Kegel balls
What they are: Part exercise weight for your vagina, part sex toy, Kegel balls come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles, from the Ben Wa balls made famous by Fifty Shades Darker to the jade eggs made infamous by Gwyneth Paltrow. They can be made from stone, stainless steel, plastic or silicone, and come as singles or as pairs to be inserted at the same time. Some are sold as sets that have increasing weights to encourage progressive training. You can purchase them online or at adult shops.
Photo: Courtesy of Je Joue
How they work: When you insert a Kegel ball, you have to contract your pelvic floor to keep it in, and doing Kegels with the extra weight can make the exercises more challenging for some people, but for others, it makes it easier to target the right muscles. ?It can be like resistance training,? says Céleste Corkery, a physiotherapist at Women?s College Hospital in Toronto. You can also just let the balls sit inside you for a short period of time?while you walk the dog or do the dishes, for example, but you may need to work up to being able to hold them in for these activities. What you need to know: Some products are marketed to be worn as you go about your day, but experts don?t recommend leaving them in for a prolonged period. ?That would be like grabbing a dumbbell, going into a partial bicep curl and walking around like that for the whole day,? says Kim Vopni, a women?s health and fitness coach based in Port Moody, B.C. ?It?s not functiona...