PERFORMANCE
Kegel exercises for men: the pelvic floor guide nobody gave you
The muscles under your pelvis help with erections, ejaculation and bladder control. Here is what the trials found, and the exact routine they used.
Your pelvic floor is a sling of muscle between your pubic bone and tailbone, and in men it helps keep erections firm, powers ejaculation and stops leaks. Training it with Kegel exercises has helped men with erection problems, early ejaculation and dribbling in clinical trials. This guide sets out what those trials found and the routine they actually used, step by step.
Two pelvic floor muscles matter most for sex: one helps create full rigidity and the other drives ejaculation.
In a UK randomised trial of 55 men with erectile dysfunction, 40% regained normal erectile function after six months of pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback, and another 34.5% improved.
In a study of 40 men with lifelong premature ejaculation, 33 gained control of ejaculation after 12 weeks of clinic-based pelvic floor rehabilitation.
The trial routine was simple: three strong squeezes standing, sitting and lying, morning and evening, plus light lifts while walking and a squeeze after urinating.
Improvements were measured at around three months, so this is a slow, steady project rather than a quick fix.
Men with pelvic pain should be assessed before starting, because the treatment tested for pain is different from strengthening.
What does the pelvic floor do in men?
The male pelvic floor supports the organs of the abdomen, keeps you continent of urine and faeces, and is active during sex.1 Two of its muscles have specific sexual jobs: the ischiocavernosus helps turn a full erection into a rigid one, and the bulbospongiosus mainly pushes semen out during ejaculation.2
Pelvic floor training is usually talked about as something for women after childbirth, which is a shame, because men have the same basic arrangement of muscles. A review of randomised trials in men described them as supporting the abdominal contents, working during breathing, maintaining urinary and faecal continence, increasing local blood supply and being active during intercourse.1
The two muscles that matter for sex
Ischiocavernosus. These sit alongside the base of the erectile bodies. When they contract, they push the pressure inside the penis above normal blood pressure, which is what turns a full erection into a rigid one.2
Bulbospongiosus. This wraps around the base of the urethra and is mainly responsible for expelling semen during ejaculation.2
Blood flow still comes first: an erection starts when the arteries open, which is why fitness matters so much, as our guide to cardio and erections explains. The pelvic floor works on top of that, pushing rigidity higher, which is why the trials below measured firmness and control rather than desire.
Do pelvic floor exercises help erectile dysfunction?
They can. In a UK randomised trial of 55 men, pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback led to significantly better erectile function than lifestyle advice alone, and after six months 40% of men had regained normal function.3 Reviews support the approach but note that most studies are small and of low to moderate quality.4
The best-known trial was run by a physiotherapist in Taunton. It enrolled 55 men with erectile dysfunction lasting at least six months, aged 22 to 78. About half were taught pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback and given lifestyle advice; the other half got lifestyle advice only. After three months, the exercise group had significantly better erectile function scores. The control group was then switched to the exercises and improved too.3
By six months, across both groups, 22 men (40%) had normal erectile function, 19 (34.5%) had improved, and 14 (25.5%) had not improved.3 The researchers went on to argue that pelvic floor exercises deserve a place as a first-line option.5
“This study suggests that pelvic floor exercises should be considered as a first-line approach for men seeking long-term resolution of their erectile dysfunction.”
How strong is the evidence?
Promising, but not settled. A 2019 systematic review found ten trials of pelvic floor training for erection problems or early ejaculation. All the erectile dysfunction trials reported improvement, but the studies were of low to moderate quality and used very different programmes, so no single best protocol could be identified.4 A 2024 meta-analysis limited to men not taking erection tablets pooled a small number of pelvic floor trials and did not find a statistically significant effect, while aerobic exercise did show one.6
The fair summary is that pelvic floor training is low-risk, cheap and has helped a meaningful share of men in trials, but it is not guaranteed to work for everyone. It fits best alongside other steps such as regular aerobic exercise, rather than as the only thing you try.
Can pelvic floor exercises help you last longer in bed?
For some men, yes. In an Italian study of 40 men with lifelong premature ejaculation, 33 gained control of ejaculation after 12 weeks of pelvic floor rehabilitation.7 That programme was run in a clinic and had no comparison group, so the results are encouraging rather than conclusive.
