Apparently, There’s a Video Game You Can Play Using Your ‘Pelvic Muscles’

The Nintendo Switch. The Playstation 5. The Perifit S. All three of these are gaming consoles. Only one of them was designed with the intent to strengthen your pelvic muscles.

Perifit is a French start-up currently campaigning on Kickstarter for the launch of their pelvic floor sensor. Yes, it looks like a sex toy. (Sadly, it is not.) Yes, it is marketed toward women. However, because some men have vaginas, because all humans have another orifice where you could stick a Perifit S, and because it’s a fascinating concept, we have all the details for you here.

The Perifit S is a device that can wirelessly connect to your smartphone or tablet and the corresponding training program app. It’s made out of medical grade silicone and is only .8 inches wide to fit all body types and sizes.

The device itself detects the force of your pelvic muscles as you play fun games on your phone, squeezing those muscles to advance. By tracking your progress, the app is able to customize a set of exercises to then help you improve your level of performance.

The Perifit S Kickstarter explains: “To get a truly efficient pelvic floor workout, you need to target both your superficial (shallow) and deep pelvic layers. Perifit S is the only pelvic floor trainer which allows you to train and track both these layers to get the best results.”

There are five training programs to choose from: pre & post pregnancy, preventive training, urge incontinence, stress incontinence, and intimate wellbeing. Pelvic floor muscles are important for a variety of reasons, including bladder control, musculoskeletal stability, pleasure, and pregnancy.

So, OK, maybe the Perifit S isn’t technically a “gaming console.” You can’t play Assassin’s Creed with it, but you can get a workout that isn’t as completely boring as forcing yourself to do Kegels, which the makers of Perifit point out don’t always work for everyone.

Is this a necessary device? No. Is it pretty innovative? Yes. Are you going to look really weird if you’re playing iPhone games on public transit without ever touching the screen? Also yes. Please don’t use this in public.

What do you think of the Perifit S, and how are your pelvic muscles doing today? 

This article was originally published on December 19, 2020. It has since been updated.