Exercise certainly does enhance sex by keeping our bodies toned, muscular and fit making us feel confident and self-assured about how we look and how we perform in bed.   But there is another area of the body we can’t see that really plays a much more important role in our sexual health leading to improved arousal and pleasure – our pelvic floor muscles.

Pelvic floor muscle exercises, better known as Kegel exercises, is a wondrous movement we can do daily, anywhere, anytime without anyone having any idea you are doing them.  Kegels can not only heighten sexual enjoyment but they also can manage and prevent physical problems.  Here what Kegels can do:

·         For women, they relax the vaginal muscles allowing the vagina to be more open helping to relieve any pain or discomfort experienced during sexual intercourse.

·         They can increase sexual arousal in both men and women boosting libido.

·         They improve a woman’s ability to reach orgasm.

·         They improve blood circulation to the vagina.

·         They increase vaginal tone and lubrication.

·         For both men and women they can give a more intense orgasm.

·         For men they can improve erectile dysfunction and help delay premature ejaculation.

·         They can restore bladder control in men after prostate surgery.

·         In general, they can reduce urinary incontinence or an overactive bladder.

Identifying the pelvic floor muscles

The pelvic floor muscles are the layer of muscles that support the pelvic organs and form the bottom of your pelvis.  The pelvic organs are the bladder and bowel in men and the bladder, bowel, and uterus in women.  These muscles control the flow of urine stream allowing you to stop a stream of urine or what you would use to hold back or prevent you from passing gas.

To identify them even better try the following:

·         Next time you are urinating or imagine you are urinating and contract the muscles to stop the flow of urine.

·         Another way is to tighten the muscles used to hold back or prevent you from passing gas.  If you do it correctly, there should be no visible movement of your body lifting.  If you feel the muscles of your buttocks or abdomen tightening or notice your body lifts slightly, you are probably not using the right muscles. 

·         For women, insert your finger inside your vagina and then tighten or contract the pelvic floor muscles. You should feel your vagina tighten around your finger and the pelvic floor move upward.

·         Place your hand over your abdomen while performing a Kegel.  If your abdomen tightens or moves you are using the wrong muscles.  Avoid using your stomach, legs, or buttocks muscles.

What can cause these muscles to weaken?

·        Age

·        Obesity

·        Straining to have a bowel movement

·        Pregnancy and childbirth in women

·        Heavy lifting

·        High impact exercise

·        Chronic coughing

How to perform Kegel exercises

Once you’ve correctly identified your pelvic floor muscles, you’re ready to do a Kegel.  Tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold for 3 to 6 seconds and then relax the muscles for 3 to 6 seconds. Repeat this movement 10 to 20 times each session.

You can hold the number of seconds longer up to 6 to 10 seconds long and then relax for 6 to 10 seconds.  Always spend the same amount of time relaxing your muscles as you do contracting them.

Practice Kegels exercises a several times throughout the day for maximum sexual benefit.

Kegels can be done in any position but many people prefer doing them lying down on a bed or sitting in a chair.  If you feel pain at any time performing the movement, either you are not doing it correctly or they may not be appropriate for you and contacting your doctor is advised to discuss this with them.