Having a weak pelvic floor can lead to issues such as inability to control your bladder or bowel. Kegel exercises or exercises for strengthening of the pelvic floor can be helpful in this case. Watch video to see how they are done.
Kegel exercises can help in strengthening of pelvic muscles
HIGHLIGHTS
- Pregnancy and child birth can weaken pelvic muscles
- Weak pelvic muscles can lead to inability to control bladder or bowel
- These yoga asanas can be done anytime, anywhere
The area between your hips, the one which holds your reproductive organs is known as the pelvis. The pelvic floor comprises those muscles and tissues which form a sling at the bottom of your pelvis. Having a weak pelvic floor can lead to issues such as inability to control your bladder or bowel. Kegel exercises or exercises for strengthening of the pelvic floor can be helpful in this case. Health coach Luke Coutinho says that kegel exercises are meant for both men and women. In order to demonstrate a few exercises for strengthening pelvic region, Luke shared a video featuring yoga practitioner Nikki. The pelvic muscles tend to get weak with old age, during pregnancy, child birth and even by doing intensive exercise. Kegel exercise can not only strengthen your pelvic muscles, they can even help in improving sexual performance.
In the video, Nikki demonstrates certain yoga asanas for strengthening pelvic muscles which can be done at the comfort of your own home. These asanas will help in strengthening pelvic organs and increasing blood circulation in that area. In totality, the pelvic region covers the genitals, the anus and the area between genitals and anus.
Also read: Yoga Asanas For Treating PCOS: A Must For All Suffering From Polycystyic Ovaries
Yoga asana for a stronger pelvis
For the genitals
For doing the first exercise, you can either sit in padmasana or vajrasana. The exercise can be done by sitting on a chair as well. Now, imagine you need to urinate and are unable to find a toilet near you. When you try to resist passage of urine, you contract your urethra. This is kegel exercise in which you need to contract the muscles of your urethra. Hold for a few seconds as you contract your urethra muscles, and then release. Exhale as you contract your urethra, inhale as you release. You can do this exercise for 6 to 7 times in a day.
Beginners can try this exercise while urinating, by stopping the flow, and starting again. But make sure that you do this only in the beginning as it might be harmful for the bladder in the long run.
The same exercise can also be done by holding your breath for a few seconds. Inhale, hold your breath, and then contract and release your urethra for two times each, and then exhale and relax.
For the anus
Ashwini mudra is done for this. You need to contract and release your anus, but only to the extent it does not cause discomfort. For doing the exercise, you need to lie down on setu bandhasana and contract and release your anus. Exhale as you contract the anus and inhale as you release. Do the exercise for as long as possible and come back to the floor gently.
The same exercise can be done in viparita karani asana. Watch video to see how it is done. Contract anus as you exhale and release as you inhale. Do the exercise for as long as possible and come back to the floor gently.
People with weaker limbs can do the exercise by taking the help of a chair. Watch how Nikki does it in the video. Ashwini mudra can also be done by sitting on padmasana.
Also read: Kegel Exercises Or Pelvic Floor Exercises: Kegels Can Help Control Urinary Incontinence
For the area between anus and genitals
The spot between your genitals and anus is known as the perineum. Sit in padmasana and practice contracting and releasing the spot. Exhale and inhale as you contract and release respectively. While doing this exercise, both your genitals and anus are going to contract and expand at the same time. You need to focus on the spot between the two. Make sure that your spine is straight. You can control your breath while doing the exercise as well.
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