The men in this study had ejaculated within a minute of penetration all their lives. After 12 weeks, 33 of the 40 (82.5%) had gained control, and their average time to ejaculation had risen to 146 seconds. Thirteen of them were followed up six months later and still averaged about 113 seconds, compared with about 40 seconds before treatment.7
It is important to know what that programme involved, because it is not something you can copy at home. According to the full paper, men attended three 60-minute sessions a week for 12 weeks. Each session combined 20 minutes of guided exercises using sustained and repeated contractions, 20 minutes of electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor via an anal probe, and 20 minutes of biofeedback.7 The paper does not describe a home routine, so its results cannot be assumed to apply to Kegels done alone.
The UK erectile dysfunction trial did include a simple home instruction for men with early ejaculation: try tightening the pelvic floor muscles to delay ejaculation.3 Early ejaculation often has a psychological side too, and our guide to talking to your partner about performance anxiety can help with that part.
How do you find your pelvic floor muscles as a man?
Tighten as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine and hold in wind at the same time. If you are doing it right, a mirror will show the base of your penis draw towards your belly and your testicles lift.3
These were the cues given to men in the UK trial, and the physiotherapist confirmed each man was contracting correctly by checking for that lift of the scrotum and pull-in of the penis.3 Notice that the instruction is to squeeze as if stopping urine. The exercises themselves were done standing, sitting and lying down, not while urinating.
Common mistakes the trial warned against
Holding your breath while you squeeze. Keep breathing normally.
Pulling in your stomach. The belly should stay relaxed.
Clenching your buttocks. In the sitting exercise, the aim is to lift the pelvic floor without lifting your buttocks off the chair.
In the trial, men were also given biofeedback: a small probe measured muscle pressure and displayed it on a screen, so they could see whether they were squeezing properly.3 If you cannot tell whether you are using the right muscles, a pelvic health physiotherapist can check for you.
What pelvic floor routine did the trials use?
The UK trial asked men to do three maximal pelvic floor contractions in each of three positions, standing, sitting and lying, every morning and every evening. They also lifted the pelvic floor lightly while walking, squeezed after urinating, and practised daily at home for six months.3
The routine below is taken from the exercise sheet printed in the trial paper. Nothing has been added. Men were taught it over five weekly 30-minute sessions with a physiotherapist, with biofeedback, and then continued at home.3
Exercise
How the trial described it
Repetitions
When
Standing
Feet apart; squeeze as if stopping urine and wind
3 maximal holds
Morning and evening
Sitting
Knees apart; lift pelvic floor, not buttocks
3 maximal holds
Morning and evening
Lying
On your back, knees bent and apart
3 maximal holds
Morning and evening
Walking
Lift pelvic floor to about half of maximum
Occasionally
While walking
After urinating
Strong squeeze to avoid after-dribble
One squeeze
Each time you urinate
During sex
Rhythmic tightening to help keep rigidity
As needed
During sexual activity
Step by step
Step 1: Standing. Stand with your feet apart. Tighten your pelvic floor as if stopping urine and wind, and hold as strongly as you can. Do three of these in the morning and three in the evening.
Step 2: Sitting. Sit on a chair with your knees apart. Lift your pelvic floor without lifting your buttocks off the seat and hold as strongly as you can. Three in the morning, three in the evening.
Step 3: Lying. Lie on your back with your knees bent and apart. Tighten and hold as strongly as you can. Three in the morning, three in the evening.
Step 4: Walking. Now and then while walking, lift your pelvic floor to about 50% of your maximum.
Step 5: After urinating. Once you have finished, tighten your pelvic floor strongly to squeeze out the last drops.
Step 6: During sex. Tighten your pelvic floor rhythmically to help get and keep rigidity. If ejaculation comes too soon, try tightening to delay it.
Throughout, breathe normally and keep your stomach and buttocks relaxed. That adds up to 18 maximal contractions a day, plus the everyday squeezes.3
How long should each hold last?
The trial did not use one fixed hold time. The exercise sheet left a blank for the physiotherapist to fill in for each man after measuring how long he could keep a contraction going. During testing, men were asked to hold a maximal squeeze for 10 seconds, with 10 seconds' rest between attempts.3 Without a physiotherapist, the closest you can get to the trial's approach is to hold each squeeze only as long as it stays genuinely strong, treating the 10-second test hold as a sense of the target rather than a starting point.
