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Michael Frey, MD

Kegel Exercises


What Are Kegel Exercises

  • Kegel exercises strengthen muscles around the bladder. These muscles control the flow of urine.

  • Kegel exercises are sometimes called "pelvic floor" exercises. They can help prevent urine leakage and keep the pelvic organs in place.

  • Kegel exercises can strengthen pelvic muscles that have been weakened by age, pregnancy, childbirth, and surgery. They may help prevent or treat urine leakage.

How To Do Kegel Exercises

  • Find the muscles you need to strengthen. To do this, tighten the muscles that stop your urine while you are using the toilet. These are the same muscles you squeeze during Kegel exercises. Another way to find the right muscles is to place a finger in your vagina and squeeze. You are doing them right when you feel pressure around your finger.

  • Squeeze the muscles as hard as you can. That's a Kegel.

  • Kegels come in 2 types: fast and slow.


Slow and Quick Kegels

  • For the best results, you need to practice two types of kegel exercises. This is because your pelvic floor muscles are actually made up of two types of muscle fibers, and each requires a different type of training.

  • Slow kegel exercise is designed to strengthen your muscle and increase the time you can hold. They build up and increase the general amount of support in this area.

  • To do a slow kegel, squeeze and hold firmly for about 5 seconds, and then relax for 5 seconds.

  • A quick kegel is needed to improve the reflex of your type II muscle (fast twitch muscle), this ensures that your pelvic floor region can react quickly to an increase in pressure such as coughing or sneezing.

  • To do a fast kegel, squeeze as quickly and firmly as you can, then let go after 1 second.

Download the Easy Kegel App (Google or Apple)

This is an easy way to stay on track with your Kegels.

Your setting should look like this:



Starter Schedule

  • Slow Kegels: Hold the squeeze for 5 seconds. Then relax for 5 seconds.

  • Repeat the exercise 10 times for each session. Do three sessions each day.

  • Add 1 second each week until you are able to squeeze for 10 seconds at a time.

  • Quick Kegels: Hold the squeeze for 1 second then relax for 1 second. Do these 5 times each session. 3 sessions a day.


After a few months, you should start to notice the results. Your incontinence should improve, as well as the sensitivity you experience during sex. You should carry on doing the exercises, even when you notice them starting to work.



If you are having trouble doing this on your own, you may need the help of a physical therapist trained in pelvic floor rehabilitation. A referral can be provided in our office by calling 914-370-5000.


Elvie Trainer

The Elvie is a Smart Kegel trainer to strengthen your pelvic floor. Fun, expert-designed workouts and fast results.



Making Kegel Exercises Fun

For gamers, check out Perifit, a device that lets you control video games by contracting and relaxing the muscles of your pelvic floor.




You may also be interested in learning more about: Incontinence of Urine.

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