Best Pelvic Floor Exercises for Men

Do you have urinary or fecal incontinence? Difficulty with erectile dysfunction? Have you recently had prostate surgery? Pelvic floor muscle training or Kegel exercises may be beneficial for you.

What Is the Pelvic Floor?

Pelvic muscles are located within the bony structures of your pelvis and are responsible for preventing the loss of urine and stool, aiding in sexual function and supporting your internal organs. These strong pelvic floor muscles also play an important role in the stabilization of the back and abdominal muscles. Men have a pelvic floor just like women do, but you don’t hear as much about them.

Think about the core or central trunk like it’s a box. There are 4 sides to this box that serves as the primary point of stability for everything we do. The top of the box is our diaphragm, which is a firm muscle that pushes the rib cage up and facilitates our breathing. The back of the “box” is our strong spine muscles and vertebral column (spine), and the front is made from three layers of abdominal muscles.

The bottom of the box is the pelvic floor, which is a complex muscle that helps stabilize our pelvis when our hips move, such as when we walk. It also contracts and relaxes to allow us to urinate or have a bowel movement.

Causes of Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles in Men

Just like any other muscle group in the body, the pelvic floor muscles can weaken over time or due to specific conditions. Understanding the causes can help in taking preventive measures and seeking the right treatment. Here are some common factors that can lead to weakened pelvic floor muscles in men:

• Age – As men age, their muscles naturally lose strength and elasticity, including those in the pelvic floor. This can lead to decreased muscle tone and function, contributing to issues like urinary incontinence.
• Obesity – Carrying excess weight puts additional pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, which can weaken them over time. This pressure can also exacerbate issues like stress incontinence, where physical activities such as coughing or lifting cause urine leakage.
• Chronic coughing – Persistent coughing, often caused by conditions like chronic bronchitis or smoking, can strain the pelvic floor muscles. The repeated pressure from coughing can weaken these muscles, making it difficult to control bladder and bowel movements.
• Heavy lifting – Regularly lifting heavy objects without proper form can strain the pelvic floor. This is especially true for men who lift weights or have occupations that require heavy lifting. The increased intra-abdominal pressure from lifting can lead to weakened pelvic muscles.
• Previous surgeries – Surgeries involving the pelvic region, such as prostate surgery, can directly impact the pelvic floor muscles. These procedures may involve cutting through or damaging the muscles and nerves, leading to weakness or dysfunction in the area.

Understanding these causes is crucial for prevention and management. If you’re experiencing symptoms of weakened pelvic floor muscles such as urinary incontinence or difficulty with bowel control, it’s essential to address these contributing factors and consider pelvic floor exercises as part of your rehabilitation.

How to Strengthen the Pelvic Floor

Keeping pelvic muscles healthy and strong is critical to support your bladder and bowel. Kegel exercises are specific to the pelvic floor. So, if you’re wondering how to strengthen the pelvic floor in males, Kegels are a great starting point.

Step 1: Properly Execute Kegel Exercises

The key to reinforcing strong pelvic muscles is to identify where they are and properly isolate them. To do a kegel correctly, imagine you were stopping urine flow or passing of gas. Gently draw these muscles up and in, keeping your buttocks and leg muscles relaxed. Breathe normally.

Be careful not to overtighten these muscles and contract approximately 50-75% of full effort. More does not necessarily mean better. It can be just as challenging to stop contracting or relax these muscles as it is to activate and contract them.

Kegels should feel like a gentle contraction of the muscles between your legs and you will feel your testicles raise up. You may also feel a tightening of your lower abdominals. If done properly, you should feel your anus contract. Kegels should not be painful.

Step 2: Strengthen the muscles

The muscles in your pelvic floor are made up of both endurance-types of muscle fibers, which are meant to stay functioning a long time, and fast-twitch fibers that respond quickly to changes in pressure like a cough or sneeze. It is important to strengthen both types of muscle fibers with proper pelvic floor muscle exercises.