How long do Kegel exercises take to work for men?
Trials measured their main results after about three months of practice, with further improvement by six months.3 In the premature ejaculation study, some change was visible by six weeks, with a larger effect at 12 weeks.7
In the UK erectile dysfunction trial, the first comparison was made at three months, and men kept improving over the next three months of home practice.3 In the Italian study, men averaged about 125 seconds before ejaculation after six weeks of clinic sessions and about 146 seconds at 12 weeks.7
So no change after a few weeks is normal. No change after three months of regular practice is a reason to get your technique checked, or to look at other causes with a GP.
Quick self-check: could pelvic floor training help you?
I lose a few drops of urine after I think I have finished.
My erections start firm but soften during sex.
I often ejaculate sooner than I or my partner would like.
I have had, or am due to have, prostate surgery.
I have never deliberately exercised my pelvic floor.
I am not sure whether I am squeezing the right muscles.
Tap the statements that apply to you.
If several of these apply, pelvic floor training is a low-risk thing to try, following the trial routine above for at least three months. If you have any pain in the pelvis, genitals or when ejaculating, get assessed by a GP or pelvic health physiotherapist before starting. For erection problems, pair it with the steps in our cardio and erections guide.
Do pelvic floor exercises help with dribbling or after prostate surgery?
For dribbling after urinating, a strong post-void squeeze helped most men in a UK trial.8 After prostate removal, one trial found faster recovery of bladder control with pelvic floor re-education, but a larger UK trial found formal one-to-one therapy added little where men already had information about the exercises.9,10
After-dribble
Post-micturition dribble, the few drops that leak after you have zipped up, is common and rarely discussed. In the UK trial of men with erectile dysfunction, 36 of the 55 men (65.5%) had it at the start. After three months of pelvic floor exercises including a strong post-void ‘squeeze out’, plus three months of home practice, 27 of those 36 no longer had symptoms and 3 more had improved.8
After prostate surgery
Surgery for prostate cancer can damage the muscles and nerves that keep you continent. In a Belgian trial of 102 men who were leaking after radical prostatectomy, 88% of those given pelvic floor re-education were continent at three months, compared with 56% of those given a placebo treatment.9
A later UK trial, known as MAPS, tested four one-to-one sessions with a therapist against standard care and lifestyle advice in men who were still incontinent six weeks after surgery. At 12 months, incontinence rates were almost identical: 76% with therapy and 77% without after radical prostatectomy.10 The authors concluded that where information about pelvic floor exercise is widely available, formal one-to-one therapy is unlikely to be effective or cost-effective. If you are facing prostate surgery, ask your team what they recommend.
Can pelvic floor exercises make things worse?
For most men, pelvic floor exercises are low-risk. The main exception is pelvic pain: the treatment that has been tested for chronic pelvic pain in men is hands-on myofascial physiotherapy, not a strengthening routine.11 If you have pain, get assessed before you start squeezing.
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome, sometimes called chronic prostatitis, causes aching in the perineum, testicles, penis or lower abdomen, and sometimes pain on ejaculation. In a multicentre trial of 47 men and women with chronic pelvic pain conditions, 57% responded to myofascial physical therapy, which works on the muscles and connective tissue of the pelvic floor and surrounding areas, compared with 21% given general massage.11
A review of the male pelvic floor argues that pelvic floor physiotherapy belongs within a wider approach that takes in biology, nerves, muscles and psychology.12 That is why a physiotherapist who specialises in pelvic health assesses before prescribing, and why the right programme for one man may look quite different for another.
When to see a doctor
See a GP if you have pain in the pelvis, perineum, testicles or penis, pain when ejaculating, blood in your urine or ejaculate, or new difficulty passing urine. These need checking before any exercise programme.
Also see a GP if erection problems have lasted more than a few weeks, because they can be an early sign of heart disease or diabetes. A GP can refer you to an NHS pelvic health physiotherapist if you want your technique checked.
Myth or fact?
Myth: Pelvic floor exercises are only for women.
