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"However, the benefits are real and can be scientifically documented as well, and Broad does exactly that. The science suggests* that it can lift moods, increase flexibility, and (Viagra salesmen beware) raise testosterone levels in men and women.
*(Corboy: Please note the emphasis on 'suggest'. All this means is that there is some information but more research is needed. And that requires money and double blind research testing and a research design exacting enough that the article will meet standards for publication in a peer reviewed medical journal.)
In the balance (yes, a yoga pun), Broad makes it clear that despite its dangers (be careful doing headstand and cobra), the practice offers a host of benefits. What it needs, he says, is a set of consistent guidelines to standardize it as a discipline and some reasonable public funding to continue answering important questions about its efficacy. "
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The good, the bad and the future of yoga
The Virginian-Pilot/March 6, 2012
By Michael Pearson
Yoga studios may be as ubiquitous as Starbucks in our country, and worldwide, yoga is getting as popular as Coca-Cola. The Yoga Health Foundation estimates that more than 20 million people practice yoga in the United States. Around the globe, yoga is big business, with all the cultural accoutrements and products - and superheroes.
The word "yoga" means unity and implies a joining of body and spirit. At its best, perhaps, it is what my yoga instructor calls "moving meditation." But many make more exorbitant claims - it helps you shed pounds, be joyful, stay physically fit, or sleep better. In his new book, William J. Broad, a senior science writer for The New York Times, examines the medical veracity of such claims. For anyone interested in yoga, he offers an objective, scientifically based study of the pros and cons of the ancient practice.
A yoga practitioner for 40 years, Broad is not exactly delivering an expose. Instead, he offers a carefully researched discussion of what yoga does and doesn't do.
Yoga does little for aerobic conditioning. It will not speed up the metabolism or keep a practitioner slim. The dirty little secret is that it has caused nerve damage, torn ligaments, even strokes. As Broad says, "The good reputation of yoga rests in no small part on the public silence of the gurus.... Facts can be stubborn things, and they now suggested that yoga had long involved not only celebrated benefits but a number of hidden dangers."
However, the benefits are real and can be scientifically documented as well, and Broad does exactly that. The science suggests that it can lift moods, increase flexibility, and (Viagra salesmen beware) raise testosterone levels in men and women.
In the balance (yes, a yoga pun), Broad makes it clear that despite its dangers (be careful doing headstand and cobra), the practice offers a host of benefits. What it needs, he says, is a set of consistent guidelines to standardize it as a discipline and some reasonable public funding to continue answering important questions about its efficacy.
Namaste - the bow of respect - may not be enough. Perhaps, as Broad argues, some regulation of its teachers and common sense for its practitioners would be the right pose for the future.
To see more documents/articles reg
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Mula bandha is a traditional Yoga practice that is reputed to be one of the most powerful for personal evolution.
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The word “bandha” means “to bind” or “to lock”. With mula bandha, this is in reference to the locking of the muscles of the perineum. Bandha can also mean “to redirect,” and here the esoteric meaning of the practice becomes clear. As you “lock” the muscles of the perineum, you “unlock” energy in the pranic body, redirecting the flow upwards and reversing the natural tendency of apana to flow downwards.
Mula bandha is said to awaken muladhara chakra and the kundalini that resides within. Additionally, in the tantras it is written that the 72,000 nadis originate in a place just above muladhara chakra known as “medhra.” Given their proximity, it is believed that mula bandha stimulates all 72,000 nadis at their source, an effect which makes it very powerful.
Beyond the physical and energy bodies, mula bandha is also said to affect the manomayakosha, the mental body. Yoga teachings describe granthis, or psychic knots, which represent blockages of awareness manifesting as tensions, anxieties, and unresolved conflicts. Brahma granthi, located near muladhara chakra, is believed to be pierced and then untied by an aspirant’s practice of mula bandha.
In modern alternative medicine there’s a theory that repressed emotions and prior traumatic memories can be preserved physically within the body structure – and that they can be released with myofascial manipulation. Similarly, mula bandha is thought to release emotional and mental conflicts stored in the pelvis. Accordingly, while performing this practice, one can experience old memories, feelings, and experiences that bubble to the surface of consciousness and burst, releasing them from their structural binding and freeing the practitioner from their depressive effects.
