How to Use the Kegel Trainer and Breathing Exercises
The Kegel trainer strengthens the pelvic floor; breathing calms the nervous system. Both complement your Start-Stop sessions. Here is how to use them well.
Written by the Hold The Beat education team · Last reviewed August 18, 2026
Start-Stop sessions train the ejaculatory reflex, but they work best on a strong, relaxed pelvic floor. The Kegel trainer builds that strength and control, and the breathing exercises give you a tool to slow arousal down in real time. Use all three together for the fastest results.
Find the right muscle first
- Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down.
- Identify the muscles you use to stop the flow of urine (do this while urinating once, just to locate them).
- Squeeze those muscles for 3 seconds and relax for 3 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
Do not hold your breath or tighten your stomach, buttocks, or thighs — the work should happen only in the pelvic floor. The technique is explained in the Kegel exercises article.
The Kegel trainer modes
| Routine | Focus |
|---|---|
| Standard Kegel | Holding steady contractions to build pelvic endurance |
| Rapid Pulses | Quick 1-second squeezes for fast reflexive control |
| Reverse Kegel | Expanding the pelvic floor outward to release tension |
| Pyramid Hybrid | Holds + pulses + reverse push in one complete session |
AI Kegel sessions
The AI Kegel trainer builds your routine automatically. Unlike the manual timer, it includes a proper warm-up and cooldown to protect the muscle, and it progresses in levels (1–4): holding times grow from 3 seconds toward 10 seconds and rest ratios shrink as you improve. Sessions respect a cooldown period between workouts so the muscle recovers.
Reverse kegels: the relaxation skill
A chronically tense pelvic floor lowers the ejaculatory threshold. The reverse kegel is the opposite movement of a kegel — a gentle outward push, as if starting urine flow or releasing deep abdominal tension. Practice it during trainer pauses and at moments of high arousal. See the reverse kegels guide for the full technique.
Kegel power test
The Power Test measures how long you can sustain a contraction. Do it periodically and watch the history chart: a growing endurance curve is one of the clearest signs your pelvic floor is getting stronger.
Deep breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the same system that slows the ejaculatory reflex. The in-app pattern is inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds:
- Lie on your back with knees bent.
- Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, letting your belly rise.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall.
- Visualize your pelvic floor relaxing on the inhale.
The app offers a 5-minute guided session. One slow exhale at the moment of peak urge is often enough to buy the seconds you need to pause.
How to combine everything
- Daily: kegels (or reverse kegels) + a breathing session.
- 3–5× per week: trainer Start-Stop sessions, alternating AI and duos if you train with a partner.
- During trainer pauses: reverse kegel + slow exhale instead of clenching.
What to do next
Start with the complete trainer guide, then read Your First AI Start-Stop Session. You can try the mechanics of the beat with the free start-stop session.
Sources
- NHS — Premature ejaculation
- Masters, W.H. & Johnson, V.E. (1970). Human Sexual Inadequacy.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-14 · Written by the Hold The Beat education team. Educational content, not medical advice.