Fact: Men have a pelvic floor too, and trials in men have shown benefits for erectile function, dribbling after urinating and bladder control after prostate surgery.1
Myth: You should practise by stopping your urine midstream.
Fact: The trial routine used stopping urine only as an imagined cue. The exercises were done standing, sitting and lying down, not on the toilet.3
Myth: Kegels work within a week or two.
Fact: Trials measured results after around three months of regular practice, with further gains by six months.3
Myth: If your pelvis aches, more squeezing will fix it.
Fact: The approach tested for chronic pelvic pain is hands-on myofascial physiotherapy, not strengthening, so pain needs assessing first.11
Frequently asked questions
How many Kegels should a man do a day?
How long should I hold each squeeze?
The trial set hold times individually, based on how long each man could sustain a strong contraction. During testing, men held for 10 seconds with 10 seconds' rest between efforts.3 Build up gradually and stop the hold when the squeeze starts to fade.
Can Kegels help with premature ejaculation?
They may. In a study of 40 men with lifelong premature ejaculation, 33 gained control after 12 weeks of clinic-based pelvic floor rehabilitation that included electrical stimulation and biofeedback.7 That study did not test home exercises on their own.
Will pelvic floor exercises make my penis bigger?
None of the trials cited here measured or reported changes in penis size. Their outcomes were erectile function, ejaculation timing and bladder control.
Do I need a physiotherapist or biofeedback?
The UK erectile dysfunction trial used both.3 After prostate surgery, one large trial found formal one-to-one therapy did not beat standard care where information was widely available.10 Many men start alone and see a physiotherapist if they cannot find the muscles or see no change after three months.
Can pelvic floor exercises stop dribbling after peeing?
In a UK trial, a strong squeeze after urinating, as part of a pelvic floor programme, left 27 of 36 men with after-dribble free of symptoms.8
[1] Dorey G. Restoring pelvic floor function in men: review of RCTs. Br J Nurs. 2005;14(19):1014-8, 1020-1. PubMed
[2] Schmidt MH, Schmidt HS. The ischiocavernosus and bulbospongiosus muscles in mammalian penile rigidity. Sleep. 1993;16(2):171-83. PubMed
[3] Dorey G, Speakman M, Feneley R, et al. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction. Br J Gen Pract. 2004;54(508):819-25. PubMed
[4] Myers C, Smith M. Pelvic floor muscle training improves erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation: a systematic review. Physiotherapy. 2019;105(2):235-43. PubMed
[5] Dorey G, Speakman MJ, Feneley RC, et al. Pelvic floor exercises for erectile dysfunction. BJU Int. 2005;96(4):595-7. PubMed
[6] Chen Z, Wang J, Jia J, et al. Effect of different physical activities on erectile dysfunction in adult men not receiving phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Andrology. 2024;12(8):1632-41. PubMed
[7] Pastore AL, Palleschi G, Fuschi A, et al. Pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation for patients with lifelong premature ejaculation: a novel therapeutic approach. Ther Adv Urol. 2014;6(3):83-8. PubMed
[8] Dorey G, Speakman M, Feneley R, et al. Pelvic floor exercises for treating post-micturition dribble in men with erectile dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial. Urol Nurs. 2004;24(6):490-7, 512. PubMed
[9] Van Kampen M, De Weerdt W, Van Poppel H, et al. Effect of pelvic-floor re-education on duration and degree of incontinence after radical prostatectomy: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2000;355(9198):98-102. PubMed
[10] Glazener C, Boachie C, Buckley B, et al. Urinary incontinence in men after formal one-to-one pelvic-floor muscle training following radical prostatectomy or transurethral resection of the prostate (MAPS): two parallel randomised controlled trials. Lancet. 2011;378(9788):328-37. PubMed
[11] FitzGerald MP, Anderson RU, Potts J, et al. Randomized multicenter feasibility trial of myofascial physical therapy for the treatment of urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes. J Urol. 2009;182(2):570-80. PubMed
[12] Cohen D, Gonzalez J, Goldstein I. The role of pelvic floor muscles in male sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain. Sex Med Rev. 2016;4(1):53-62. PubMed
Eric Stephens
Eric Stephens writes and edits every guide on Load Boosting. He reads and summarises peer-reviewed research and major medical-society guidance on men’s health, and links to every source.