Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fitness

Kegel Exercises for Men to Strengthen the Pelvic Floor

Amber Sayer
By

There’s a chance you’ve never even heard of Kegel exercises or Kegels, or you associate them solely with women. However, men can benefit from Kegel exercises as well. Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and can improve bladder, bowel, and sexual function.

kegel exercises for men strengthen the pelvic floor.
Unsplash

While Kegels are critical for guys with prostate problems and incontinence, even healthy men can benefit from regularly practicing Kegels. Not only can Kegel exercises for men keep your prostate, bladder, and urinary muscles strong, but Kegels can also enhance sexual performance. Plus, Kegel exercises are blissfully simple and easy to implement throughout the day, leaving you no excuses to avoid them. Ready to discover, tone, and tighten your pelvic floor muscles? Keep reading to get squeezing your way to better urinary and sexual function.

What Are Kegel Exercises for Men?

Kegel exercises, or Kegels, are exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and are one of the most effective ways for men to improve and maintain healthy bowel, bladder, and sexual functions. Many men deal with incontinence or an overactive bladder, and Kegels can help ameliorate and prevent these problems.

What Muscles Do Kegel Exercises for Men Strengthen?

kegels strengthen the pelvic floor.
Pexels

Kegel exercises for men strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which include the bulbocavernosus muscle (BC muscle), the pubococcygeus muscle (PC muscle), and the iliococcygeus muscle (IC muscle). The BC muscle squeezes semen or urine out of the urethra and squeezes more blood into the tip of the penis. The PC muscle supports the pelvic floor, contracts during orgasms, and plays various roles in urination and bowel movements. Like the PC muscle, the IC muscle also supports the pelvic organs and pelvic floor and retracts the anus after a bowel movement.

How Do Kegel Exercises for Men Improve Sexual Performance?

Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles through Kegels can improve erectile function, give you more control over ejaculation to last longer, and increase the intensity of orgasms. Much like practicing yoga, Kegel exercises increase the neuromuscular control and brain-body connection to your sexual organs, which enables you to have more control over your body during sex.

How Can Men Find Their Pelvic Floor Muscles?

The easiest way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to notice the sensation when you try to stop the flow of urine when you’re peeing. That muscle you have to squeeze is one of the key pelvic floor muscles. To identify the IC muscle, lie down and relax all your muscles. Without clenching your glutes, try to squeeze your anus as if desperately trying not to pass gas.

You can verify that you’re squeezing your pelvic floor muscles by standing naked in front of a mirror. As you contract the pelvic floor muscles, you should notice your scrotum lifting upward toward your body.

Best Kegel Exercises for Men

Identifying your pelvic floor muscles is oftentimes harder than performing the actual Kegels. Kegel exercises for men are simple and can be performed multiple times per day. That said, if you tend to have a tight pelvic floor, you may not need to perform Kegels, or you should reduce the frequency.

Quick Squeezes

Quick squeeze Kegels train the fast-twitch muscles to help you stop urine leaking and control your orgasms. Remember, you’ll want to train the anal muscles and urinary muscles, so perform sets of each. For urinary squeezes, squeeze the muscles you’d use when stopping the flow of urine, but practice it when you aren’t urinating. For anal squeezes, lift and contract your anal muscles without tightening your quads, abs, or glutes. You may find it easier to do this lying down. Complete 10 reps of each.

Long Holds

Long holds build the endurance of your pelvic floor muscles and can help you be more in control of your orgasms. Contract the same muscles as the quick squeezes, but try to hold each contraction for 5-10 seconds. Build up to 8 reps of 10-15 seconds each. Remember to keep your glutes and thighs completely relaxed.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Study: 5 sleep habits that can add years to your life
This study tells you all of the ways you need to get your sleep schedule in check right now
A man getting ready for bed but still on his phone.

The older we get, the angrier we get that we didn't take advantage of those naps as a child. And the more years we see, the more we appreciate how a great night's sleep transforms us from a grumpy Squidward into an upbeat SpongeBob. Though we have more reasons to get less sleep with all of the adult responsibilities, we need not only the proper amount of sleep, but more restful sleep. Good thing there was a study on all of that, and we'll share the highlights.

The top 5 healthy sleep factors
The study was conducted by the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session with the World Congress of Cardiology and centers around people who are 30 years old.

Read more
The best Peloton instructors to match your workout vibe
If you're new to Peloton, here's our guide to help you choose the best trainer to suit your needs and style
Peloton bike at home.

Peloton has become one of the most famous brands in the world of fitness since it was founded back in January 2012. The first Peloton bike was sold in February 2012, and since then, Peloton has become a multi-million dollar business. The main reason for this success is that it offers gym-style workouts without the need for customers to leave the comfort of their own homes.

It's not just the Peloton bikes that have become famous; even the Peloton instructors have become celebrities because of the large international customer base that Peloton has attracted.

Read more
Self-care tips for men: A complete guide to feeling your absolute best
Self-care tips: They're not just for the ladies. Here's how men can feel their best.

Quick, without thinking, what comes to your mind when you think of self-care? Do you automatically envision a woman pampering herself in a bubble bath? Or a room dimly lit by candles as she sips a glass of wine while reading Fifty Shades of Grey? Well, the truth is, at its core, self-care is a set of rituals, regimens, or practices (it can be as simple as you'd like) that help individuals recharge, re-center, and achieve balance in their own well-being and happiness. Self-care takes work and time and is more than just pampering yourself. And yes, it's something men should absolutely put to practice as well. Try these self-care tips.

What exactly is self-care and why do men need it?
Self-care is simply the act of taking time to focus on yourself. You allocate certain time during each day, or even just weekly, to put your stressors on the back burner, with the goal of improving your mental health. The past few years have been complete chaos, and as such, an increase and focus on mental health has taken center stage. Over one in three adults in the United States reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder during the pandemic, which means practicing self-care in any capacity should become a priority.

Read more