How Vaginal Weightlifting Can Change Your Life – Giddy
‘Squeezing iron’ can benefit your pelvic floor, but consult a professional before trying it out.
At first glance, lifting weights with your vagina may sound like a joke from a comedy skit, but the unconventional practice is not only legit, it’s also getting a lot of traction online.
Your vagina is a muscle like any other in your body, making it capable of lifting weights. Vaginal weightlifting takes the already mainstream Kegel exercises to the next level, with the promise of improving your sex life and improving overall well-being.
Is there a downside to all of that? Well, let’s explore what vaginal weightlifting is, how safe it is and the benefits you can experience from practicing it.
What is vaginal weightlifting?
As the name suggests, vaginal weightlifting is designed to train your pelvic floor muscles by inserting a small weight into your vagina and squeezing the weight to keep it in place. It’s similar to Kegel exercises, where you use a clench-and-release technique to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
The pelvic floor muscles are located between your hips, and their strength and flexibility are closely connected to the health of your reproductive organs because they support the bowels, the bladder and the uterus.
Due to aging, weight gain, childbirth, inactivity or certain health conditions, the pelvic floor muscles can weaken. Vaginal weightlifting, when done progressively and in a controlled environment, can be an excellent way to regain strength.
Is it safe?
When done correctly, vaginal weightlifting is not only safe, but it can also bring you many positive benefits.
“It is typically performed by using a set of devices that increase in weight and placing them in the vagina. This causes the vaginal muscles to contract to keep the weight in place,” said Stephanie Hack, M.D., M.P.H., a board-certified OB-GYN and a podcast host at Lady Parts Doctor in Rockville, Maryland.
One common risk with vaginal weightlifting is the chance for you to develop an irritation or infection. To reduce the chance, insert the weight with clean hands and clean the weight you have decided to use before and after.
The material of the weights can also influence the risk of infection.
“There is a risk of infection or irritation related to the device that is used. Only medical-grade pelvic weights should be used,” Hack noted.
“I will also say that I like silicone Kegel weights better than jade eggs. Stone and crystals are porous and can increase the risk of infection,” added Kim Vopni, known as the Vagina Coach, a restorative exercise specialist and certified personal trainer based in British Columbia, Canada. “They are also not always made with a string or tail attached for removal, which requires people to bear down to get it out, which can be damaging to the pelvic floor.”
Another factor to remember is the subtle difference between making your muscles tighter and stronger over time. Just as with Kegel exercises, some people may be prone to vaginismus or high-tone pelvic floor …….
