FitSugar

Think of Your Kegels as an Apartment Building

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:00:16 PDT

Who doesn't want to make her time under the sheets even better? When in search of the Big O, you may need to look a little deeper, as in deep inside. I'm not talking about touching your heart here - I'm talking about getting in touch with your pelvic floor muscles. I agree that doesn't sound too sexy, and neither does the word Kegels - the name of the exercises used to strengthen those muscles - but once you learn to control them, get ready for some major pleasure in the bedroom.

If you're unfamiliar with where your pelvic floor muscles are, or how to engage them, you're not alone. Here's a simple trick I learned from my Ashtanga Yoga instructor (since mula bandha is another name for these muscles). Pretend you're in the bathroom, and the guy you just started seeing walks in. Faster than you can scream "I'm in here!," you'll automatically engage your muscles and stop peeing midstream. Those are your pelvic floor muscles. While sitting at your computer reading this, practice squeezing those muscles. Be certain you're not just clenching your glutes or engaging your abs. It may take some practice to find your pelvic floor.

Once you do, here's an exercise you can do anytime, anywhere, to strengthen those muscles. It involves thinking of your Kegels as an apartment building. To find out what I mean,

Strength Training Is Sexier Than You Think

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:00:53 PST

Sex and exercise are good for your health; some might even argue that sex is exercise. Hmm . . . sexercise anyone? OK, that might be a stretch, but sex and working out aren't as mutually exclusive as you think. A roll in the hay isn't a huge calorie burner, but it does have great health benefits like boosting the immune system and relieving stress. And you know those pelvic muscles you use to make sex that much more enjoyable? Well, those muscles are also strengthening your core. Work on your pelvic floor muscles outside of the bedroom and things between you and your honey will heat up too.

Having a strong core - specifically a strong pelvic floor - gives you more control "down there," which really pays off in the bedroom when it comes to the grand finale. Also, given all the flips, twists, and turns you might work your body into, a strong back doesn't hurt either. One of the easiest ways to strengthen your pelvic floor is by doing Kegels. The great thing about Kegels is how incognito they are - I know many a woman who has sat at her desk typing away, all the while doing reps of this exercise.

To learn how to do Kegels and see what other exercises will spice things up,

How Jada Pinkett Smith Keeps Her Love Life Hot

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:30:59 PDT

Jada Pinkett Smith is no stranger to sharing details about her love life; with 12 years of a successful Hollywood marriage under her belt, she probably has some healthy secrets we could all use. She told Shape magazine that she is a firm believer in kegels. Pinkett Smith proclaims doing these simple pelvic floor exercises "keeps the sex hot."

Learn how to tone up down there when you

read more. If you practice yoga, you might refer to the pelvic floor (PF) as the mula bandha. The easiest way to find the correct area to activate is to stop the flow of urine when emptying your bladder. Then try to find that same sensation when not going to the restroom. A little more advanced variation is to create the sensation of the entire pelvic floor pulling up. The muscles of the pelvic floor fill in the space between your pubic bone (front of your pelvis), your coccyx (tail bone), and your sit bones (ischial tuberosities in anatomy lingo). The overall shape is similar to a kite and contains many different muscles. To activate the pelvic floor you want to imagine those aforementioned bones coming closer to one another as the muscles attached to them activate and pull up - like a sheet being held by four corners billowing up as the corners move toward the center. It helps to think of the PF as similar to your diaphragm, which moves up and down as you inhale and exhale. Here is a subtle and simple exercise that you can do right now. It is so subtle that no one will know you are exercising your nether regions. On a four-count inhale, pull the PF up and in toward the center line of your body. Then release slowly on a four-count exhale. Allow your pelvic floor to completely relax in between repetitions. Repeat five to 10 times and throughout the day. Aside from beneficial side effects in the bedroom, a strong pelvic floor provides support while running and lifting weights too. After all, it is part of your core.

Yep, Down There: Strengthening Your Pelvic Floor

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:20:05 PST

No one ever brags about how hard they worked their pelvic floor. It just sounds a wee bit smutty. These often neglected, little muscles that support your torso from the base of your pelvis need to be demystified so you can strengthen them correctly; since they are considered an important component of your core.

