THE FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS: INTERNAL GENITAL ORGANS - PELVIC EXERCISES 'HOW DO I LOCATE THE PELVIC MUSCLES?

You will naturally ask, 'How do I locate the pelvic muscles?' You can feel their contraction in two ways. First, imagine that you have a strong desire to pass a stool and cannot do so immediately as there is no bathroom and you have therefore to hold it for some time. The muscles you contract to hold the bowel movement for some time are the levator ani. Secondly, start and stop the stream of urine while you are urinating. The muscles you use to stop the urine are the ones you have to train. Having located them, here is how you do the Kegel exercises.

(a) The easiest way to do this exercise is to pass a little urine, then stop it and later urinate again. Do this stop-start exercise at least 15 to 20 times at a stretch three times a day.

(b) In order to do the second exercise, attempt to hold back a bowel movement by contracting the muscles 15 to 20 times 3 to 4 times a day. Gradually the tone of this muscle will also improve.

You should not feel sore or have aching pelvic muscles after the exercise. It is best to increase the number of contractions gradually. For instance, if you are exercising 20 times today, do it 25 times the next day and so on. After a fortnight try this variant. Contract the muscles while you count up to three then relax. Repeat 10 times. After some time, this will become a daily routine, not requiring any special attention. The exercises will improve the sexual performance of both partners and enhance pleasure even in normal individuals. For instance, the contraction of the external sphincter muscle by the female, grips the penis and makes the erection more powerful. Vatsyayana was aware that some women in India, especially from Andhra, knew how to contract these muscles and increase the pleasure of their male partners. Similarly, contraction of the levator and is felt by the glans penis and tremendously increases sexual pleasure.

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Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction