Kegel exercises for men are short, quiet squeezes of the pelvic floor muscles, the sling of muscle under the bladder and around the base of the penis. Pelvic floor exercises can help with dribbling after you pee, leaks after prostate surgery, and in small trials, firmer erections and more control over ejaculation. This guide shows you how to find the right muscles, a simple routine you can do anywhere, a six-week plan, the mistakes that waste your effort, and what the research actually says.
In this guide
- What kegels are
- What they can do for men
- Finding the right muscles
- How to do them
- A six-week plan
- How long they take
- Common mistakes
- When to get help
- From our shelf
- FAQ
What are kegel exercises for men?
Kegels are exercises that tighten and then relax your pelvic floor. They take no equipment, nobody can tell you are doing them, and a full set takes about two minutes.
The pelvic floor is a layer of muscle that runs from the pubic bone at the front to the tailbone at the back. In men it supports the bladder and bowel and wraps around the urethra and the base of the penis. When these muscles are weak, urine can escape when you cough or lift, a few drops can leak after you zip up, and erections may be harder to keep.
Kegels for men get little attention, because most advice is written for women after childbirth. The muscles are different in shape, but the exercise is almost the same.
What can pelvic floor exercises do for men?
The strongest evidence for pelvic floor exercises for men is for bladder control. The evidence for sex is promising but comes from small studies.
Mayo Clinic lists the problems kegels can help men manage: if you "dribble after urination, usually after you've left the toilet," leak urine (urinary incontinence), leak after "a strong, sudden urge to urinate," or leak stool. It adds that "Kegels also may improve sexual function." Mayo names what weakens these muscles: prostate removal surgery, overactive bladder, aging, being overweight, and "straining from constipation or lots of coughing."
Here is a summary of the main goals and what the evidence says.
| Goal | What the evidence says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dribbling after you pee | Listed as a problem kegels can help | Mayo Clinic |
| Leaks with coughing, lifting or urgency | Listed as a problem kegels can help | Mayo Clinic |
| Leaks after prostate surgery | Surgery is a named cause of weakness; MSKCC teaches kegels to its male patients | Mayo Clinic, MSKCC |
| Erectile dysfunction | 40% of 55 men regained normal function in one trial | Dorey et al., 2004 |
| Premature ejaculation | 33 of 40 men improved in a small 12-week study | Pastore et al., 2014 |
Erections
In a 2004 randomised controlled trial in the British Journal of General Practice, 55 men with erectile dysfunction did pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback and lifestyle advice (the control group started the exercises three months later). After six months, 22 men (40%) had normal erectile function, 19 (34.5%) had improved, and 14 (25.5%) had not improved. The authors concluded that "pelvic floor muscle exercises and biofeedback are an effective treatment for men with erectile dysfunction."
Ejaculation control
In a study led by Dr Antonio Pastore at Sapienza University of Rome and reported by the European Association of Urology, 40 men with lifelong premature ejaculation did pelvic floor exercises for 12 weeks. 33 of them improved, and their average time to ejaculation rose from 31.7 seconds to 146.2 seconds. Dr Pastore was careful: "This is a small study, so the effects need to be verified in a bigger trial."
Our honest summary: kegels are cheap, safe and worth trying for leaks and for sex, but they are a training habit, not a quick fix.
How do you find your pelvic floor muscles?
Tighten the muscles you would use to stop passing gas. That lift is your pelvic floor.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's patient guide for men describes it as pulling in and lifting up, and says you should feel tightening at the base of the penis and around the anus. Three quick checks help:
- Your buttocks should stay soft. If they clench, you are using the wrong muscles.
- Your stomach should not brace. A light pull-in low down is fine; a crunch is not.
- You should feel a lift, not a push. Bearing down is the opposite movement.
Mayo Clinic also mentions stopping urine midstream as a way to find the muscles, but neither source wants it as your workout. MSKCC warns that starting and stopping your stream every time you urinate can be harmful, and Mayo is clear: "Don't do Kegels while you urinate," because stopping your bladder from emptying "could raise your risk of a bladder infection."
How do you do kegels as a man, step by step?
Empty your bladder, get comfortable, then squeeze and relax in slow, even reps. The relaxation counts as much as the squeeze.
- Empty your bladder first. MSKCC lists this as the first step.
- Start lying down. Lying on your back with knees bent takes gravity out of the way while you learn.
- Squeeze and lift for 3 seconds. Use the gas-holding muscles only.
- Relax completely for 3 seconds. Let the muscles drop all the way before the next rep.
- Repeat 10 times. Mayo suggests working up to 10 to 15 per set.
- Do at least three sets a day. Morning, afternoon and evening is easy to remember.
- Breathe normally. Exhale on the squeeze if that helps you avoid holding your breath.
MSKCC suggests a slightly longer version: hold for 5 seconds, relax for 5 seconds, repeat 10 times, at least three times a day, and build up to 10-second holds over the weeks. Both routines work on the same idea. Start where the squeeze still feels clean, and stop when the muscles tire.
Quick flicks
Once slow reps feel easy, add a few fast ones: squeeze for 1 second, let go for 1 second. These train the quick response you need when you cough, sneeze or lift something.
Use them when it matters
MSKCC suggests doing a contraction before you stand up, walk, cough, sneeze or laugh. That habit turns the exercise into everyday bladder control.
A simple six-week kegel plan
This is our plan, built from the Mayo Clinic and MSKCC routines above. Move to the next stage only when the current one feels easy and you can relax fully between reps.
| Weeks | Position | Slow reps | Quick flicks | Sets per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Lying down | 10 x (3-second hold, 3-second rest) | None yet | 3 |
| 3 to 4 | Sitting | 10 to 12 x (5-second hold, 5-second rest) | 5 | 3 |
| 5 to 6 | Standing | 10 to 15 x (up to 10-second hold, 10-second rest) | 10 | 3 |
After week six, keep going: like any strength training, the benefit fades if you stop. Tie your sets to things you already do every day: the morning coffee, a red light on the drive home, brushing your teeth.
How long do kegels take to work for men?
Expect weeks, not days. In the erectile dysfunction trial above, men in the exercise group were assessed at three months and again at six months. The premature ejaculation study ran for 12 weeks.
Neither Mayo Clinic nor MSKCC promises a timeline, so judge progress by what you notice day to day: fewer drops after you pee, fewer leaks when you cough or lift. If nothing has improved after about three months of daily practice, that is a good point to ask a doctor or a pelvic health physiotherapist to check your technique.
What are the most common kegel mistakes?
Most failed kegel routines come down to using the wrong muscles or squeezing too hard. These are the mistakes worth watching for.
- Clenching your buttocks, thighs or stomach. Mayo says to "try not to flex the muscles in your stomach area, thighs or buttocks." MSKCC adds that back or stomach pain can mean you are using the wrong muscles.
- Holding your breath. Both sources warn against it. MSKCC notes that a headache can mean you are tensing your chest and holding your breath.
- Training on the toilet. Stopping your stream is a one-time test, not a workout.
- Skipping the relaxation. A muscle that only ever tightens gets tense, not strong. Let go fully between reps.
- Doing too much too soon. MSKCC says to stop and try later when the muscles get tired. More reps with poor form is wasted effort.
- Quitting after a week. The studies above ran for three months or longer.
Who should check with a doctor before doing kegels?
Most men can start kegels on their own, but Mayo Clinic suggests talking with a healthcare professional before you begin. Some situations need a medical plan first.
- After prostate surgery. Follow your surgical team's timing. MSKCC says, in bold, "Do not do Kegel exercises while you have a Foley catheter (thin, flexible tube) in place."
- If kegels hurt. MSKCC is plain: "Kegel exercises should not hurt." Contact your provider about pelvic pain or pain during the exercises.
- If you cannot feel the muscles working. A pelvic health physiotherapist can check your technique, sometimes with biofeedback, which shows your squeeze on a screen.
- New erection or ejaculation problems. These can have medical causes, so see your doctor rather than treating them with exercise alone.
From our shelf: prostate massagers
For more on the pelvic floor, see our kegel exercises and kegel balls guide, which covers women and men, and our cock ring how-to, another common question from men working on erection firmness. Red Pleasures is an Ottawa-based online store with discreet shipping across Canada and the USA. If your partner is working on their pelvic floor too, our comfort and care collection includes kegel balls and app-guided pelvic floor trainers.
FAQ
Do kegels work for men?
Yes, for many men. Mayo Clinic lists dribbling after urination and urine leaks among the problems they can help. Small studies also found benefits for erections and ejaculation control, though those results still need larger trials.
How many kegels should a man do a day?
Mayo Clinic's advice is three or more sets daily, building to 10 to 15 squeezes in each. Memorial Sloan Kettering suggests 10 slow reps at least three times a day. Quality matters more than the count.
Can kegels help with erectile dysfunction?
They may. In a 2004 trial of 55 men, pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback restored normal erectile function in 40% and improved it in another 34.5%. See your doctor too, because new erection problems can have medical causes.
Can kegels help you last longer in bed?
Possibly. In a small 12-week study of 40 men with lifelong premature ejaculation, 33 improved, with average time to ejaculation rising from 31.7 to 146.2 seconds. The lead researcher said a bigger trial is needed.
How do I know I'm doing kegels right?
You should feel a lift and tightening at the base of the penis and around the anus, with your buttocks, thighs and stomach staying relaxed. If you feel back pain, stomach pain or a headache, you are probably tensing the wrong muscles.
Can you do too many kegels?
Yes. Stop when the muscles tire, and always relax fully between squeezes. Kegels should not hurt; if they do, stop and talk to your doctor or a pelvic health physiotherapist.
Should I do kegels after prostate surgery?
Usually yes, but follow your surgical team's timing. Memorial Sloan Kettering advises against doing them while a Foley catheter is in place, because it can be painful and cause bladder spasms.
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