In his book, Moola Bandha: The Master Key, Swami Buddhananda refers to unspecified ancient tantric texts when stating that, done correctly, there should be no movement of the anus, and for men, the penis should not move. Regarding the involvement of these structures, there is some debate. Dr. Gore of the G.S.College of Yoga in Kaivalyadham states in his book, Anatomy and Physiology of Yogic Practices, that a contraction of the anal sphincter should accompany that of the perineum. His justification is that urination and defecation are both excretory functions of apana vayu. To prohibit its downward flow, the full pelvic floor must be contracted, and that includes the anal sphincter as well as the muscles controlling urination.
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Mula Bandha: Yoga’s Advanced Kegel Exercises
Mula bandha is a traditional Yoga practice that is reputed to be one of the most powerful for personal evolution.
Although more complex than modern medicine’s Kegel exercises, or pelvic floor exercises, there are similarities in the techniques. Here we will discuss both mula bandha and Kegels in detail, review the anatomy of the pelvic floor, and then compare the two practices.
book cover
Mula Bandha
References to the practice of mula bandha are found in the Upanishads. The Siva Samhita (4:12-15) lists it as one of the ten best yogic practices. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is explicit in its description:
3:61 Pressing the perineum with the heel and contracting the rectum so that the apana vayu moves upward is mula bandha.
3:62 By contracting the perineum the downward moving apana vayu is forced to go upward. Yogis call this mula bandha.
3:63 Press the heel firmly against the rectum and contract forcefully and repeatedly, so that the vital energy rises.
3:64 There is no doubt that by practicing mula bandha, prana and apana, and nada and bindu, are united, and total perfection is attained.
The word “bandha” means “to bind” or “to lock”. With mula bandha, this is in reference to the locking of the muscles of the perineum. Bandha can also mean “to redirect,” and here the esoteric meaning of the practice becomes clear. As you “lock” the muscles of the perineum, you “unlock” energy in the pranic body, redirecting the flow upwards and reversing the natural tendency of apana to flow downwards.
Mula bandha is said to awaken muladhara chakra and the kundalini that resides within. Additionally, in the tantras it is written that the 72,000 nadis originate in a place just above muladhara chakra known as “medhra.” Given their proximity, it is believed that mula bandha stimulates all 72,000 nadis at their source, an effect which makes it very powerful.
Beyond the physical and energy bodies, mula bandha is also said to affect the manomayakosha, the mental body. Yoga teachings describe granthis, or psychic knots, which represent blockages of awareness manifesting as tensions, anxieties, and unresolved conflicts. Brahma granthi, located near muladhara chakra, is believed to be pierced and then untied by an aspirant’s practice of mula bandha.
In modern alternative medicine there’s a theory that repressed emotions and prior traumatic memories can be preserved physically within the body structure – and that they can be released with myofascial manipulation. Similarly, mula bandha is thought to release emotional and mental conflicts stored in the pelvis. Accordingly, while performing this practice, one can experience old memories, feelings, and experiences that bubble to the surface of consciousness and burst, releasing them from their structural binding and freeing the practitioner from their depressive effects.
In his book, Moola Bandha: The Master Key, Swami Buddhananda refers to unspecified ancient tantric texts when stating that, done correctly, there should be no movement of the anus, and for men, the penis should not move. Regarding the involvement of these structures, there is some debate. Dr. Gore of the G.S.College of Yoga in Kaivalyadham states in his book, Anatomy and Physiology of Yogic Practices, that a contraction of the anal sphincter should accompany that of the perineum. His justification is that urination and defecation are both excretory functions of apana vayu. To prohibit its downward flow, the full pelvic floor must be contracted, and that includes the anal sphincter as well as the muscles controlling urination.
According to the tantrics, in the advanced stages of practice muscle contraction does not necessarily occur. It is primarily a pranic and psychic technique. The initial stages of contraction are to teach awareness. Eventually with complete mastery of energy flow, control over ejaculation occurs enabling multiple orgasms.
Kegel Exercises
More than 60 years ago a gynecologist in California noticed there were marked differences in patients in the tone of muscles surrounding the vagina. While in some women, the muscles exhibited firmness and thickness, in others there was thinning and weakness with a tendency for the vaginal walls to collapse upon themselves. It was in the latter women that leaky urinary bladders, the ones difficult or even impossible to control, were found.