If you practice yoga you might refer to the pelvic floor (PF) as the mula bandha. Most ladies work their PF by doing kegels, but that just works a portion of the muscles and doesn't necessarily help pull the PF up. The muscles of the pelvic floor fill in the space between your pubic bone (front of your pelvis), your coccyx (tail bone), and your sits bones (ischial tuberosites in anatomy lingo). The overall shape is similar to a kite and contains many different muscles. To activate the pelvic floor you want to imagine those above mentioned bones coming closer to one another as the muscles attached to them activate and pull up. It helps to think of the PF as similar to your diaphragm that moves up and down as you inhale and exhale.

To learn a a simple exercise to just

read more Here is a subtle and simple exercise that you can do right now. It is so subtle that no one will know you are exercising your nether regions. On a four-count exhale, pull the PF up and in toward the center line of your body. Then release slowly on a four-count inhale. Allow your pelvic floor to completely relax in between repetitions. Repeat five to ten times and throughout the day. Fit's Tip: This exercise isn't just for postpartum mamas. Nope - it is great for everybody since it helps create a stable base for motion. Aside from providing support while running and lifting weights, a toned pelvic floor provides beneficial side effects in the bedroom, too! I actually had husbands of my Pilates clients thank me for teaching their wives this exercise. Source

Core Questions

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 02:30:00 PST

No doubt you have heard the term "core" tossed about they gym. You know it's deep, but you have some core questions.

Core question - What is it?

The Core is a group of muscles made up of:

The tranversus abdominis (don’t be intimidated by the Latin) a.k.a the deep abdominal muscle that wraps around your torso. It is the deepest of the abs, and it acts like a natural weight-lifting belt.
The multifidi – a group of deep spinal muscles that stabilize the spine and prevent excessive rotation of the vertebrae.
The pelvic floor– yep, down there. The pelvic floor is a few layers of muscles that connect your pubic bone, tail bone and sits bones.

Core question – What does it do?
When these groups of muscles work together they stabilize the torso, pelvis and spine.

Have a few more core questions? Then

read more Core question – How do I feel my core? Imagine sandwiching your spine with your deep abs and deep spinal muscles while pulling your pelvic floor up (like doing a kagel with a lift). Core question – How do I strengthen my core? You want to feel the core engage as you exhale during the strenuous part of an exercise. When lifting weights, exhale and feel your core, then lift. Your torso should stay stable – that’s how you know your working it. Core question - Why is it important? It stabilizes your pelvis and low back, helping to prevent injury. It also makes for a flat belly. Source

3 Exercises to Strengthen the Pelvic Floor

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 03:06:09 PDT

Pelvic floor, or Kegel muscles, rest like a hammock underneath the bladder and uterus, and because these muscles weaken as we get older, it's especially important to strengthen them. When you have strong pelvic floor muscles, you'll experience a better sex life, help prepare the body for the birthing process, and improve bladder control.

To locate your pelvic floor muscles, imagine the muscles you engage when you are holding the urge to go to the bathroom. To practice working your PC or Kegel muscles, work on lifting these muscles internally and upward, like an elevator, rather than pushing them down and out. We reached out to Crunch fitness instructor Michelle Opperman, who is trained in KAMA Movement, to learn three important exercises to work the pelvic floor. Michelle shows us three types of butterfly exercises, or Kegel exercises, with corresponding KAMA movements, but feel free to mix and match, or try practicing the butterfly exercises alone and gradually integrate them into the KAMA movements.

Lil Links: Isaac Mizrahi Is Joining the Ranks of Baby-Clothing Designers

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:34:45 PST

Isaac Mizrahi is launching a clothing line for babies – Child Mode
Five great breakfasts for kids who hate breakfast - The Stir
Suri has a life-size pal in Angelina Ballerina! - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Katherine Heigl was always planning to adopt - Celebrity Baby Blog
Tips for strengthening your pelvic floor now! - FitPregnancy
How digital tools make it easier for kids to cheat - Parenting
Babywearing's getting a sexy makeover - Momformation
Seven trustworthy websites about kids' health – Tecca
Women search for free sperm online - Yahoo! Shine
Family fun on the cheap - Real Simple

These Weights Don't Go in Your Hands

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:30:08 PDT

Being in the last few weeks of my pregnancy, I have to confess that I haven't been keeping up with my kegels. Early in my pregnancy, new moms urged me to keep my pelvic floor strong, but distracted by the impending appearance of my new little one, exercising this area has not been a top priority. That is until now.

