It was a Saturday afternoon.
My best friend and I were walking up one of the busy streets of downtown Toronto, heading to a special kind of studio.
We had been to a class like this once before, and left with some bruises on our legs and arms.
And that was just the beginner class. Can you guess what this studio is?
I’ll give you a hint.
That’s right, pole dancing!
The first time we went, we had a lot of fun twirling around the poles and learning a few beginner moves.
We talked about how we’ll one day get to pro level 1000 and be able to work that thing effortlessly…
So once the bruises healed, we signed up to go again.
Watching some videos online, I was really impressed by this sport!
People manage to make this strength-intensive practice look so flawless (and sexy)!
I have incredible respect for people who take on pole dancing seriously!
We decided that the pain and bruising (oh and don’t forget the upper body strength) that was required to get there wasn’t for us.
But we signed up for round 2 anyways!
The studio was conveniently located on the second floor of a sex store, and so of course, my friend and I browsed around after the class.
It was maybe my third time I’d been in a sex store…
I was a newbie, and so was my friend.
We slowly walked around together, browsing through all of the sections, picking some items up just to figure out what they’re for…
It was just about the time when I started becoming comfortable with penetration.
Although the thought of penetration brought up painful memories, and naturally dildos weren’t my go-to, I thought I should get myself a little something to spice up my newly-born sex life.
And then I noticed this box labelled kegel exerciser balls.
Being an athlete, the term ‘exerciser balls’ caught my attention.
And so I asked one of the girls working there what these were for.
She explained that the balls help exercise your pelvic floor.
Doing certain exercises, or even just walking around with the ball inside your vagina actually help strengthen and tone your vaginal pelvic floor muscles.
“But why would you want to do that”, I asked, knowing that my history of tight muscles didn’t lead to much penetrative sex in the first place…
At this point, in my mind I equated strong to be synonymous with tight.
The girl responded that from a practical perspective, they can help avoid any urine leakage and tighten up the vagina (say after pregnancy) to allow for better control of the muscles and more intense orgasms.
Also, this added control could allow for you being able to tighten up your pelvic muscles around your partner’s penis during penetration, creating a more interesting and pleasurable experience for him and for you.
And that was it.
I instantly became motivated by this ‘becoming a better lover’ opportunity, especially after years of not being able to give myself and my partner what we wanted!
Now that the end of vaginismus was at least in sight, I figured I would get prepared with the tools early.
I was sold.
Then, she smirked and added that the balls are also surprisingly pleasurable to just leave inside for a while.
She pointed to her co-worker and said that she sometimes comes to work with the kegel balls in and said she can tell, because those are the days she has a jump to her step when she goes up and down stairs to increase the pleasurable sensation.
What is the important information, you ask?
Although I didn’t know a piece of really important information at the time, thankfully when I ran into these babies my pelvic floor was ready for them.
Since standard kegel exercises (and kegel exerciser balls) aim to strengthen the pelvic floor, they are NOT recommended if you have an over-active, or tight pelvic floor (as most vulva owners experiencing vaginismus do).
Meaning if you have vaginismus and your medical professional commanded you…
Please don’t listen to him/her!
Overall…
Only people with an under-active pelvic floor, that is overstretched, or weak (but not tight) are good candidates for kegel exercises.
So if you have vaginismus, these will be great for regaining control of your muscles and strengthening them, but only AFTER you have first fully relaxed the pelvic floor and released any active trigger points you might have.
That’s because by doing kegel exercises with a tight pelvic floor, you risk tightening it further!
Only after your pelvic floor is no longer tight, it becomes time to strengthen it.
I didn’t use them so much at first, but have found them to be a wonderful addition to my pelvic floor and self-care practice!
The kegel ball exerciser kit I tried was the Je Joue Ami Silicone Kegel Balls.
This is what I have to share about these kegel ball exercisers:
Number of Exercisers
This set comes with 3 exercisers.
It includes a wide range of sizes and weights, designed to level up from beginner to advanced within the same set.
This versatility isn’t something you see with all kegel ball exercisers!
Exerciser Weights
This is THE most important attribute when it comes to kegel exerciser balls.
The weights of the Je Joue Ami Silicone Kegel Balls are:
Ball 1: 1.65 oz
Ball 2: 2.75 oz
Ball 3: 3.73 oz
The reason you want gradually increasing weights in a kegel ball set is because the weight of the balls trigger your pelvic floor muscles to hold on.
If you actively contract and relax your pelvic floor while they’re in, this creates an even better workout and you get to practice controlling your pelvic floor movements both up (on contractions) and down (on relaxations).