Those women with thin muscles in the pelvic floor were also noted to have a higher incidence of uterine prolapse, a condition in which the uterus slides down through the vaginal canal and even hangs out of it, in extreme cases. A similar “falling” of the bladder and the rectum can also occur, disorders known as cystoceles and rectoceles.
Given the known physiology of muscles, that those in disuse become smaller and thinner, resulting in weakness in a condition known as atrophy, Dr. Kegel hypothesized that, as with biceps, working out those muscles will bulk them up and make them stronger. He hoped that by building up the muscle fibers and strengthening them, urinary incontinence and uterine prolapse could be treated.
Over the next decade he proved his theory to be correct. After developing a set of exercises designed to specifically strengthen the pubococcygeus muscle, he found that women with leaky bladders who preformed those exercises consistently, no longer had that embarrassing problem. He discovered that exercising this muscle also helped to treat uterine prolapse as well as cystoceles and rectoceles. He advocated that all women be taught to work out the pubococcygeus muscle to maintain a healthy tone and thereby prevent disease. For an online version of one of his early papers, click here.
Subsequent studies over the years have repeatedly backed him up. Kegel exercises are now the first-line therapy for stress urinary incontinence, the leaky bladder that comes from aging, childbirth, and excess weight. Click here to see a review.
Prolapsed organs have also shown a reduction in the degree of protrusion in a study with Kegel exercises in combination with an intra-vaginal device, and an ultrasound study documented the morphological changes occurring after 6-months of Kegels, results which included an elevation in the resting position of the bladder and the rectum.
There’s evidence that regular Kegel exercises intensify women’s orgasms and make them easier to achieve. Some women who have pain in the vaginal or vulvar area, particularly during intercourse, have been shown to get relief by doing pelvic floor exercises in combination with psychotherapy.
Regarding prevention, there is a lack of controlled, prospective studies, but it is firmly believed that habitually working out the pelvic floor keeps it healthy and is a good way to stave off the development of incontinence and various forms of prolapse, as we age. In a recent consensus statement, the National Institutes of Health notes their support for pelvic floor exercises in the prevention of incontinence in women and also in men undergoing prostate surgery.
With Kegel’s you want to contract all components of the pelvic floor musculature, so there will be a sensation of a tightening of the muscles around the anus as if you are trying to stop a bowel movement, and also a sensation as if stopping of the urine stream or an inability to urinate.
To perform Kegels, insert a finger either into the vagina or between the scrotum and the anus. Pull up the perineum by contracting the entire pelvic floor. You’ll feel this as a tightening of the muscles around your finger or as the perineum moving towards the trunk. Once you’ve initially employed a finger to get an understanding of the movement, it’s no longer needed.
Hold contractions of the pelvic muscles for five seconds, then release for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times per session, and do three sessions every day, at different times. Eventually, work your way up to holding the contraction continuously for 10 seconds each time you contract. More instructions can be found at the Mayo Clinic site here.
There are also vaginal “cones” and “eggs” on the market that act as weights. A woman can increase pelvic floor muscle strength by holding in and moving the device while standing.
Pelvic Anatomy Review
So what’s really going on “down there” with these two similar techniques of mula bandha and Kegel exercises?
When it comes to anatomy, the messages out there are confusing and sometimes contradictory, at times using different names when referring to the same muscles. The anatomy of the pelvic musculature is confusing on its own. It’s an area that’s not readily seen or palpated, and it’s not easy to picture in its 3-D form, which is necessary, to fully understand its functions.
To begin with, let’s think of a trampoline, one that’s stretched between points along its diameter. That trampoline is a layer of muscle that should be strong and taut. On it rest the uterus, bladder, and rectum.
Now, rather than picturing those organs simply resting on the trampoline, see that on the underside they are embedded within it. The tube from the bladder, the urethra, pierces it to hang below. The tube from the uterus, the vagina, also pierces it to hang underneath. And so it is with the rectum, which itself pierces the trampoline-like muscle to expel its contents through the anus.
