You'll know you're doing male Kegel exercises correctly when you feel the muscles inside of your pelvis squeeze and lift.
Understanding Correct Kegel Engagement
It's crucial to engage the right muscles during Kegel exercises to get the most benefit and avoid any potential strain. Here's a breakdown of how to tell if you're performing them correctly:
What Correct Kegels Feel Like
- Squeezing and Lifting: The primary sensation should be a feeling of squeezing and lifting the muscles inside your pelvis. This is similar to the feeling of trying to stop the flow of urine midstream, but the exercises should not be done while urinating.
- Internal Focus: You should feel the action primarily within your pelvic area, rather than in your stomach, buttocks, or thighs. If you are tensing those muscles, you are not isolating the correct muscles.
Signs You Might Be Doing It Wrong
If you experience any of the following, you may not be performing Kegels correctly:
- Straining: Straining in your stomach, buttocks, or thighs indicates you're engaging the wrong muscle groups.
- No Sensation: If you can't feel any muscle contraction in your pelvic area, you might need to practice more to locate the correct muscles.
- Pain: Any pain during or after Kegels suggests an issue and it would be beneficial to seek help.
How to Identify the Right Muscles
- Initial Identification: The best way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to try and stop your urine mid-stream (however, do not do this as your primary exercise, just to find the correct muscles).
- Practice without Urinating: Once you've located the right muscles, practice contracting and relaxing them outside of urination.
- Focus: Concentrate on squeezing the muscles as if trying to hold back gas or stop the flow of urine without engaging other muscles.
Table: Correct vs Incorrect Kegel Engagement
| Feature | Correct Kegel Exercise | Incorrect Kegel Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle Activation | Squeeze and lift pelvic floor muscles | Tensing stomach, buttocks, or thighs |
| Sensation | Feeling of internal lift and squeeze | No sensation or sensation in wrong areas |
| Area of Focus | Internal pelvic muscles | External muscles, such as the abs |
| Physical Response | No pain or discomfort | Straining or pain |
| Primary Goal | Strengthening pelvic floor muscles | Incorrectly engaging or straining unrelated muscles |
Tips for Ensuring Correct Technique
- Start Slowly: Don't rush the exercises. Focus on isolating the correct muscles first.
- Consistency: Regular, daily practice, is more important than performing many repetitions.
- Breathing: Maintain normal breathing during the exercise. Holding your breath can make the exercise less effective.
- Posture: It is okay to experiment with different positions to ensure you are correctly engaging the muscles. Try while lying, sitting, or standing.
- Guidance: If you still have difficulty, consider consulting a doctor, physical therapist, or pelvic floor specialist who can help you improve your technique.
By focusing on the internal squeeze and lift, avoiding strain in other muscles, and practicing regularly, you will ensure you are doing male Kegel exercises correctly.
