Kegel exercises
A Kegel exercise, named after Dr. Arnold Kegel, is an exercise designed to strengthen the pubococcygeus muscles. The exercises consist of the regular clenching and unclenching of the muscles which form part of the pelvic floor (sometimes called the "Kegel muscles").
Explanation
The aim of Kegel exercises is to restore muscle tone and strength to the pubococcygeus muscles in order to prevent or reduce pelvic floor problems and to increase sexual gratification. Kegel exercises are said to be good for treating vaginal prolapse and preventing uterine prolapse in women.
Kegel exercises may be beneficial in treating urinary incontinence in both men and women. Kegel exercises are also known as pelvic floor exercises, or simply Kegels.
Although Dr. Arnold Kegel has contemporized and popularized this practice, it is by no means new. The Taoists of ancient China developed a number of different sexual practices to strengthen and tone these same muscles for health, longevity, sexual gratification, and spiritual development. Directly akin to the Kegel exercise is the Taoist practice of the Deer Exercise.
Benefits for women
Factors such as pregnancy, childbirth and being overweig]] often result in the weakening of pelvic muscles. Kegel exercises are useful in regaining pelvic floor muscle strength in such cases. Regular Kegel exercise can also increase sexual pleasure for females and their partners. After childbirth, practicing pelvic floor contractions during sexual intercourse with a male partner will allow the woman immediate feedback from her partner, who can tell her whether or not he can feel her muscles tightening around his penis. In this manner, a newly postpartum woman can retrain her pelvic floor muscles to their pre-pregnancy strength and tone
Benefits for men
Men can also use Kegel exercises. They are used to strengthen the pubococcygeal muscle, which may allow them to achieve orgasm without ejaculation and perhaps reach multiple climaxes during sexual activity. In men this exercise lifts up the testicles, also strengthening the cremaster muscle as well as the anal sphincter, as the anus is the area contracted when a Kegel is done. While women are able to add resistance to the exercise through isometrically gripping a hard object, or by compressing an object such as foam or a penis, there are no known techniques that would add resistance to male Kegel exercises. Some believe draping a towel over the shaft and lifting it does this, but any force possibly applied to the muscle in this way would be limited to the biological heritability of the penis' shaft to stay erect and resist bending, in a combination of blood flow ('hardness'), genetic construction, and tissue integrity. No serious scientific studies have been done into the 'bodybuilding' and strength-building of the member through this method, although a niche market definitely exists in the realm of penis enlargement, and various urban legends abound for (with groups dedicated to the propagation of) methods of strengthening and enlarging the penis through various methods of exercise and resistance.
Potential concerns
The pubococcygeal muscles are those used to stop the flow of urine during urination, and they may be easily identified in this way. However, after the muscle has been identified, practicing Kegel exercises during urination is not recommended, as this could lead to a urinary tract infection.
Kegel exerciser
The Kegel exerciser is a medical device designed to be used by women to exercise the pubococcygeus muscle (also called the PC muscle). Men have no known methods of adding resistance to Kegel exercise as there is no method of inserting such devices in without dangerous surgery.
There are three main types: barbells, springs, and rubber bulbs.
The barbells (or vaginal barbell) can be used as a vaginal exerciser or as a vaginal dildo or sex toy. Made of smooth, polished solid stainless steel, it is cylindrical in shape, with a rounded bulge at each end. They typically weigh one pound and measure approximately 6 3/4 inches (17.1 cm) in length with a diameter of one inch (2.5 cm) at the widest part. Being made of stainless steel, vaginal barbells are nonporous and can be wiped clean with a cloth moistened with mild soap and water. Because they do not have a flared base, they should not be used as an anal dildo as there is no way to prevent them from slipping inside.
Spring devices are made of plastic, with removable springs to allow progressive resistance. These allow pressing directly against resistance, and go by brand names like Pelvic Toner, iKegelPro, FeminX or KegelMaster.
An advantage of rubber bulb devices is that they provide visual feedback (via a gauge) of how much pressure you are applying.
Pilates is another way for women and men to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle.
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