How to Do Kegel Exercises Correctly
Kegel exercises are designed to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, the muscles that help support the bladder, bowel, and pelvic organs. When performed correctly, they can help improve bladder control, pelvic support, and coordination.
The most important part is making sure you are using the right muscles and allowing them to fully relax between contractions.
First, Find the Right Muscles
Think about the muscles you would use to:
Stop yourself from passing gas
Gently stop the flow of urine
Lift the pelvic floor upward inside your body
That gentle “lift and close” sensation is your pelvic floor contracting.
Do not regularly practice Kegel exercises while urinating. Stopping the urine stream can be used only as a way to understand which muscles you are trying to identify, not as a daily exercise.
How to Perform a Kegel Exercise
Start in a comfortable position. Lying on your back with your knees bent is often easiest when you are learning.
Then:
Relax your abdomen, thighs, and buttocks.
Gently tighten your pelvic floor muscles.
Think about lifting and closing rather than pushing downward.
Hold the contraction for about 3 seconds.
Completely relax the muscles for 5–6 seconds.
Repeat the exercise.
Continue breathing normally throughout the exercise.
What Should a Correct Kegel Feel Like?
A properly performed pelvic floor contraction should feel like a gentle internal lift.
You should not feel:
Your stomach strongly tightening
Your thighs squeezing together
Your buttocks clenching
Your body pushing downward
Your breath being held
The contraction should feel controlled and relatively subtle.
Relaxation Is Just as Important as Strengthening
Pelvic floor muscles need to both contract and relax.
After every contraction, allow the muscles to completely release before starting another repetition. Constantly tightening the pelvic floor without relaxing can contribute to muscle tension and may worsen certain pelvic symptoms.
Think of the exercise as:
Lift → Hold → Relax → Breathe
A Helpful Image to Remember
Imagine that your pelvic floor muscles are gently picking up a small blueberry.
You want to lift it carefully not crush it.
This can help you think about creating a gentle, precise pelvic floor contraction instead of squeezing as hard as possible.
Common Kegel Exercise Mistakes
Some of the most common mistakes include:
Holding your breath
Squeezing your buttocks
Tightening your inner thighs
Strongly contracting your abdominal muscles
Bearing down instead of lifting
Performing the contraction too forcefully
Not allowing enough relaxation between repetitions
Doing too many repetitions
More is not always better. Proper technique is more important than the number of exercises you perform.
Are Kegels Right for Everyone?
Not necessarily.
Pelvic floor symptoms do not always mean that the muscles are weak. Some people have pelvic floor muscles that are too tight, overactive, painful, or poorly coordinated.
In those situations, repeatedly strengthening the pelvic floor may not be the appropriate first step.
Symptoms such as pelvic pain, painful intercourse, difficulty starting urination, constipation, or difficulty relaxing the pelvic floor may require a different approach.
A pelvic floor physical therapist can determine whether your muscles need strengthening, relaxation, coordination training, or a combination of treatments.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
If you are unsure whether you are performing Kegel exercises correctly or whether they are appropriate for your symptoms, a pelvic floor physical therapy evaluation can help.
At CoreX Physical Therapy, pelvic health treatment is individualized based on your symptoms, muscle function, movement, and personal goals.
The goal is not simply to make the pelvic floor stronger it is to help the pelvic floor work correctly when you need it.
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