The muscles that make up the trampoline are collectively called the pelvic floor, or the pelvic diaphragm. They hold everything inside – at least that’s what they’re designed to do. When they get weak and thin, all of those pelvic organs can slide right on through. They prolapse. It’s as if the trampoline got saggy, thread-bare and worn out. (It’s more common than you think. Some experts believe that up to one in eight women will have some degree of uterine prolapse, and the more children a woman has given birth to, the more likely it is to happen.)
Below is a side of view of the pelvis. It’s as if you cut the body straight up from between the legs and then looked at the opened half of it. You can see that the pelvic floor isn’t exactly flat like a typical trampoline. Its edges follow the contours of the bony pelvis.
mula_fig1_female_pelvic_floor
That trampoline, the pelvic floor, is composed of two main muscle groups, the levator ani and the coccygeus. The levator ani group is made of two muscles, the pubococcygeus and the ileococcygeus. The former is the middle of the trampoline, and the latter is found along the outside of it, along the edges.
Now the anatomy gets more fun. Men and women are a bit different here, as you are well aware. Let’s talk first about women.
Women
The pubococcygeus is itself divided into portions, reflecting where various parts of it attach within the pelvis. There’s a urethral portion that forms around the urethra, known as the pubourethralis. That’s the part of the pubococcygeus that allows you to stop your urine stream. There’s a vaginal portion that attaches to the vaginal walls, the pubovaginalis. Another portion, the puboanalis, also attaches to the vaginal wall. Those two are the parts you feel clamp down on a finger placed in your vagina. There’s also a puborectalis portion that passes around the rectum to form a sling. And finally, there are other portions more posterior that attach to the coccyx, or tailbone.
Below the pelvic floor lies another thin layer of muscles. They are more superficial, meaning that they are closer to the skin of the genital region.
There’s controversy over whether a part of this layer is one solid sheet or if it is composed of three separate muscles, the compressor urethra, sphincter urethra, and urethra-vaginalis. In addition, the bulbospongiosus, ischiocavernosus, and superficial transverse perinea muscles are part of this more superficial layer below the pelvic floor. This layer can have an almost sphincter-like effect on the vaginal opening, and it helps to prevent urine leakage from the bladder.
The last structure to discuss is the perineal body, an important part of the pelvic floor. It’s shaped like a pyramid with its base sitting between the vagina and the rectum. Some parts of the muscles of the pelvic floor merge and end in this structure. The rectum attaches to it, as does the anal sphincter. It also contains smooth muscle, elastic fibers, and nerve endings. Extreme weakness of this structure results in prolapse of the rectum, or rectocele.
Now let’s briefly talk about the vagina. There are no vaginal muscles under voluntary control, as the muscles within the walls of the vagina proper are smooth muscles. When a woman says she’s contracting her vagina, what she’s really doing is primarily contracting the levator ani muscles that surround, attach to, and support the thin vaginal wall a little less than midway to the uterus. There’s also some conscious control of the more superficial layer of muscles that act a bit like a vaginal sphincter just at the introitus.
For more than you could ever want to know about the anatomy of the vagina, including some detailed photos, click here. For more detail about the female pelvic floor in general, click here
On one last note, Swami Buddhananda says that it is the muscles around the cervix that should be contracted in women to perform mula bandha. However, there are no striated muscular attachments or surrounding muscles to contract and squeeze the cervix. The cervix itself is primarily dense connective tissue with very few smooth muscle fibers – the type of muscle that doesn’t allow for conscious control.
Men
The male anatomy is essentially the same. The difference is that there are only two openings through the pelvic floor. Within the penis, the urethra serves as a tube for both urine and sexual fluids. Because there is one less opening through the muscle layer, and as that opening doesn’t split far and wide to release a baby, it tends to be more stable in men.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be pathology. Like women, men can also suffer from urinary incontinence as they age, especially if they’ve had prostate problems. Pelvic floor exercises aid treatment of incontinence, and keeping the pelvic floor muscles strong is great prevention against a leaky bladder. For men with erectile dysfunction, and some men with premature ejaculation, particularly those with concomitant erectile dysfunction, pelvic floor exercises are therapeutic. Chronic prostatitis, a painful and frustrating condition, can be relieved by a work-out of the pelvic floor in combination with Yoga asanas that stretch muscles in the pelvic area.