All of this allows them to gradually strengthen.
So it’s kind of like your pelvic floor is doing bicep curls!
Also, a larger weight creates more of an intense resistance to the pelvic floor and this makes for a deeper massage as the ball sits there and rolls around with your body’s natural movement.
Configuration (Sleeve)
Some kegel ball exercisers come with a sleeve in which you can insert either 1 or 2 balls, in whichever weight combination you wish.
The Je Joue Ami Silicone Kegel Balls don’t come with a sleeve.
Instead, each ball is already configured exactly as it is meant to be inserted through the vaginal canal.
This means there is less versatility with the total amount of weight you choose to insert (since you can’t mix and match multiple balls of different weights).
At the same time, your choices are fewer and so using this set becomes a quite a bit easier!
Configuration (Retrieval String)
Each ball in this set also has a retrieval string made of stretchy silicone that I found to sit quite comfortably when I had clothes on.
I think a handle serves as a huge help in taking
out the kegel balls, instead of having to get them
out with your fingers.
Think tampons with a string to pull out versus no string.
In fact, reaching into my vagina with my fingers has never really been something I’ve done.
That tendency comes with vaginismus I guess. For example…
In my vaginismus days, after I learned to insert tampons, I never inserted one without an applicator.
I could only imagine taking out a kegel exerciser ball that doesn’t have a string to pull on would be difficult.
UNLESS, you can just push it out with your pelvic floor, kind of like laying an egg…
I got a chance to try a set without a retrieval string and I wrote all about it here!
Ball Sizes
Here are the sizes of the Je Joue Ami Silicone Kegel Balls:
Ball 1: 4.3″ x 1.5″ x 1.5″
Ball 2: 6.15″ x 3.15″ x 1.25″
Ball 3: 5.5″ x 2.75″ x 1″
Ball 1’s diameter of 1.5″ is the most wide one, so it’s not as slim as the other ones.
This makes for the need for your pelvic floor muscles to stretch a little further to let it in, which I found to be a strange choice for the beginner ball of the set.
I haven’t yet ran into a set in which the balls were either too small to be ineffective for strengthening of the pelvic floor, or too large to be uncomfortable. It’s truly the weights of the balls (and HOW you use them), rather than their size that create that workout.
Material
The exerciser balls are made of silicone and hard plastic.
The hard plastic is just at the base of each ball where the retrieval chord attaches to the ball.
Aesthetics
The Je Joue Ami Silicone Kegel Balls come in pink and purple colour options.
Don’t they look a little like sperm swimming to an egg?
Sensation
I found these balls to be wonderful for the purpose of pelvic floor exercises.
But remember that sex store co-worker of the girl we spoke to? She wore the balls mostly for pleasure. Her co-worker said she was extra bouncy going up and down the stairs on the days she was wearing them!
I’ve since discovered that the sensation of the balls rolling around once they’re in your vagina is what creates this pleasurable sensation.
In fact, the Je Joue Ami Silicone Kegel Balls have an inner marble within each exerciser ball, which rolls around and creates an ADDITIONAL interesting pleasant sensation, almost like a gentle vibration.
This pleasurable rolling sensation was noticeable with the beginner single ball. It felt like as the ball gently and seductively caressed my inner vaginal wall. This made me want to move and get my yoga mat out to do some stretching!
I didn’t feel this sensation as much with the other two as their shape doesn’t allow for them to roll in the way to caress my inner vaginal wall.
Price (in USD)
The price for this set is $59, which is among some of the higher price points for kegel exerciser balls.
As the founder of Spectrum Boutique, Zöe Ligon explained though, Je Joue designs their own toys inside and out, while most manufacturers carry pre-made shapes that the major manufacturers license out. Je Joue also has high standards for their working conditions and quality control, all of which explain the higher price point!
So…
Would you be curious to try the Je Joue Ami Silicone Kegel Balls when your pelvic floor is nice and relaxed and ready for some strengthening?
Glad to hear it!
To help you find the perfect set for you, I’ve been sure to do my research thoroughly and objectively.
You can read about my reviews of other kegel exerciser balls here:
Fantasy for Her Kegel Trainer Set
Luxe Double O Beginner Kegel Balls (these don’t have a retrieval string!)
Fifty Shades of Grey Beyond Aroused Kegel Balls
Wellness Kegel Training Kit
G Balls 2 Kegel Balls (these are vibrating and come with an app!)
To your hidden pleasure and spontaneous yoga practice!
– Katrin, with Love
