10 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor for Great Sex
Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, can be beneficial for both men and women in improving sexual function and preventing issues such as incontinence and prolapse. Here are 10 exercises that can help strengthen your pelvic floor:
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Glute Bridge: Squeezing your glutes and pelvic muscles, press your hips up toward the ceiling, lifting your butt off the floor. Be sure not to lift your hips up too high to prevent arching in the low back.
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Plank Pose: Holding a plank pose is one of the best exercises you can do to build endurance and stamina for better sex. Forearm planks are recommended as they work the core and engage the pelvic floor muscles.
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Prone Hip Diamonds: Lie on your stomach with your hands under your chin. Squeeze your glutes and lift your legs off the floor. Then open and close your legs like a clamshell, keeping your feet touching each other.
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Side-Lying Leg Lift: Lie on your side, stacking your top leg directly over your bottom one. Bend your bottom leg and keep your top leg straight. Then lift your top leg up while engaging your pelvic floor muscles.
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Plank and Chaturanga: Holding a yoga plank position engages your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles, which strengthens your entire core. Once you're able to hold a plank for a minute or longer, try moving to a chaturanga pose by bending your arms.
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Bridge with a Ball: Place an exercise ball between your feet and lie on your back with your knees bent. Lift your hips off the ground and squeeze the ball between your feet. Then lower your hips back down and release the ball.
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Squats: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and squat down, as if sitting in a chair. As you come back up, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles together.
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Cat-Cow: Get on your hands and knees and alternate between arching your back up like a cat and rounding your back down like a cow. This helps stretch and strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor.
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Donkey Kicks: Get on your hands and knees and lift one leg behind you, keeping your knee bent. Then squeeze your glutes and lift your leg up towards the ceiling while engaging your pelvic floor muscles.
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Yoga: Certain yoga poses, such as bridge pose, downward dog, and warrior II, can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
Remember to breathe deeply and relax your body while doing these exercises. Start with a few repetitions and gradually increase the intensity and duration as you get stronger. It's important to speak with your doctor or a pelvic floor physical therapist if you experience any pain or discomfort during these exercises.
