Kegel exercises help strengthen your pelvic floor which can aid you in childbirth, improve your sex life, and even give you better control of your bladder. The exercises were named after Dr. Arnold Kegel, a gynecologist, who wrote a paper about the benefits of strengthening the pelvic floor in women. However, kegel workouts don’t work on all women because there are those that have loose pelvic floor muscles while others have tight ones that need to be relaxed. Gynecologists and health practitioners do recommend doing kegel workouts where you engage your pelvic floor for a few seconds then releasing but there are other alternatives if you find that doing kegel is a bit weird for your taste.
Here are some methods that can be used in replace of kegel exercises.
Plank pose. In this workout, you should lie face down on the floor. With your palms and toes touching the floor. Push yourself up to go into a push-up pose. Make sure that your shoulders are stacked on your wrists and that your legs are straight out and resting on your toes. Keep your neck, back and heels aligned. Engage your core as you remain in this position for 10 to 30 seconds or longer if you can manage.
Squats. Squats are one of the classic bodyweight workouts that are actually effective when it comes to strengthening your pelvic floor. When you do squats, you are activating core muscles and your pelvic floor. Stand with your back straight arms at your sides. Bend your knees to 90 degrees as you push your hips back to lower yourself into a squat. You will feel your pelvic floor and your core activated as well as your leg muscles too. Push yourself back into a standing position and repeat.
Leg lifts. Another exercise that can work your pelvic floor is the leg lifts. For this workout, you should lie down on your back on the floor with your legs straight and your hands under your pelvic bone. Engage your core and your pelvic floor as you raise your legs toward the ceiling. Hold this pose for a few seconds then go back to your first position. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times.
Circle 8’s. You should also do some circle 8’s to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, core, back, and hips. First, you need to lie down on the floor on your back with your your arms at your sides. Go into a bridge pose by raising your hips off the floor while your shoulders are still touching the floor. Draw a figure eight with your hips then lower yourself back to the floor by rolling your spine. Repeat this exercise 10 times.
These are just a few examples of exercises that you can do in place of kegel exercises to help you strengthen not just your pelvic floor muscles but also your core, back, and other muscles too. Try these on for size and see if there are positive changes to your life.
Sources: gamtosgrozioformule.lt
