengthen those muscles, and most women will do their “Kegels” by stopping midstream while urinating. While this is a great place to start, be careful because over time you may not be able to completely empty your bladder. You can work those muscles as you are sitting in traffic or during sex, and you can do squats as well. As with any exercise, you will see better results by adding some weight. There are sets of weights available that will develop these muscle by gradually increasing the mass while decreasing the volume. There are also app ready devices that are like hiring a personal trainer for your vagina. It may take a few weeks or even months to see results, but it is definitely worth it.
Life is crazy! Like most women, I spend a lot of time doing for others forgetting about my needs. So, join me as I commit to defying gravity and taking charge of my vaginal health. Pledge to take 10 minutes, 3 times a day and work those muscles! Your vagina will thank you. And, remember: Friends don’t let friends forget their Kegels.