Yes, pelvic floor exercises for men are a thing and yes, you should do them!
There isn’t really much discussion about the pelvic floor muscles in cisgender men – not until we get older and they start causing problems. But your pelvic floor supports all that fun biology in your pelvis, including the parts you use for sex.
A weak pelvic floor can cause all sorts of troubling symptoms in men of any age, and the causes in younger men are – ironically enough – often things we do to stay in shape, like lifting weights. But don’t give up on your quest to be the best bottom in town just yet!
Let’s get to know your pelvic floor so you can develop a whole different kind of inner strength.
Where are the male pelvic floor muscles located?
The pelvic floor is a criss-cross ‘sling’ or ‘hammock’ of muscles between your tailbone and pelvis. The pelvic floor muscles support all of your pelvic organs, including your bladder and bowel.
Why should men take care of their pelvic floor?
Your pelvic floor plays a key role in some of your most important bodily functions, including bladder and bowel control. Your pelvic floor muscles too support your sexual function (mainly your ability to get and keep an erection), and it might even have a role in sexual arousal and pleasure.
If you’re not as careful as you used to be, there could be other options before you grab a certain little blue pill. Read on and take a closer look at pills, stings and pleasure – strict safety advice for hard drugs.
What are the symptoms of a weak pelvic floor in men?
If you have urinary or bowel symptoms that you are not sure about, the first thing you should do is see a doctor.
That said, there are some tell-tale signs that your pelvic floor may be struggling. Many of these can build up gradually over time, so you often won’t notice there’s anything wrong until it causes a problem you can’t ignore. Although these symptoms can often be caused by other things in men, it’s worth seeing a doctor if you notice:
- difficulty emptying your bladder or bowels;
- accidentally losing control of your bladder or bowels (incontinence), especially when you laugh or cough or during physical activity
- leakage of urine after peeing
- the frequent and urgent need to pee
- trouble getting or keeping an erection
What causes pelvic floor problems in men?
While your pelvic floor can lose strength naturally as you age, there are certain things that can weaken or damage your pelvic floor muscles. Some of the most common are:
- to be overweight
- certain surgeries, including prostate surgery (talk to your doctor before starting any exercises after surgery – speaking of the prostate, how well do you know yours?)
- continued constipation and/or straining when you have a bowel movement (poop)
- lifting heavy weights, especially heavy squats and lunges
- high-impact exercise (anything that lifts both feet off the ground at the same time)
The good news is that you don’t have to stop squatting or give up your favorite CrossFit class. Like any other muscle, you can train your pelvic floor muscles to make them stronger and more durable.
(In case you were wondering – no, fucking does not affect your pelvic floor. However, a 2016 study it has been found that long-term prolapse can increase the chance of incontinence if you don’t keep your anal sphincter strong. Fortunately, the exercises below are also your road map to a stronger clinch.)
How can you measure your pelvic floor strength?
Here’s how to get a feel for your pelvic floor muscles in action. When you go to the bathroom, stop pissing in mid-stream or try to tighten the muscles that prevent you from passing air. Doing these maneuvers requires you to engage your pelvic floor muscles, so you’ll need to get a feel for the body movements involved.
Once you’ve done this, stand in front of a mirror with no clothes on, then tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold them. You should see your cock and balls rise slightly. If this is difficult for you, see below how you can do pelvic floor exercises to improve muscle strength.
Male pelvic floor muscle – 3D animation | Continence Foundation of Australia
What are pelvic floor exercises for men (Kegels)?
Pelvic floor exercises (sometimes called Kegel exercises) are a simple way to help build strength and responsiveness in your pelvic floor muscles. They’re pretty simple, you can do them almost anywhere, and you’ll usually see some improvement within a few weeks.
How long does it take to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles?
Most men are likely to notice some improvement after 4 to 6 weeks of pelvic floor strengthening exercises, although in some cases it may take up to 3 months to see a difference.
How to do pelvic floor muscle training? Step by step instructions
- Sit, stand or lie comfortably.
- Find your pelvic floor muscles by contracting the muscles around your anus and urethra, as if trying to hold your urine or stop a fart. This should feel like a squeezing sensation that makes your cock and balls “rise”. Everything else should be relaxed – make sure you don’t tighten your buttocks, waist, thighs or stomach. Breathe normally. Let it go and relax.
- Once you find the right muscles, tighten again and try to hold for 5-10 seconds. If you can’t do the full 10 seconds, it’s better to do a quick, strong squeeze for a few seconds than a weaker squeeze for the whole duration. Again, keep everything else relaxed and breathe normally.
- Let the tightness go. It should feel like a distinct release. Rest for about 10 seconds.
- Repeat the squeeze/relax cycle 8-10 times. It should take you less than two minutes.
- Congratulations! You are done a set of pelvic floor exercises.
- Try to do three sets every day.
Pelvic floor muscle exercises can benefit anyone and are a great way to continue all your favorite pelvic activities. Again, if you have symptoms you’re not sure about, or if you’re having pain doing these Kegel exercises, talk to your doctor.
