When I was younger, I used to hear my mom talking about her Kegels all the time. Seriously...all the freakin’ time. We’d be driving to school, and she’d stop at a red light and be like, “hold on, Miranda, I have to do my Kegels.” Back then, I thought it was hilarious and embarrassing — but now that I know more about Kegels and all of the health and sex-enhancing benefits they can provide, count me in on the exercise! 

So, what’s all the hype about? According to the National Institutes of Health, roughly 25 percent of women are affected by pelvic floor problems. Whether you’re 18, 65, or any age in between, there are lots of reasons why you should start training and strengthening your Kegels. Working out your pelvic floor muscles leads to many benefits, including helping you have longer and more intense orgasms, fight bladder control issues, and it can even make childbirth easier and less painful.

If you’re one of the many women out there that have heard the word “kegel” dozens of times from your mom, older sister or girlfriend but have yet to hop on board the kegel train, it might be time to start training and toning! Here are my tips and tricks to incorporating kegel training into your weekly routine. You can thank me later, peeps.

Become a kegel pro by using a sex toy

There are a lot of different ways to exercise your Kegels — from squeezing and releasing your pelvic floor muscles for ten-second intervals, to utilizing a wide array of sex toys that are intended to train your muscles. Whether you want to do the work on your own, or you want a product that does most of the “heavy lifting” and contracting for you, you can find something that works for you. My go-to products are the Vanity by Jopen and the Impulse E-Stimulator Kegel Exerciser by CalExotics. Vanity by Jopen is a kegel exerciser that vibrates when you squeeze it and has both exercise and pleasure modes. Did someone say pleasure?  BONUS! With Impulse, it delivers five levels of eletro-impulses to simulate the pelvic floor, causing your muscles to contract. This is perfect because it does all the work for you without having to think about it. Contractions happen without having to squeeze! Ingenious! 

Schedule time on your calendar

Like any workout, it’s best to set aside some time for kegel exercises. Going through the exercises can take some time and dedication, so get out your calendar and pencil in a few minutes once a week -- your future self will thank you! 

Start out simple and work your way up

Think of kegel exercises like an actual workout routine. Similar to a bicep curl, you start off slow and simple at the beginning, and as you get better and stronger, you move on to heavier weights, longer intervals, and more intense workouts. It’s the same thing for kegel workouts, but in this case, you progress to using products with heavier weights, stronger vibrations, and even dual-ball toys. #KegelGoals

You can make it fun with a partner

You can make any workout more enjoyable by having a partner by your side, and it’s the same with kegel exercises! Get this — Impulse comes with a remote control, allowing your partner to get in on the action by controlling the vibration and e-stimulation settings for you. That’s the true definition of mixing exercise and pleasure, and who doesn’t want that? This is kegel submission at its finest and it turns me on just thinking about it, y’all! 

Aside from the many health benefits of training your pelvic floor, I strongly recommend investing in a kegel exerciser if you are hungering to achieve stronger orgasms. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. You may think you already have great orgasms, but they can be 10 times stronger and longer after training and toning those muscles. Yes please! 

- Miranda Buzzlove