- First, you need to identify your pelvic floor muscles. If you’re not sure which muscles these are, try to stop your urination mid-stream. The muscles that tighten when you stop your urination are the same ones you’ll want to contract when you do a kegel exercise. (Once you have identified your pelvic floor muscles, do not repeatedly engage those muscles while you’re urinating — this can actually lead to urinary tract infections, urinary incontinence, and other problems.)
- Contract your pelvic floor muscles and hold for 5 seconds then release for 5 seconds. You can repeat this pattern 5 times in a row. As it gets easier, you can increase to 10 second holds with the same routine. It is recommended to build up to three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
- Make sure you are tightening only your pelvic floor muscles and not the muscles in your thighs, buttocks, or abdomen. Breathe freely and avoid holding your breath during the exercises.
- Depending on your goals, we have many articles that describe different ways to do kegel exercises with and without our weights. See our intro guide on how to do kegel exercises.