Can You Do Kegels Wrong? Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
The Surprising Truth About Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises are the most commonly recommended treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction. They're simple, free, and can be done anywhere. So why do so many women do them for months without seeing results?
The answer, in most cases, is technique. Research suggests that up to 50% of women perform Kegel exercises incorrectly — and doing them wrong doesn't just mean wasted effort. In some cases, incorrect technique can actually make symptoms worse.
Here's what you need to know.
What a Correct Kegel Actually Feels Like
A Kegel exercise involves contracting the pelvic floor muscles — the same muscles you'd use to stop the flow of urine midstream. The movement should feel like a gentle lifting and squeezing inward, not a pushing down or outward.
The key word is lifting. Your pelvic floor muscles are designed to support your pelvic organs by lifting them upward. A correct Kegel engages this lifting function.
The Most Common Kegel Mistakes
Mistake #1: Bearing Down Instead of Lifting Up
This is the most common error. Instead of contracting and lifting the pelvic floor, many women inadvertently push down — the same motion as straining during a bowel movement. This is the opposite of what you want, and can worsen prolapse symptoms or increase pelvic pressure over time.
How to fix it: Imagine you're trying to pick up a blueberry with your vagina. The sensation should be a gentle inward and upward lift, not a downward push.
Mistake #2: Holding Your Breath
Many women hold their breath while doing Kegels, which increases intra-abdominal pressure and counteracts the pelvic floor contraction. Your pelvic floor works in coordination with your diaphragm — when you breathe out, your diaphragm rises and your pelvic floor naturally lifts.
How to fix it: Exhale as you contract. Breathe in to release. Let your breath guide the exercise.
Mistake #3: Squeezing the Wrong Muscles
It's very common to recruit the glutes, inner thighs, or abdominal muscles instead of (or in addition to) the pelvic floor. These compensatory patterns mean your pelvic floor isn't getting the targeted workout it needs.
How to fix it: Try to keep your buttocks, thighs, and abdomen relaxed while you contract. Place your hands on your glutes — if you feel them tightening, you're compensating.
Mistake #4: Not Fully Relaxing Between Contractions
The pelvic floor needs to both contract and relax fully to function properly. Many women focus only on the squeeze and rush through the release. A pelvic floor that can't fully relax can become hypertonic (too tight), which causes its own set of problems including pain and urgency.
How to fix it: Take as long to release as you do to contract. A 3-second hold followed by a 3-second full release is a good starting point.
Mistake #5: Doing Too Many, Too Fast
More is not always better. Doing 100 rapid Kegels a day without proper form is far less effective than 10 slow, controlled contractions with full relaxation between each one.
How to fix it: Start with 10 slow, deliberate contractions per session, 2–3 times per day. Focus on quality over quantity.
Mistake #6: Expecting Results Too Quickly
Like any muscle training, pelvic floor strengthening takes time. Most women need 6–8 weeks of consistent practice before noticing meaningful improvement. Stopping too early is one of the most common reasons women conclude that Kegels "don't work."
How At-Home Devices Can Help You Get It Right
The biggest challenge with Kegel exercises is the feedback gap — you can't see your pelvic floor muscles, and it's difficult to know whether you're engaging them correctly without guidance.
This is where at-home pelvic floor devices like the SculptHer PelviRestore make a real difference. By providing structured programs and guided training, they help ensure you're engaging the right muscles in the right way — taking the guesswork out of your routine and helping you build correct technique from the start.
Over 351 verified customers have used the PelviRestore to improve their pelvic floor health — many after months of doing exercises alone without results.
When to See a Professional
If you've been doing Kegels consistently for 8+ weeks without improvement, or if you experience pain during or after exercises, it's worth seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist. They can assess your technique in person and identify any underlying issues that may be affecting your progress.
The Bottom Line
Kegel exercises work — but only when done correctly. If you've been doing them without results, technique is almost always the culprit. Focus on the lift, breathe through the movement, relax fully between contractions, and give it time.
And if you want to take the guesswork out of it entirely, explore the SculptHer PelviRestore — your guided path to a stronger pelvic floor.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
