I've Been Asked About Kegel Chairs-Here's My Take

You know those "special" Kegel thrones, the ones where you sit on a magic chair in an office or spa and it 10,000 kegels for you while you binge the latest TV show? Yeah... I've been asked about my opinion on them more times than I can count. And honestly, every time someone asks, I think: oh, here we go, another vibrating-ab-exercise-belt-of-the-50s situation.

I've shied away from weighing in publicly for a long time because I don't like to put someone else's process down. I truly believe certain strategies will work for certain people. Personally, I haven't tried the Kegel chair myself, but I have worked with tons of women who have. And what brings them to me? Well... they're still peeing their pants, still dealing with lower back or hip pain, still feeling pressure or pain down there (you know what I mean).

So I did a deep dive-actual research, no AI shortcuts-and honestly, my jaw hit the floor.

Here's the reality about the Kegel chair

Sitting there, letting a chair "do the work" sounds great in theory, right? The problem is that the pelvic floor doesn't exist in isolation. It's part of a predictive, anticipatory system-along with your diaphragm, your transverse abdominus, and your multifidus-that prepares your body for every movement: from lifting your arm overhead to running, jumping, laughing, sneezing, or coughing.

The engagement needed to lift your arm? Totally different from what's needed to jump. These muscles anticipate and adjust automatically-until something breaks the rhythm

Why? Life. Bad posture habits. Shallow breathing. Trauma from childbirth or injury. Age-related muscle tone loss. Modern living, basically.

Why a chair can't fix that

The Kegel chair has you sitting. You're not moving. You're not breathing deeply. You haven't corrected posture. You haven't learned how to engage your core properly. Sure, you might see some success-but it's often short-lived.

And if your issues are linked to tension, rather than weakness, that chair could actually make things worse.

Cost-wise? Let's talk: a treatment package at a typical Kegel spa can start around $1,800+tax, for six sessionsm which are about 28 minutes each (and come with a free consultation), with follow-ups every 2-3 months costing $250-$300. No coverage from OHIP in Ontario or most private health insurance. That's a lot of hard-earned money for something that may or may not help-and the people I know who've tried it, didn't report improvements for activity-based pelvic floor concerns.

Here's what actually works

Based on my experience with nearly 1,000 women, these strategies make a real difference:

1. Proper breathing techniques - full 360° breaths that engage diaphragm, core, and pelvic floor together.
2. Alignment and core engagement - learning to activate these muscles in ways that actually support movement.
3. Movement-based practice - we don't just lie on the floor or sit in a chair. We practice fundamentals in isolation, then apply them to real-life movements (because life doesn't happen sitting down).

This is what trains your body to anticipate and respond the way it was designed to.

You're not broken

Your pelvic floor isn't failing. The system, including diaphragm, transverse abdominus, and multifidus, just needs a little guidance to get back in sync.

Here's the truth: the strategies are simple (in theory), but it's not easy. Decades of habits, posture patterns, and shallow breathing quirks need to be retrained. There will be days you curse like a sailor. Days you want to quit. But when the lightbulb clicks? Oh, it clicks. And that's when you know the investment-of time, effort, and yes, maybe money-is worth it.

The takeaway

If you're hoping a chair will save you while you binge your favourite show, by all means do give it a try, your mileage may vary. But if you want to move, laugh, sneeze, lift, jump, and live life without fear of leaking or pain, then it takes strategy, practice, and real movement.

And honestly? I've watched close to 1,000 women do exactly that-and it works.

If you're curious: I've revamped my personal training packages to fit almost every budget, and I would love to help you with pelvic floor concerns. No gimmicks, no chairs-just practical, real-life strategies. 

Learn More About My Personal Training Packages