Contractions of the more superficial layer of muscles (or “reverse Kegels”) compresses the large vein on the dorsal surface preventing the outflow of blood from an engorged penis, thereby enlarging and facilitating maintenance of an erection. This layer is also involved in pumping ejaculate, so mastery of its movement may potentially aid in semen retention.
Comparison of Mula Bandha and Kegel Exercises
So, are they the same thing? That depends on which Yoga teacher you ask. If you follow Dr. Gore’s line of teaching then, as with Kegel exercises, mula bandha contracts the pelvic floor musculature indiscriminately.
What Swami Buddhananda describes is something different. Ultimately, in his teaching there may be no muscle contraction at all, and that’s definitely not a Kegel. His tantric lineage focuses on effects on the energetic and mental levels.
Still, in the beginning stages of the tantric practice, one must learn to distinguish the various muscles of the pelvis, isolating and contracting the portions that specifically pull up the perineal body.
Rather than subscribing to one version of mula bandha or the other, it makes sense to understand them as a continuum. For effects on the physical body, the annamayakosha, the full Kegel exercise is important. It indiscriminately works out and tones all portions of the pelvic floor including the layer of superficial muscles and the segments of the pubococcygeus that are involved with closing of the anus and urethra.
With advanced practice, it’s possible to isolate muscles, eventually controlling and lifting only the perineal body, theoretically initiating mula bandha’s effects on the energy body, the pranamayakosha. This can be done without abandoning the full pelvic floor contractions during another portion of a daily routine. In this way, mula bandha can function holistically for optimal health.
References:
Backman, H et al. Combined physical and psychosexual therapy for provoked vestibulodynia-an evaluation of a multidisciplinary treatment model. J Sex Res. 2008 Oct-Dec;45(4):378-85.
Gore, Makarand Madhukar. Anatomy and Physiology of Yogic Practices. New Age Books, Delhi, India. 2005
Dorey, G et al. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction. Br J Gen Pract. 2004 November 1; 54(508): 819–825.
Hay-Smith EJ, Dumoulin C (2006). “Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women”. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online)
Herschorn, S. Female Pelvic Floor Anatomy: The pelvic floor, supporting structure, and Pelvic Organs. Rev Urol. 2004;6(Suppl 5):S2-S10.
Hoff Braekken I, Majida M, Engh ME, Bø K. Morphological changes after pelvic floor muscle training measured by 3-dimensional ultrasonography: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Feb;115(2 Pt 1):317-24.
Kegel, AH. Active Exercise of the Pubococcygeus Muscle. Meigs, J.V., and Sturgis, S .H., editors: Progress in Gynecology, vol. II, New York: Grune & Stratton, 1950, pp. 778-792
Kegel, AH. Progressive Resistance Exercise in the Functional Restoration of the Perineal Muscles. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1948 Aug;56(2):238-48.
Kegel, AH. Stress Incontinence and Genital Relaxation. CIBA Clinical Symposia, Feb-Mar 1952, Vol. 4, No. 2, pages 35-52.
Kegel, AH. The Nonsurgical Treatment of Genital Relaxation; Use of the Perineometer as an Aid in Restoring Anatomic and Functional Structure. Ann West Med Surg. 1948 May;2(5):213-6.
Lawson JO. Pelvic Anatomy. I. Pelvic floor muscles. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1974 May;54(5):244-52.
Nickel, JC. Prostatis. Wein: Campbell-Walsh Urology, 9th ed. 2007
NIH state-of-the-science conference statement on prevention of fecal and urinary incontinence in adults. NIH Consens State Sci Statements. 2007 Dec 12-14;24(1):1-37.
Romanzi, L. Sexercise. Urogynics.org/blog. 2007
Rosenbaum, TY. Pelvic floor involvement in male and female sexual dysfunction and the role of pelvic floor rehabilitation in treatment: A literature review. J. Sex Med. Jan 2007. 4(1):4-13.
Standaert CJ and Herring SA. Expert opinion and controversies in musculoskeletal and sports medicine: core stabilization as a treatment for low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2007 Dec;88(12):1734-6.
Swami Buddhananda. Moolah Bandha: The Master Key. Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India. 1996
Swami Muktibodhananda. Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India. 1993.
