Kegel exercises for men: train your pelvic floor

Kegel exercises for men train the pelvic floor: muscles involved in bladder control and erections. No weights required. No smartwatch congratulating you for squeezing something twelve times today, either. What you do need is good technique, patience and enough time to relax.

This guide explains how to start, what to feel and what to expect. Your pelvic floor is not a squeezing competition. Learning to let go is part of the workout.

By Dokter J Rogier L · Updated November 5, 2026.

What do Kegel exercises train?

At the bottom of your pelvis sits a group of muscles that works a little like a supportive hammock. It helps support your bladder and bowel and close the openings through which urine and stool pass. You already use these muscles, even if you have cheerfully ignored their existence until now.

A Kegel involves deliberately contracting these muscles, then letting them relax fully. According to the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, pelvic floor training can help with some types of urine leakage. Sexual function may also be affected by these muscles. That does not mean every erection problem comes from weakness.

How to find the right muscles

Sit or lie comfortably. Imagine stopping yourself from passing gas at a spectacularly awkward moment. Gently draw the muscles around your anus inward and upward. At the same time, imagine holding back urine. The movement is small and happens inside.

Your buttocks, thighs and abdomen should not clench hard. Keep breathing normally. You do not need an erection to practice. If you are unsure, a pelvic health physiotherapist can help you identify both the contraction and the release.

Do not make repeatedly stopping your urine stream part of your exercise routine. It can interfere with emptying your bladder properly. Use the idea of holding urine when you are not actually urinating.

Kegel exercises for men, step by step

The illustration shows a comfortable starting position. The muscle action itself is internal. Keep your hips on the mat: this is neither a bridge nor an abdominal crunch.

1. Get comfortable. Lie with your knees bent, feet supported and pelvis resting. Sitting is also fine if that feels better.
2. Contract gently. Draw the pelvic floor inward and upward. Start with around three seconds if you can do that comfortably.
3. Keep breathing. Can you still say something calmly? Good. There is no need to inflate yourself like a diver preparing for a record attempt.
4. Release completely. Rest for at least as long as you contracted. Notice the difference between tension and relaxation.
5. Repeat only while your technique stays good. Begin with a few controlled repetitions. Stop earlier if you strain, clench other muscles hard or cannot fully relax.

This is an introduction, not an individual treatment plan. The NIDDK guidance recommends building up appropriately. If you have symptoms or are unsure, getting advice beats counting extra repetitions.

An example to build toward gradually

An NHS exercise leaflet for men describes eight slow repetitions: five seconds contracting, then five seconds relaxing. After two minutes of rest, it suggests up to eight quick contractions, releasing straight away. The routine is practiced at three separate times during the day.

Treat that as a possible goal if strengthening is appropriate for you. Not comfortable holding for five seconds? Keep it shorter. Fully release between quick contractions too. More is not automatically better; good technique matters more than an impressive total.

Reverse Kegels: release without pushing

“Reverse Kegel” is often used to describe relaxing the pelvic floor. It does not require forcefully pushing downward. Bearing down as if you were on the toilet is a different movement.

Lie comfortably and breathe in gently. Allow your abdomen to move softly and try to let the tension in your pelvic floor settle. Breathe out without forcing it. The Cambridge University Hospitals guidance on male pelvic pain emphasizes learning to release without bearing down.

If your pelvic floor is overactive, squeezing harder may be the wrong approach. If exercise causes pain or makes symptoms worse, stop strengthening exercises and speak with a doctor or pelvic health physiotherapist.

Can Kegels help erections and ejaculation?

Your pelvic floor plays a role in erections and ejaculation. That makes training interesting. Still, sex is not a machine with one convenient settings button. Blood flow, tension, arousal, general health and connection with your partner also matter.

A 2019 research review found evidence of possible benefits for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Its ten studies varied considerably and were of low to moderate quality. It did not identify a proven jouw bank exercise routine.

Do not expect a guaranteed stronger orgasm or a precise number of extra minutes. You can work on body awareness without turning every sexual encounter into an exam. Our guides to improving erections and dealing with early ejaculation together offer more context. These two guides are in Dutch.

That familiar 40% figure: what was actually studied?

In a small 2004 study involving 55 men, 40% regained normal erectile function. This was the final result of a program involving exercises, biofeedback and lifestyle advice, with follow-up to six months. It was not proof that three months of squeezing at home produces the same result for everyone.

The study offers a useful clue, not your personal chance of success. Participants received guidance, and the group was small. Keep that distinction in mind whenever a percentage online starts sounding suspiciously like a sales promise.

Build a routine you can actually keep

Attach practice to something already in your day: after breakfast, during a quiet break or before bed. A simple “done” in your notes is enough. This does not need to become a new hobby with seven accessories.

Changes can take weeks to months and vary by person and symptom. If nothing improves, or you still cannot identify the muscles after a few weeks, have your technique checked. If you have pain, you do not need to wait those weeks before asking for help.

General movement remains useful too. Walking and pelvic floor exercises do different things and can fit alongside each other. Read exercise and erections for more about physical activity and the research behind it.

What about erection medicine alongside Kegels?

Enjoyable sex is a perfectly reasonable goal. For some men with erectile dysfunction, a suitable medicine can help. Talking about it does not have to feel like a performance review. Start with what you enjoy and what makes you unsure.

An erection tablet does not train your pelvic floor. Sildenafil and tadalafil support blood flow during sexual stimulation; exercises work on muscle function and control. Neither approach automatically makes the other unnecessary.

Want to understand the differences? Read about sildenafil and tadalafil, see the Dutch product information for Kamagra tablets and Vidalista 20 mg, and consider possible side effects. Suitability depends on your health and other medicines. Combining erection medicines yourself is not an exercise plan.

Frequently asked questions about Kegels

Can you do Kegel exercises sitting down?

Yes. Sit comfortably with your feet supported. No visible movement is needed. Start in whichever position makes it easiest to distinguish contraction from relaxation.

Will these exercises make your penis bigger?

There is no convincing evidence for that. You are training pelvic floor muscles, not penis length. Better control and extra inches are different things.

Should you keep contracting throughout sex?

No. Constant squeezing is not the goal. Practice calmly outside sex first, and leave room for relaxation, pleasure and connection during intimacy. Stop any exercise that hurts.

Can you overdo it?

Yes. Overtraining can cause symptoms and make relaxation harder. Build up gradually. Do not push through pain, difficulty urinating or increasing tension. If you suddenly cannot pass urine at all, seek immediate medical help.

The best practice is something you can do well and then release. Start small, breathe calmly and take your time. That is a decent approach below the belt, too.

Sources checked November 5, 2026: NIDDK, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS, Cambridge University Hospitals, Dorey et al. (2004), and Myers & Smith (2019). Additional information on how these medicines work: Apotheek.nl: sildenafil and Apotheek.nl: tadalafil (Dutch). This article provides general information and does not replace individual exercise advice. The illustration depicts a fictional adult.