5 Steps to a Healthy and Orgasmic Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor. You’ve probably heard this term and it certainly doesn’t sound sexy. However, this area of your body is key to sexual health, sexual performance and your enjoyment of sex. Now I’ve got your attention, right? Here we’ll take a look at the pelvic floor, how it works and what you can do to keep yours as healthy – and orgasmic – as possible.

What’s the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a layer of muscles that span the bottom of the pelvis and support the pelvic organs. That means the bladder and bowel, or bladder, bowel and uterus, depending on your genital configuration. This sort of muscular trampoline spans between the pubic bone and the tailbone. This layer also includes all your, well, holes. So, the urethra and anus, or urethra, vagina and anus. The muscles wrap around these holes to help keep them shut, along with the help of the anal and urethral sphincters.

You with me? We’re currently on a big, bouncy trampoline of muscle just under your pelvic organs. So what’s happening here? Well, these muscles are helping to control your bowels and bladder, which is definitely cool. But they also control sexual function. In people with penises, the pelvic floor muscles are important for erectile function and ejaculation. In fact, strong pelvic floor muscles can help people gain more control over their ejaculation – and delay it as desired. Stronger pelvic floor muscles also mean stronger contractions during orgasm, which translates to a bigger, more powerful O.

For people with vaginas, it’s those pelvic floor muscles that cause the inside of the vagina to contract during orgasm. And – it’s really as simple as this – the stronger these are and the harder they squeeze, the more intense that orgasm will be. Plus, strong pelvic floor muscles help prevent things that can cause serious problems in the bedroom, such as pelvic organ prolapse, when pelvic organs such as the vagina, rectum or uterus protrude into or even outside of the vagina. (Yikes!)

How to Keep Your Pelvic Floor Strong, Healthy and Orgasmic

So, now that you have a bit of an understanding of how the pelvic floor muscles work and why they matter to your sex life, what can you do to keep them strong and healthy? Here are few key tips. Note that if you have a penis, only the first one here will apply to you. That’s because female bodies - thanks to the way they're laid out and the effects of childbirth - are more prone to pelvic floor problems.

Do Your Kegels

This one’s simple – and it applies whether you have a penis or a vagina. In other words, if you have pelvic floor muscles, you should exercise them. How do you do that? It’s as simple as isolating the muscles that help you control the flow of urine, and then contracting and releasing them. Do a set (or two or three) of 10 every day and you should feel a difference in a couple of weeks. You may even start having more powerful orgasms as a result. Easy peasy!

Read: Why Kegels Are the Key to Greater Sexual Pleasure - for Everybody

Try a Kegel Exerciser

If you have a vagina, strengthening the pelvic floor is especially important. The way the female body is designed puts more pressure on the pelvic floor. Plus, for those who bear children, that can really weaken and distend the pelvic floor muscles, causing sexual dysfunction, incontinence and even pain.

Because the pelvic floor is made of muscle, you can train it just like any other muscle. Fortunately, there is an increasing number of products that make this form of exercise simple, challenging and fun.

The Bloom Kegel Training Set by We-Vibe includes progressive weights to help you get strong down there – and rumbly vibrations to ensure you have a good time doing it.

The Bloom Kegel Training Set by We-Vibe, available at Indigo Honey.

Or, use a Kegel trainer like the Femintimate Pelvix Concept Pelvic Floor Exerciser. This specially shaped exerciser includes different weights so you can get strong just holding it in place and, eventually, learn to squeeze and lift the device as you get stronger. It also includes details instructions on how to exercise and use it.

The Femintimate Pelvix Concept Pelvic Floor Exerciser is easy to use - but it works. It's available at Indigo Honey.

Play with Kegel Balls

Like Kegel trainers, Kegel balls are exercise for your pelvic floor, but they can also be super fun and sexy to incorporate into masturbation or partnered sex. These weighted balls are inserted into the vagina. Holding them in place requires strength, which helps exercise those pelvic floor muscles. You could just stand around in your Kegel balls, or go about some of your daily activities. Some people even take them out for a run! But if you’d like to keep those Kegel exercises on the sexy side, try slipping some in and getting a sexy spanking. The internal stimulation from the balls shifting and moving will provide lots of extra orgasmic sensations! Or, wear Kegel balls during anal play for a much tighter fit and amazing internal stimulation. You could even wear your Kegel balls out on a date with your partner for a very arousing evening!

LELO LUNA Beads are one of the most popular options for Kegel balls. You can get them at Indigo Honey.

Practice Relaxing Your Pelvic Floor With a Dildo or Dilator

Just as the pelvic floor can become weak and lax, those muscles can also spasm. This can be caused by medical problems or can occur in response to painful sex due to lack of lubrication. It’s also, sadly, a common symptom of sexual trauma. However, getting in touch with those pelvic muscles can be one way to train them to not only contract, but to relax, and work toward making penetration possible – and enjoyable – again.

A dilator kit like the Inspire Silicone Dilator Kit can help get those muscles functioning properly again by promoting relaxation, blood flow and pleasure in the vaginal area.

The Inspire Silicone Dilator Kit promotes pleasure, relaxation and contributes to more comfortable sex.

Use Lube

OK, OK, lubricant doesn’t strengthen your pelvic floor. But if you’re struggling with painful intercourse – or intercourse that isn’t as pleasurable as you’d like – lube can absolutely help with that. Plus, loss of muscle tone and circulation in the pelvic area can contribute to vaginal dryness. Keeping this lubricated helps reduce pain and spasm during sex and helps promote vaginal moisture and overall health. Plus, it feels awesome! Choose something glycerin and paraben free, like Sliquid Organics Natural Gel. It even includes aloe to help heal, soothe and moisturize the skin.

Lube can help with all kinds of problems! This natural, gentle, moisturizing one from Sliquid is available at Indigo Honey.

You may never have thought of the pelvic floor as a sexual organ, but unless that band of muscle is healthy and happy, enjoying pleasurable sex is all but impossible. Take care of your pelvic floor as you would the rest of your body by giving it the exercise and care it needs. It’ll repay you in better physical health, more pleasurable sex – and possibly even some of the best orgasms of your life.