A reverse kegel is the opposite of a standard kegel: instead of squeezing your pelvic floor muscles upward, you gently relax and lengthen them downward. It’s a surprisingly subtle movement, and most people need a few sessions to feel confident they’re doing it right. The key is coordinating your breath with a conscious release of tension at the base of your pelvis.
What a Reverse Kegel Actually Does
Your pelvic floor is a hammock of muscles stretching from your tailbone to your pubic bone. A standard kegel tightens and lifts those muscles. A reverse kegel lets them drop, lengthen, and release. The technical term for this is “down-training,” and it’s used therapeutically when the pelvic floor is too tight rather than too weak.
Think of your diaphragm, abdominal muscles, and pelvic floor as a team. When you inhale deeply into your belly, your diaphragm pushes downward, your abdomen expands, and your pelvic floor naturally lengthens and descends. A reverse kegel simply amplifies that natural descending motion with gentle, intentional focus.
How to Do It Step by Step
Start in a position that takes pressure off your pelvic floor. Two good options:
- Lying on your back with knees bent and your lower legs resting on one to three pillows or propped on a chair seat.
- Sitting on a chair or exercise ball with your feet flat on the floor and your weight settled evenly on both sit bones.
Once you’re comfortable, follow this sequence:
Place one hand on your chest and one on your lower belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose for about three seconds, directing the air deep into your abdomen so you feel your belly rise under your hand. Your chest should stay mostly still. As you inhale, consciously let your pelvic floor relax and drop downward. Then exhale gently through your mouth for about four seconds, letting everything settle without clenching back up.
That’s one rep. The entire movement is a release, not a push. You’re not bearing down like you’re trying to use the bathroom. You’re simply letting go of tension you may not have realized you were holding.
Mental Cues That Help
Because you can’t see your pelvic floor, visualization makes a big difference. The University of Calgary’s pelvic health program recommends a few imagery techniques that work well for beginners.
The first is a spatial cue: imagine your tailbone and pubic bone slowly moving away from each other, or picture your sit bones widening apart. As that space opens, your pelvic floor muscles get longer and softer. The second is the “bucket” image. When you do a regular kegel, picture a bucket being drawn upward. For a reverse kegel, let that bucket drop lower and lower. The third cue uses an elevator. A regular kegel takes the elevator to the top floor. A reverse kegel lets it gradually descend to the ground floor.
One important note from that same guidance: do not actively push the pelvic floor down, as if sending the elevator to the basement. The goal is a controlled release, not forceful straining. If you catch yourself bearing down or holding your breath, reset and start again with a slow inhale.
How Long and How Often
The Urology Care Foundation recommends practicing the diaphragmatic breathing component for 5 to 10 minutes every day. Within that window, you can cycle through individual reverse kegel reps, holding each relaxed position for the length of one full breath cycle (roughly 7 seconds in and out), then briefly contracting your pelvic floor before releasing again.
Consistency matters more than duration. A daily 5-minute session will build awareness and control faster than a 20-minute session once a week. Many people start noticing improved relaxation within two to three weeks, though building reliable voluntary control can take longer.
Who Benefits Most
Reverse kegels are especially useful if your pelvic floor is chronically tight, a condition called hypertonic pelvic floor. When those muscles are stuck in a state of constant contraction or spasm, they can’t coordinate properly. Common symptoms include general pain or pressure in the pelvic area, low back, or hips, along with difficulty urinating, painful bowel movements, and pain during sex.
For men specifically, pelvic floor relaxation exercises can improve strength, stamina, and control in the muscles around the penis. Down-training may help relieve tension that contributes to erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.
People who do a lot of standard kegels sometimes overtrain their pelvic floor without realizing it. If you’ve been doing kegels religiously but your symptoms aren’t improving, or you’re developing new pelvic pain, you may actually need to relax those muscles rather than strengthen them further. Reverse kegels serve as the counterbalance.
Signs You Need Professional Help
Reverse kegels are safe for most people, but certain symptoms suggest something beyond what self-guided exercises can address. Pelvic pain that doesn’t resolve with consistent relaxation work, a feeling of heaviness or bulging pressure in the pelvic floor, persistent low back or high hamstring pain that hasn’t responded to stretching, or an inability to feel your pelvic floor activate or relax after several months of practice are all reasons to see a pelvic floor physical therapist. These specialists can assess whether your muscles are too tight, too weak, or poorly coordinated, and tailor a program that fits your specific pattern.