Tighten. Release. Tighten. Release. Ho hum. Let’s face it, kegel exercises are as dull as your pelvic floor. That’s why I have created these exciting variations to spice up your boring kegel workouts!
1. Squeeze and hold until the first judge turns around on The Voice
Give that kegel a good clench as soon as the contestant begins to sing. Hold until one of the judges spins around. Simple! The length of the squeeze will vary, that’s part of the excitement.
2. “Write” your Wordle guess in cursive
You can do it. Try it now. Imagine you’re holding a pen. By tightening and relaxing your pelvic muscles, “draw” a word with the imaginary pen. I think this is what it feels like to operate an elephant trunk.
Don’t play Wordle? This tip also works with crossword puzzles and jumbles.
3. “Sip” your beverage from both ends
Experts recommend a thrice daily kegel routine. If you’re like me, you might have three greatly anticipated beverages throughout the day: morning coffee, afternoon cola, and evening wine. Each of these liquid indulgences could be transformed into a workout session!
Contract your kegel muscle in a gentle sipping motion. Perform this motion with every sip you take. Do you gulp, swig, or chug? Mimic it in kegel form. The key is to match both ends.
4. Squeeze and hold for the duration of someone’s yawn
This works particularly well during workplace meetings. Some yawns are short, some are long. But yawns are contagious, so you will often find yourself doing sets of variable reps. It really keeps that pelvic floor on its toes.
Pro tip: If you are attending a meeting remotely, you’ll want to request attendees have their cameras on. If they go dark periodically, assume they are yawning and treat it as such. Depending on your workplace and your general integrity, this also doubles as a drinking game.
5. “Copy” Darth Vader’s iconic respiration
Are you a Star Wars fan? Great! Whenever you watch a film featuring Darth Vader, “breathe” along with him. I hope by now you know what I mean by “breathe”. This is a very low-intensity workout, as apparently Darth Vader doesn’t have a ton of screen time, and even when he is front and center, he generally breathes at a rate of only about 15 breaths per minute.
Need to get in quick kegel shape for a trampoline party or something? Convert this low-intensity routine into a long-distance endurance workout with this 1-hour YouTube video of Darth Vader breathing.
6. Pulse to the beat of your favorite song
Maybe you’re already doing this. For those of you who need some help getting started, I’ve assembled a few suggestions (difficulty level included).
- You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Easy
- Don’t Stop Believin’ – Easy
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight – Medium
- Don’t Worry Be Happy – Medium
- Uptown Girl – Medium
- Eye of the Tiger – Hard
- Stayin’ Alive – Expert
Put these tips into action so you never forget to get those Kegels working! Before long, you’ll be confidently sneezing in public without your legs crossed!
How did I learn so much about doing kegel exercises? Learn more about my late-in-life pregnancy here. And if you’re interested in the special challenges of a geriatric pregnancy, bladder and otherwise, try this post.