Guess who got to teach her mom how to kegel?
My mom attends some of my strength classes. I had the distinct pleasure of explaining to my mom what a kegel was and how to do it. That was NOT something I ever expected to have to do!
We didn’t talk much about vaginas in my house growing up. So I’m not really sure why it comes so naturally to me at work as an adult! Talking to women about engaging the muscles around their vaginas, or problems related to or around their vaginas is just a day at the office!
But kegels are cool!
They help our whole body move better! They help us have great sex. They help us balance our pelvis to have our babies…and they help us heal afterward, too!
One thing I’ve learned from all this vagina talk is that most women don’t know how to kegel, at least not properly. When we think about levels we think about squeezing our vagina so hard we can carry around a surfboard or a yoni egg.
But did you know that relaxation is just as important as contracting?
If muscles can’t relax, they can’t really contract either. Make a fist. Now squeeze it tighter. You didn’t get much range of motion out of that did you? Now let your hand relax and open. Now squeeze into a tight fist again. I bet that felt a lot more powerful!
Now let’s try that with your pelvic floor!
As you inhale let your belly and pelvic floor relax. It might feel similar to how you relax right before you pee or poop. Then, as you exhale lift your pelvic floor as if you were trying to pick up a blueberry with your vagina. Don’t squish that berry! Just lift it gently right now. Then as you inhale again, relax that belly and pelvic floor and put the blueberry down.
Want some hands on experience learning how to kegel, getting strong and talking about vaginas! Come hang with us and try a few classes. Get strong, meet other moms, ensure that your daughter will never need to teach you how to kegel…because you got this now!