Proper isolation and consistent performance of Kegels is the key to strengthening your pelvic floor fast. Incorporating them into your daily routine is a great way to improve pelvic floor strength quickly. You can contract your pelvic floor prior to the following activities: 

• Coughing or sneezing
• Going from sit to stand
• Lifting 

Benefits of Kegel Exercises for Men

Regularly performing pelvic floor exercises can transform everyday comfort and confidence through:

• Improved bladder and bowel control – Strengthening your pelvic floor helps you manage urinary and fecal leakage, especially during activities like coughing, sneezing, or lifting. Over time, you’ll notice fewer accidents and greater control.
• Enhanced sexual health and performance – Strong pelvic muscles can support erectile function, improve stamina, and increase blood flow to the pelvic region. Many men also report improved confidence and satisfaction during intimacy.
• Better recovery after prostate surgery – Pelvic floor training is often recommended before and after prostate procedures to speed up recovery, reduce incontinence, and restore normal muscle coordination.

Core and posture support – Because the pelvic floor works closely with your abdominal and back muscles, strengthening it can also support spinal alignment and reduce lower back discomfort.

How many Kegels should a man do a day? 

To strengthen your pelvic floor properly, do two types of pelvic exercises: 

• Endurance kegels – Do a kegel for 5-10 seconds, relax the pelvic floor muscle completely for 5-10 seconds, and repeat 10 times.  
• Quick Kegels – Quickly contract and relax the muscles, 10 repetitions.  

Then, repeat both of these pelvic exercises 3-4 times daily.

Remember: Before starting kegel exercises, be sure to urinate so your bladder is empty. Pelvic floor exercises for men can be done in any position, but it may be easiest to do them laying down initially until your strength improves.

If you feel the muscles begin to fatigue while performing these pelvic floor exercises for men, simply take a break to allow the muscles to recover.

When Can I See Results from Kegels?

True pelvic floor strength gains take 6 weeks to 2 months; however, you may notice changes in your symptoms sooner due to properly isolating and engaging the right muscles during functional tasks. Consistently performing pelvic floor muscle exercises can accelerate these improvements and help you achieve better control and strength in a shorter time.

Risks of Kegel Exercises for Men

When done correctly, kegel exercises are safe for most men. However, improper technique or overuse can sometimes cause problems: 

• Over-tightening of muscles – Performing kegels too often or squeezing too forcefully can lead to muscle fatigue or tension. This may cause pelvic discomfort or difficulty relaxing during urination.
• Incorrect muscle engagement – Engaging your abdominal, thigh, or buttock muscles instead of your pelvic floor can reduce the effectiveness of the exercise and create unnecessary strain in other areas.
• Ignoring underlying pain or dysfunction – If you feel pain, burning, or tightness while doing kegels, stop and consult a pelvic health physical therapist. You may have an overactive pelvic floor that needs relaxation rather than strengthening.
• Lack of guidance after surgery or injury – Men recovering from prostate or pelvic surgery should always get clearance and guidance from a healthcare provider before beginning a Kegel routine to avoid strain or delayed healing.

When in doubt, it’s best to work with a licensed pelvic floor physical therapist. They can evaluate your specific needs and create a safe, effective plan to strengthen your pelvic muscles without overdoing it.

When to Call Your Healthcare Provider

However, there are times when the pelvic floor muscles may feel too tight. Similar to how women experience postpartum pelvic pain, men can experience their own pelvic issues. This is generally associated with difficulty with urine flow or constipation that leads to pelvic pain.

If you think you have urinary incontinence or suspect you have a pelvic floor problem, consult a physical therapy specialist in pelvic floor rehabilitation prior to initiating a pelvic floor exercise program. Men don’t often talk about it, but a healthy, strong, and controlled male pelvic floor is critical to optimal function of the urogenital system and a healthy lower back. Be sure to seek out a physical therapist with specialized training in pelvic floor rehabilitation physical therapy. You will be glad you did!