Ever pee when you sneeze? You’re not alone. You probably have weak pelvic floor muscles, which are caused by pregnancy, childbirth, aging and being overweight. The solution is to perform Kegel exercises, which help strengthen those muscles. But not everyone digs doing Kegel exercises. They can feel weird, and even though you’ve been told 100 times to clench the same muscle you squeeze when stopping the flow of urine, it’s hard not to wonder if you’re actually doing them correctly.
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The good news? There are other exercises that can help tighten your pelvic floor muscles. “Pilates and other core exercises do help the pelvic floor,” notes Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., author of The Yale Guide to Women’s Reproductive Health: From Menarche to Menopause. “I still encourage Kegels, too, but these other exercises are excellent and helpful.”
Want to head off those embarrassing accidents? Try these exercises recommended and performed by Pilates and fitness instructor Cassey Ho.