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Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder and bowel. You can do Kegel exercises discreetly just about anytime, whether you're driving in your car, sitting at your desk or relaxing on the couch. You can even do Kegel exercises when you're pregnant. Start by understanding what Kegel exercises can do for you — then follow step-by-step instructions for contracting and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles.
Why Kegel exercises matter
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Female pelvic floor muscles
Many factors can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, from pregnancy and childbirth to aging and being overweight. This may allow your pelvic organs to descend and bulge into your vagina — a condition known as pelvic organ prolapse. The effects of pelvic organ prolapse range from uncomfortable pelvic pressure to leakage of urine. Pelvic organ prolapse isn't inevitable, however. Kegel exercises can help delay or even prevent pelvic organ prolapse and the related symptoms.
Kegel exercises — along with counseling and sex therapy — may also be helpful for women who have persistent problems reaching orgasm.
How to do Kegel exercises
It takes diligence to identify your pelvic floor muscles and learn how to contract and relax them. Here are some pointers:
Find the right muscles. Insert a finger inside your vagina and try to squeeze the surrounding muscles. You should feel your vagina tighten and your pelvic floor move upward. Then relax your muscles and feel your pelvic floor return to the starting position. You can also try to stop the flow of urine when you urinate. If you succeed, you've got the basic move. Don't make a habit of starting and stopping your urine stream, though. Doing Kegel exercises with a full bladder or while emptying your bladder can actually weaken the muscles, as well as lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder — which increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.
Perfect your technique. Once you've identified your pelvic floor muscles, empty your bladder and sit or lie down. Contract your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for five seconds, then relax for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.
Maintain your focus. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
Repeat three times a day. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day. You might make a practice of fitting in a set every time you do a routine task, such as checking email, commuting to work, preparing meals or watching TV.
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Kegel Exercises: Treating Male Urinary Incontinence
Male urinary incontinence isn’t a natural part of getting older. There’s a lot you can do to manage -- or prevent -- symptoms. Kegel exercises can help you take control.
Do Kegel exercises (also called pelvic floor exercises) for five minutes, two or three times daily, and you could see significant improvement in your urinary incontinence. Another bonus: Kegel exercises can also help a man have more intense orgasms, and improve erections.
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What Are Kegel Exercises for Men?
Kegels are exercises that help you zero in on and strengthen muscles below the bladder that help control urination.
In men, urinary incontinence can be caused by a weak urinary sphincter, an overactive bladder, or a bladder that doesn't contract. Kegel exercises can help you improve -- or in some cases completely regain -- bladder control.
How Can Men Do Kegel Exercises?
Kegels are easy to do, once you know which muscles to target. One of the easiest ways to locate your muscles is during urination. Here’s how:
Halfway through urination, try to stop or slow down the flow of urine.
Don’t tense the muscles in your buttocks, legs, or abdomen, and don’t hold your breath.
When you can slow or stop the flow of urine, you’ve successfully located these muscles.
Some men find these muscles by imagining that they are trying to stop the passage of gas. Squeezing these muscles gives a pulling sensation; these are the right muscles for pelvic exercises. It's important not to contract other muscles.
Some men need biofeedback to help them target the right muscles.
To do Kegel exercises for men:
Contract these muscles for a slow count of five.
Release the muscles to a slow count of five.
Repeat 10 times.
Do a set of 10 Kegels daily, three times a day.
When you’re first starting, it may be easier to do Kegel exercises lying down, so your muscles aren’t fighting against gravity. It may also be easier to contract the muscles for just two or three seconds at first.
After a few weeks, increase the time until eventually you’re contracting the muscles for a slow five or 10 seconds, and do the exercises standing up. That puts more weight on the muscles, boosting your workout and improving your control.
Remember not to tense your buttock, legs, or stomach muscles while you’re doing Kegels.
When Will You See Results from Kegel Exercises?
Seeing results with any exercise takes time, so be patient. If you do Kegels three times a day, you should see better bladder control in three to six weeks -- some men see it even sooner. Try keeping a record of your urine leakage each day to help you notice improvements.
If you don’t see any change in a month, you may not have located the right muscles for Kegel exercises. Give your doctor or urologist a call. They can offer tips on how to find and successfully exercise the right muscles.