The aging process,,,

So, at 53 I'm not able to hold for perhaps as long as I could when younger, I enjoy holding for as long as I can to get the pleasure of eventual relief.
I'm thinking though, does holding increase my capacity to hold, like toning up muscle? I assume it's a muscle that enables holding? I'm thinking this is a good exercise to help with necessary holding as I get older,,, thanks!

I am NOT incontinent, but this is one thing I know about. DO NOT hold your bladder! It actually weakens the muscle and can be incredibly dangerous for your kidneys! Go when you need to, or if you have to hold because of some reason, get to a bathroom asap! In high school year7 -year 9 I use to hold it all the time and my bladder got weaker (had a couple of accidents) but when I started going when I needed to my bladder strengthened up again!

Wow, thanks for that Busterbunny, much appreciated!

No problem! I always look out for the health and safety of others!

To a point, yes holding your pee does help strengthen it. However, like busterbunny found out, hold it for too long and now you're weakening your bladder muscles by over extending them. This will lead to retention or overflow incontinence.

Conversely, not holding your pee at all will weaken your sphincter muscles. This will lead to stress or functional incontinence. It's actually a delacate balance, which is why incontinence is so prelavent to beging with.

You can make your muscles stronger but holding is not the answer. Look up Kegal exercises for strengthening exercises. Even still, holding to the extreme is never a good option.

Yes, holding is not a good option. Kegels are the best known exercise for anyone who wants to improve their bladder control, although they take some time to bear fruit. For example my buddy noticed his first efforts after 4 months of training and you train them at least 3 times a week. Process of training kegels is actually pretty similar to the one of holding urine, but the latter is definitely not recommended in any case and most importantly it's not healthy or good for you. Although a pretty good way of training kegels a bit also is stopping right before cumming, but you have to make sure that you are not overdoing it and you don't do it too often.

What is everyone talking about. There's holding your pee like a normal person, then there's not holding it at all like a functionally incontinent person.

If a normal person never holds their pee it will NOT help to strengthen their bladder or sphincter muscles, and in fact will have the opposite effect. Holding your pee absolutely is a good idea if you want to maintain/regain continence.

Of course, as I already mentioned, forcefully holding your pee for an extended period of time will strenghten your sphincter, but is very bad and will actually weaken your bladder muscles- causing incontinence again.

Holding your pee for abnormally long periods of time (like cops, and other similar job types...), can/will likely lead to gout, the formation of uric acid crystals in your body, especially in your feet, a very painful medical issue. I subscribe to the idea of using a diaper for dribbles, or, as a means to let it go before the pressure builds. Diaper designs work towards this concept, as opposed to holding it, and then flooding. I know we all make choices, and I know there are those that get off on being full to overflowing (me, occasionally, too!), but just know it might come with a medical cost other than incontinence. On the one hand, if you want to be forced to crawl around on your hands & knees because your feet ache so bad, then go for it! I'll stick with an ever-so-occasional diaper rash, and enjoy my A&D ointment! Just saying...

I'll toss-in my .02 on this, only because I feel it bears something of value for others to consider-
'Holding it in', is clearly not a wise idea for any extended period of time. Hold it till you can reach a toilet (or tree, car tire, whatever), and then let nature take its course.
As a young teenager, I had a step father who was the epitome of what an abusive asshole is. One of his delights, was in NOT allowing me to use the toilet, when I needed to go, and then punishing me when I eventually lost it, and wet myself. Truly an amazing example of what a proper father figure should be.
One side effect of this tender, caring, nurturing behavior, is that the capacity of my bladder increased, to a ridiculous degree. I could easily urinate twice as long as any of my peers (school bathrooms, gym, camping, etc..), and actually won some bets re: my ability to NOT go, before others lost theirs. That 'Silver Lining' concept, stuff. yeah...

As adults, taking care of our bodies' needs falls on us. Or our concerned partners. Or medical staff that are taking care of us.

Don't hurt your body due to silliness. If you have to 'Go', then 'Go' as soon as its convenient and socially civil.

B.