It’s a brand new year, which means you might have made resolutions to eat healthier and hit the gym a few times a week. The start of a new year pushes us to be the best and most healthy versions of ourselves, and exercise is a great way to achieve that. But there’s one part of your body you’re probably not exercising at the gym-- your vagina!

Luckily, you don’t need a gym membership to work out your lady bits! Kegels are a simple exercise that help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which are the muscles supporting the bowel and bladder. You can do this exercise from the comfort of your desk chair, couch, or bed.

Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can be beneficial for women at all stages of life, from young adulthood to pregnancy to post-pregnancy and as you enter the scary weak-bladder years as you get older. 

Doing kegels benefits your body in more ways than you might expect. Kegels are great for dealing with urinary incontinence, which is a loss of control of the bladder. Urinary incontinence is often seen when you sneeze, laugh, or cough so hard you pee a little. Though it may be embarrassing, doing kegels is an easy way to stop leakage and start strengthening those pelvic floor muscles.

Kegels are a great way to strengthen your muscles after childbirth. Pregnancy weakens the pelvic floor muscles, which can result in incontinence and even the tearing of muscles. By doing kegels both during and after pregnancy, you are strengthening a very important part of the body and improving your bladder and bowels.

Kegels can also benefit your sex life, resulting in the potential for stronger orgasms and a “tighter” vag, as well as all-around more comfortable sex.

Pelvic organ prolapse (or POP) occurs when pelvic organs press into the vaginal walls. It’s not life threatening, but it can be very painful. It’s caused by the tearing or weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, and 50% of women who give birth as well as 50% of women over fifty will experience it. By doing kegels, you can strengthen your muscles and reduce the risk of developing POP.

So how do you do kegels? Follow these 5 simple steps, and your “girl” will be getting those gains in no time! 

1. Get comfortable. One of the best parts about doing kegels is that the exercise is so discreet, you can do it just about anywhere. Find a nice place to sit down, whether it’s on the couch, in your bed, or maybe even at the movie theater while you’re munching on popcorn.

2. Locate the muscles. The muscles you use for kegels are the same muscles you use to stop the flow of pee. Imagine you’re sitting on the toilet-- or sit on it for realsies, if you have to!-- and you’re peeing. Clench the muscle you use to stop the flow of pee, and congrats! You’ve just done your first kegel. If you still can’t figure it out, try inserting a finger into your vagina. When you squeeze, you should be able to feel the muscles tighten and move up and down.

3. Practice tightening and releasing. Once you’ve found the right muscles, you can start tightening and releasing them. Hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds, then release and relax for the same amount of time. It’s important not to pulse; instead, you should be holding the exercise. Repeat in intervals of 10-15, then take a break.

4. Stay focused. It’s important to make sure you’re focusing on using the right muscles. Your thighs, butt, and abs shouldn’t move at all. Many people think they’re exercising correctly, when they’re really just squeezing their thighs or their booty.

5. Repeat. Aim to do about 30-40 kegel exercises a day. Don’t overwork yourself or push your body farther than it wants to go. Try to spread them out throughout the day, but make sure you’re doing them consistently. 

After starting kegels, it could take anywhere from six weeks to six months to start seeing results. The more consistently you do them, the faster you’ll see results. Don’t give up, girl! 2023 will be the year of stronger vadges. Keep flexing that fanny, ladies!

-Allison Kindley, Happy Girl Products