Ben wa balls are small weighted balls that you place inside your vagina and hold there with your pelvic floor muscles. Some people use them to give pelvic floor exercises something to work against, some use them for the sensation, and plenty use them for both, according to Columbia University's Go Ask Alice! (last edited January 2026).
The same source lists love balls and vaginal balls as other names for them. We call our own set kegel weights. The idea is the same, and what matters when you buy one today is what it's made of, how the weight goes up, and what the first week is really like.
What are ben wa balls made of?
Ben wa balls come in different weights, sizes and materials, including metal, glass, silicone and plastic. Most sets are two balls joined by a silicone or nylon cord, which makes them easier to insert, remove and clean (Go Ask Alice!).
People reach for them for two different reasons. One is to add a little resistance to pelvic floor exercises. The other is pleasure, on your own or with a partner. Neither reason is more legitimate than the other, and the practical rules below apply to both.
How do ben wa balls work?
The ball does very little by itself. Your pelvic floor muscles contract to keep it in place, and that small, steady resistance is what gives those muscles a gentle workout (Go Ask Alice!).
Those muscles stretch like a hammock from the front of your pelvis to the back and support your bladder, uterus and rectum, according to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, last reviewed November 2021). Working them on purpose is called a Kegel, or pelvic floor muscle training: you squeeze, hold for about three seconds, then let go completely.
A weight is one way to add feedback to that routine. Mayo Clinic's guide to Kegel exercises (October 2024) describes a weighted vaginal cone, held in place by squeezing while you stand or walk, as one technique a healthcare professional may suggest alongside Kegels. NIDDK also lists special weights among the aids a doctor, nurse or pelvic floor therapist can recommend. How much difference a weight makes varies from person to person (Go Ask Alice!).
What ben wa balls aren't for
They are for vaginal use only. Unlike toys made for anal play, ben wa balls have no sturdy removal handle, so they can slip too far and get stuck in the rectum (Go Ask Alice!).
They are meant to be held still. Thrusting them in and out like a dildo can cause discomfort or injury, and so can using them roughly or for too long (Go Ask Alice!). And they are a tool for a routine. If a symptom is worrying you, that belongs with a healthcare professional before it belongs in a shopping cart.
How to choose a set: material, weight steps and size
Three questions decide whether a set is easy to live with. What is it made of, since it sits against sensitive skin and needs cleaning after every use? How does the weight go up, since starting light and moving up slowly is how you find your level? And do the balls get bigger as they get heavier? That last one changes what "moving up" actually feels like.
Our own set, the Bodyotics six-weight set (sold in the US as Silicone Intimate Weights), answers that third question in one specific way. Each weight is a body-safe silicone shell over a stainless steel core, and the core is the only thing that changes. All six are the same shape and size, so moving up the set means more weight, never a bigger object.
| Weight | Grams | About (oz) | How we suggest using it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 g | 1.8 oz | Start here, for a week or two |
| 2 | 65 g | 2.3 oz | Move up when weight 1 starts to feel like nothing |
| 3 | 80 g | 2.8 oz | Same rule: move up only when the last one feels easy |
| 4 | 95 g | 3.4 oz | Same rule |
| 5 | 110 g | 3.9 oz | Same rule |
| 6 | 130 g | 4.6 oz | The top of the set, and not a test to try on day one |
Starting at the heaviest weight to "see where you are" tends to tell you very little. It stays put, and you learn less than you would from the lightest one.
How to use ben wa balls for the first time
Find the muscles before you add any weight. NIDDK and Mayo Clinic both suggest squeezing as if you were trying to stop passing gas, which should bring a slight pulling feeling in your vaginal or rectal area. Keep your stomach, thighs and buttocks relaxed, and keep breathing (Mayo Clinic). Then:
- Wash your hands and the balls.
- Use lubricant if insertion isn't comfortable. With a silicone set like ours we recommend a water-based lubricant rather than a silicone-based one (here's how the two compare).