Helping a fellow instructor out at a postnatal yoga class over the weekend, I heard tales of new motherhood that both shocked and intrigued me. I felt like I was in junior high having a secret meeting in the bathroom with my girlfriends about tampons, complete with blushing. One woman admitted that she's had a real problem with incontinence ever since giving birth. After reading all the reviews on Amazon, she ordered some vaginal weights. She explained the weights go inside you to more effectively work your pelvic floor. From a strength training standpoint, that makes complete sense. I mean, if you want to tone your arms, lifting dumbbells is more worthwhile than lifting air. But seriously - vaginal weights?

Learn if they are safe when you

read more. According to a few scientific studies, some evidence shows that using vaginal weights (also called vaginal cones) helped with urine leakage better than no treatment at all. Advocates are in favor of these weights because once they're in place, it's easier for a woman to learn to isolate and train her pelvic floor muscles. They even come in different sizes (just like dumbbells). How fun! Once your muscles become strong enough with small weights, you can graduate to heavier weights, although I'm sure you're not about to brag to your friends about it like you do in the weight room. Using these weights is safe, as long as you follow the instructions. Only keep them inserted for 15 minutes at a time, and properly wash them when you're done. It's not recommended to go out and order yourself a set without talking to your doctor beforehand. They first need to assess that you have what's called stress incontinence, which is due to weakened pelvic floor muscles. Vaginal weights may not help with other types of incontinence. Wow. Leaking breast milk I'm prepared for, but leaking urine? That's not something I'm ready to sign up for postpartum. And since I'm not too keen on sticking anything where I just gave birth, I'm all about doing good old-fashioned kegels on my own. If you're curious about these weights, check out the different kinds below, and then talk to you gyno about them. If you've used vaginal weights before and feel like sharing, we'd love to hear about your experiences.

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4 Ways Pilates Makes Everything Better

Susi May — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:43:46 PDT

Pilates has a rep as a girly exercise form that attracts ladies who lunch. Private sessions can be pricey, but mat classes will work your entire body. Originally called Contrology, the practice was actually developed to rehab injured soldiers after WW I - talk about functional fitness! After teaching the method for years (and rehabbing my own chronic back injury with it), I have decided Pilates makes everything better, from life's basics like sitting to things more extreme like CrossFit. Here are four Pilates fundamentals that everyone can benefit from learning.

Breathing
The most basic human function, breathing supports life and a fit life, too. A proper inhale fuels your muscles with oxygen, and a powerful exhale helps you engage your deep abs to protect your spine and support your torso. The conscious and studied breathing in Pilates might feel tedious at first, but learning how to breathe into your lower lungs, rather than just your chest, helps makes you a more efficient cardio machine. The Pilates method of inhaling wide through the ribs and exhaling by contracting the deep abs to push the diaphragm into the lungs also means you can keep your upper body and neck relaxed as you take in air.

Learn three more benefits when you keep reading.

Lil Links: Evangeline Lilly Welcomes a Baby Boy!

LilSugar — Mon, 23 May 2011 00:15:33 PDT

Evangeline Lilly welcomes a son! - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Tips for buying the best salmon for your family - Health
Maya Rudoph's unplanned home birth - The Stir
Jennifer Garner and Seraphina feed the ducks - Celebrity Baby Blog
Tips for strengthening the pelvic floor prior to delivery - FitPregnancy
Tips for handling sibling rivalry - Parenting
Keep baby safe in the sun this Summer - The Bump
7 ways to beat mom fatigue - Momformation
Fun foods inspired by popular kids books - Babble
Rosie Pope launches new limited edition Pampers designs - Child Mode