Guide Are you doing Kegel exercises right? Signs you're not
You can't see the muscle, so it's hard to be sure. Here are the tells you're off, the signs you're on track, and quick ways to check.
Here's the frustrating thing about Kegel exercises: you can't see the muscle, so it's genuinely hard to know whether you're doing them right. You squeeze something, you hope it's the right something, and you carry on. If you've ever wondered whether you're getting it (or wondered why nothing seems to be changing), these are the tells. An incorrect Kegel is a push down and out, or a squeeze of the buttocks, thighs or stomach instead of the pelvic floor.
Doing it wrong vs. doing it right
Signs you're probably off
- You feel it most in your buttocks, thighs, or stomach.
- You're holding your breath or clenching your jaw to do it.
- You feel pressure pushing down or out, rather than up.
- You can't really feel anything at all: no sense of a lift.
- You're regularly doing them on the toilet, stopping your flow.
- Months have passed with no change whatsoever.
Signs you're on track
- A subtle lift up and in, felt inside, separate from everything else.
- Your belly, thighs and buttocks stay relaxed.
- You keep breathing normally the whole time.
- You can both squeeze and then fully let go.
- You can repeat it without the rest of you joining in.
- Over weeks, things are slowly, quietly improving.
Three quick self-checks
None of these need equipment: just a quiet moment to pay attention.
- The relax check. After a squeeze, can you fully release and feel everything soften? If you can only ever clench and never let go, you're gripping, not training: the release is half the exercise.
- The isolation check. Rest a hand on your belly. If it tightens when you squeeze, your abs are doing the work your pelvic floor should be.
- The breath check. Try to breathe slowly through a hold. If you have to hold your breath to keep the squeeze, ease right off: you're overdoing it and probably bracing the wrong muscles.
If you want certainty, a pelvic floor physiotherapist can confirm your technique directly: it's the one fully reliable way to know.
The biggest red flag
Downward pressure means you're bearing down.
If the main thing you feel is pressure pushing down or out (like a gentle strain), you're doing the opposite of a Kegel, and it's the one mistake that can make leaks worse. Stop, reset, and aim for a gentle lift up and in instead. Our full guide on how to do Kegel exercises correctly walks through the cue.
Why seeing the movement helps
A written checklist only goes so far, because it describes the movement in words, and a movement is easier to copy than to imagine. That's the idea behind Kegelia: the jellyfish shows the movement itself, its bell drawing up and in on the lift and opening on the release, with a gentle buzz on every lift. It doesn't measure your muscle or check your rep; it gives you the shape and direction to aim for, which a checklist can't.
See the lift, every rep.
Kegelia shows the lift up and in, and the release, on every rep.
iPhone (iOS only for now)
When to get it checked
If you genuinely can't find the muscle, or you've practiced correctly for a few months with no change, that's worth a professional's eyes: a pelvic floor physiotherapist can find what a checklist can't. And if squeezing brings pain, or you have a sense of tightness or a bulge, stop and get guidance first: strengthening isn't always the right answer, and a quick check saves a lot of wasted effort.
Frequently asked
How do I know if I'm doing Kegel exercises correctly?
A correct pelvic floor contraction produces inward pressure or an upward lift without significant bearing down or squeezing the buttocks. Keep breathing, let the stomach and thighs stay relaxed, and release the pelvic floor fully after the hold. A clinician can examine the movement if you cannot distinguish the lift from a push. The Kegelia app shows what that target looks like: the jellyfish's bell draws up and in on the lift and opens on the release, though it cannot tell what your muscle did. How to do Kegel exercises correctly
What should a Kegel exercise feel like?
An NHS physiotherapy guide for women describes a slight internal lift and tightening while you keep breathing and avoid tightening the buttocks. The contraction should be followed by a controlled, full release; pressure moving down or out is not the target movement. That is the movement the Kegelia app's jellyfish models: a lift up and in, then a full release before the next squeeze. The lift and release of a Kegel exercise
Why can't I feel my pelvic floor muscles?
Many people have trouble finding the pelvic floor muscles, according to NIDDK, and the reason cannot be diagnosed from sensation alone. A doctor, nurse or pelvic floor therapist can examine you during a contraction to check whether you are squeezing the intended muscles and tailor the next step. Ways to find the pelvic floor muscles
Should you feel Kegel exercises working?
You may feel a pulling or slight internal lift during a pelvic floor contraction, followed by release, but that sensation does not verify training quality or predict an outcome. The Kegelia app shows the contraction and release phases with a jellyfish and a haptic on each lift; it cannot feel the muscle, know whether a lift occurred or confirm that the movement was correct. What pelvic floor research can show
What if my Kegel contractions feel weak?
Sensation alone cannot tell you whether a contraction is effective or whether a repetition should count toward a program. NICE calls for digital assessment to confirm pelvic floor contraction before supervised training for urinary incontinence, and NIDDK says a clinician can examine the movement to verify the intended muscles. Checking the Kegel exercise movement
When should I see a pelvic floor physical therapist about Kegel exercises?
Pain, downward pressure, difficulty relaxing, a feeling of heaviness or a bulge, inability to find the muscle, or no improvement after regular practice all warrant clinical assessment instead of harder self-guided repetitions. These signs do not diagnose a tight pelvic floor or prolapse by themselves; a clinician can examine the contraction and investigate the symptom pattern. Practice with an app, the Kegelia app included, is not a substitute for that assessment. When pelvic floor relaxation needs assessment
Keep going
This guide is based on published research and clinical how-to references. See sources →
Kegelia supports pelvic floor strength and recovery. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. This article is general information, not medical advice: for anything specific to your body, talk to a clinician.