- Lie down for your first few sessions.
- Insert gently and let your muscles hold the weight. Keep anything else out of your vagina while it's in, and don't move it in and out (Go Ask Alice!).
- Squeeze, hold, then fully relax. NIDDK's method ends every repetition with a complete release, and the release counts as much as the squeeze.
- Stop at ten to fifteen minutes a day. That's the guidance that comes with our set, longer isn't better, and weights aren't for wearing overnight.
- Remove gently, wash, dry fully and store somewhere clean.
The first week is usually the awkward one. A weight can slip straight back out, which with our set usually means you're upright and tense rather than doing anything wrong; lying down for the first ten or fifteen minutes is the usual fix. It can also feel like nothing is happening at all. Both are common early on, and both change as you get used to it. For the full routine, our step-by-step guide to using kegel weights walks through the first weeks and when to move up.
Who should check with a professional first?
NIDDK notes that pelvic floor exercises may not be a good option for everyone and suggests checking with a healthcare professional before you begin. With any weighted set, talk to one first if you're recovering from childbirth, have had recent pelvic or gynecological surgery, have an IUD in place, or are managing a pelvic infection or another medical condition.
And if something hurts, stop. Discomfort is a signal to try a lighter weight or a shorter session later, or to ask someone who can examine you.
How do you clean ben wa balls?
Metal, glass, plastic and silicone balls can all be washed with antibacterial soap and warm water (Go Ask Alice!). For our set, wash with warm water and a gentle cleanser before and after each use, boil for three to five minutes when you want a deeper clean, and store the weights dry in their pouch.
Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of ben wa balls?
People use them for two things: resistance during pelvic floor exercises, and pleasure (Go Ask Alice!). The exercises themselves work the muscles that support your bladder, uterus and rectum (NIDDK). A weight gives those muscles something to hold, and how much anyone notices from adding one varies.
Do ben wa balls make you tighter?
If "tighter" means stronger pelvic floor muscles, that comes from the muscles doing the work, with or without a weight; Mayo Clinic describes Kegels as strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. A pelvic floor that can only tighten isn't the aim, either, which is why every repetition ends in a full release. If a vagina that already feels tight is what's on your mind, our guide to why a vagina can feel tight is a better place to start, and tight vs weak pelvic floor explains the difference.
How long can you leave ben wa balls in?
Go by the instructions for your set. For ours that's ten to fifteen minutes a day, and never overnight. Using them for too long can cause irritation or injury (Go Ask Alice!).
Can you use ben wa balls during sex?
Some people use them before or after penetrative play, but nothing else should go into the vagina while they're in (Go Ask Alice!). Take them out first. There's more on how the pelvic floor and intimacy connect in can Kegels improve intimacy?
Are ben wa balls safe?
The risks Go Ask Alice! describes come from how they're used: thrusting them, using them roughly or for too long, or using them anally, where they can get stuck. Keep them clean, keep them to vaginal use and to your set's time limit, and check with a healthcare professional first if any of the situations above apply to you.
Where to start
Learn the squeeze and the release without a weight first. Then add the lightest one, lying down, for ten to fifteen minutes, and give it a week or two before you move up. If you'd like the exercise itself explained from scratch, start with our beginner's guide to Kegel exercises, and the pelvic floor knowledge base collects everything else we've written on the subject.
This article is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For a persistent or worsening symptom, or any concern about your health, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
The set this article describes. Six body-safe silicone weights, 50 g to 130 g (about 1.8 to 4.6 oz), all the same size, for a daily intimate-care routine. A wellness product, not a treatment. See the Silicone Intimate Weights or browse pelvic wellness.
Related reading: Kegel weights vs dilators | Step-by-step guide to kegel weights | Tight vs weak pelvic floor
By The Bodyotics Editorial Team. Published September 25, 2026. Last updated September 25, 2026.
