A lot of women work out to keep fit and train their muscles. And yet there's one muscle that is often left untrained, even though it's very important: the pelvic floor muscle.
Strong pelvic floor muscles help prevent incontinence later in life and can also improve orgasms. That's reason enough - it seems to me - to start working out. The Svakom Nova kegels can help with that.
Why exercise your pelvic floor muscles?
There may be several reasons to do kegel exercises and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. It may be that you find that your vagina feels less tight after you give birth, for instance. But more importantly, they can be used to prevent or solve incontinence problems. According to the UMCU, 1 in 4 women over 30 suffer from involuntary urine leaks, for example when coughing, laughing, or exercising. Kegel exercises are body exercises that train the pelvic floor muscles and are named after Arnold Kegel, the gynecologist who invented them.
But pelvic floor muscles also play an important role during sex. If the pelvic floor muscles are too weak, you feel minimal contractions during orgasm, and if they are too tight, penetration can be difficult. With kegel exercises, you gain more control over your pelvic floor muscles, improving sex and orgasms.
What are Svakom Nova Exercise balls?
Svakom Nova is a set of three different 'balls' that women can wear internally to train their pelvic floor muscles. The idea is that you carry out a training program consisting of three phases that are 30 days each. There's a ball for each phase. During the first phase, you wear the smallest ball half an hour a day for 30 days. During the second phase, you do the same with the medium ball and you finish the exercises with the heaviest ball.
There's a metal weight in each Nova ball. If you wear one of the Nova balls in your vagina during daily activities, your vagina wall will feel the vibrations of the ball. And the weight will try to slip out of you due to gravity. As a result, you will almost automatically tighten your pelvic floor muscles each time. The result is trained pelvic floor muscles and (if all goes well) fewer problems with unwanted urine leaks and more intense orgasms.
Specs and functions
All three Svakom Nova balls are coated with very soft silicone. Captain obvious here: they're 100% waterproof. Each ball has an elastic cord with a ring at the end. Use the ring to remove the balls.
The balls differ in size and weight. The smallest ball is 36 mm in diameter and weighs 49 grams. The medium kegel ball contains two balls, is 28 mm in diameter and weighs 75 grams. The largest kegel ball contains two balls, is 28 mm in diameter and weighs 95 grams.
Unboxing
The Svakom Nova set comes in a sleek package. There's a picture of the set on the front. The box describes the contents. This is handy if you were to pick up the box in a store.
The exterior packaging is a cardboard sleeve. Underneath is a stylish, hinged box. Open the box to reveal the different balls. You will find a manual, a guarantee (you get a 10-year warranty if you register your product!) and a storage bag underneath the balls. Svakom gets it! Oh, and there's also a booklet with an overview of some other Svakom products.
The manual contains a series of exercises in several languages (not in Dutch, unfortunately). The different phases are explained and there are tips for practicing the most effective kegel exercises.
The test drive
I asked my partner (wife) to help me test this product. We have four children (I really respect her for it). Luckily, my partner has no issues related to urine incontinence or a weak pelvic floor.
And for the sake of time, we didn't use the Svakom Nova balls in the recommended 3 x 30 day cycle, so we can't say whether there's actually any noticeable result.
To insert the balls, you need to apply a little bit of water-based lubricant. Then you push the ball in far enough (a bit like you would insert a tampon). Once the ball is in place, it doesn't feel unpleasant - according to my partner. She could feel the vibrations provided by the weight a little bit. Mostly when she was walking around.
The balls are not meant to arouse you sexually. Although my partner didn't feel sexually aroused after wearing them, she did get pretty wet. Whether you think that's an advantage or a disadvantage is up to you.
Cleaning the Svakom Nova
The balls are easy to clean. Just rinse the balls with warm water after you're done. You could also use some mild soap or a toy cleaner if you felt like it. The balls are exceptionally well made. There are no edges or seams where bacteria can accumulate. These are balls you can enjoy for years!
Conclusion
If you're looking for a set of kegels or balls to improve the function of your pelvic floor - for whatever reason - then this is a very nice, high-quality set. My partner and I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't want this product.
The pros of the Svakom Nova:
Nice, soft, high-quality silicone
Particularly well made
They're easy to insert with a little lube
Easy to clean
Different weights can be used depending on the strength of your pelvic floor muscles
Storage bag included
10-year warranty (if you register the product)
The cons:
We couldn't find any.