A different kind of Workout!
So let me start off by saying that the list of places I haven't peed myself is a hell of a lot shorter than the list of places I have peed myself! Have I got your attention? I sure got my best friend's attention when I loudly blurted this out over a boozy lunch recently. She pointed out that I work at AdultShop, and that there is no excuse for weak pelvic floor muscles! She was right of course, I give advice to women often, if not daily, on the importance of doing your kegel exercises. What can I say, I guess it's like that old adage....a builder's house always needs work, a hairdressers hair is always messy, a woman who works at an adult store is lazy about her pelvic floor routine. Right? Right??
So what are Pelvic Floor muscles? They are a group of muscles in both sexes that support the organs in the pelvis and wrap around the underneath of the bladder and rectum. These muscles allow you to control the release from your bowels and bladder. They are also important for sexual function. In men the muscles help with erectile function and ejaculation. In women, the act of squeezing contributes to arousal and sexual satisfaction. It's quite often said that the stronger the muscle, the better the orgasm.
Unsure if you have weak Pelvic Floor muscles? Here are some likely symptoms.....
But worry not my pretties, here are some easy ways to get those muscles strong in a jiffy, (yes I know, I know....do as I say, not as I do!)
So you can start off by doing a simple exercise without having to purchase any tools to help.
Sit in an upright position with your feet and knees wide apart. Now imagine you are trying to stop yourself from passing gas and from urinating at the same time. Hopefully you will feel a tightening and a lifting around the vagina and anus. Hold for several seconds but no longer than 10 seconds, and then release. Essentially, squeeze, release and repeat. Do them as often as you like, when you think of them or set yourself a routine if you like to be more organised.
- Incontinence when laughing, running, sneezing or coughing
- A heavy feeling or pressure in the vagina
- Not making it to the toilet
- Flatulence, because peeing yourself isn't embarrassing enough
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Loss of feeling in the vagina, eeeeeeek!
- Lower back pain
- Persistent urinary tract infections
- Tampons not staying in place, falling out easily
- Constipation
So what has causes these muscles to weaken?
- Pregnancy and birth
- Repeated lifting of heavy objects or weights can strain these muscles
- Obesity can put extra pressure on the area
- Smoking, or more to the point, a smokers cough can put pressure on the muscles
- Constipation and the straining of muscles
- Ageing and menopause. Hormonal changes and the general loss of muscle tone, both of which are a normal part of the ageing process.
At AdultShop we sell some toys that can make it easier and absolutely more fun to achieve a champion squeeze.
Kegel beads or balls are the most common and popular product for this area. They are small, balls that come in both different sizes and weights. Generally it is two beads connected by silicone or medical grade string. Using the beads is easy. Make sure your beads are clean. Wash with warm soapy water and dry, then spray toy with your preferred toy cleaner. Apply a water based lubricant to the beads. Pjur Aqua and Eros Aqua are both lovely, long lasting lubricants perfect for toy use. Generally the easiest way to insert the beads is lying on your back with your legs apart. Insert first bead, then the joiner and then the second bead. Once fully inserted, the tail/string should hang outside of the vagina, similar to a tampon string. Ok, so you are all set. Being a foreign object inside your vagina, you may find that you are clenching unconsciously, so you could just leave them in while you do the vacuuming, or hang out the washing. Or you could actively do your squeeze, release and repeat routine. It's up to you how long you keep the balls in for, although easing into it is a good idea. Start with five or ten minutes and go from there. It is suggested that you keep them in for no longer than 4-6 hours as you don't want to strain or injure yourself.
Taking them out is a piece of cake. Pop a little lube at the opening of the vagina and gently pull on the tail/string. Once out, wash and spray with your hygiene products and store away safely. We have lockable vibrator bags that are perfect for keeping the dust off your toys and them safe from prying eyes.
There are many, many brands of Kegel Beads to choose from, so I will name a few of our bestsellers in the Albany store to narrow it down for you...
The ever popular brand, Lelo have a good range of kegel beads. The most popular is probably the Lelo Beads Plus Pleasure Set, as it has three sets of weighted balls, meaning you can slowly progress from the lightest to the heaviest. An added feature of the beads is the ball within a ball idea. The weighted ball sits in a slightly larger ball, meaning when you move, you may feel a knocking/rocking effect which many women find rather pleasurable. Another favourite is the Luna Smart Bead. This is a singular egg shaped bead that works as a personal trainer for your pelvic floor. The bead has two touch sensors that measure your squeeze strength and set an appropriate workout for you. Each 5 minute training session guides you through 5 vibration levels, as you feel the vibrations you squeeze and then relax when the vibration stops – as the levels change you will notice that the time between squeezing and relaxing increases, ensuring that you are squeezing longer each time. A definite added bonus of the Smart Bead is that you can also set it for continual vibration, so perfect for clitoral stimulation ...... two toys in one!
The Elvie Kegel Exercise Tracker is a singular bead that is connected to an app. It has four levels; training, beginner, intermediate, advanced and six unique exercises. The app gives you real-time feedback on the force and motion of your contractions, allowing you to perfect your technique and track your improvements.
The Impulse by CalExotics is a petite wand which is not only a powerful vibrator, it also has strategically placed pads for electro-stimulation. E-Stim gently stimulates the muscles into contracting, essentially doing the hard work for you.
What did I tell you? Easy peasy lemon squeezy....well vagina squeezy in this case..
Thanks for reading....whoops.....got to nip to the toilet...hopefully I'll make it this time, ;).
Written by Kristal
Sales Assistant of 6 years
AdultShop Albany Store