Key takeaways:
Kegel exercises are a set of contraction and relaxation exercises that target the muscles of the pelvic floor. While often recommended for women, Kegels are helpful for men, too.
Kegels can help improve sexual performance, bladder and bowel control, and lessen pelvic muscle spasm in men.
If you have incontinence or erectile dysfunction, talk with a healthcare professional first. They’ll need to make sure there isn’t a serious underlying medical condition causing your symptoms.
Kegel exercises (Kegels) or “pelvic floor muscle training” have been touted as a popular way for women to improve bowel and bladder control, and sexual function. But there’s emerging evidence that Kegel exercises can have great benefits for men, too.
The goal of Kegels is to contract and relax the muscles of the pelvic floor in order to strengthen them. Let’s take a closer look at Kegel exercises and when you should consider adding them to your daily routine.
What are pelvic floor muscles and what do they do?
The pelvic floor muscles are a funnel-shaped group of muscles that line the floor of your pelvis. They’re made up of two groups of muscles called the levator ani and the coccygeus. They separate the pelvic cavity from the perineum (the external genital area).
The main functions of the pelvic floor muscles are to support the bladder and the rectum (and in females, the uterus). They support the pelvic organs and help with bowel and bladder control.
Symptoms of weak pelvic floor muscles include:
Trouble holding in your urine
Feeling like you have to urinate more often
Leaking urine when you squat, laugh, cough, or sneeze
Trouble starting or stopping your urine stream
Trouble holding in stool or gas
Constipation
Erectile dysfunction
Premature ejaculation
Lower back pain
Can men do Kegel exercises?
Men can absolutely do Kegel exercises. Kegels are considered gender-neutral exercises. People who may develop weakened pelvic floor muscles include those who:
Are older
With heavier body weight
Have had pelvic surgery
Have a history of pelvic trauma
Everyone can benefit from stronger pelvic floor muscles regardless of sex, gender, or age.
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What are the benefits of Kegel exercises for men?
Research backs the benefits of Kegel exercises for men. Many potential benefits of Kegels in men include improving:
Stress urinary incontinence after prostate surgery
Overactive bladder
Dribbling after urination
Pain due to pelvic muscle spasm
Sexual benefits of Kegel exercises for men may include improving:
Erectile dysfunction
Premature ejaculation
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Kegel exercises may also help with bowel incontinence. That’s because the rectum passes through the pelvic floor muscles. Strengthening those muscles can help you have better control of your bowel movements.
If you have symptoms of bowel or bladder incontinence or unsatisfactory sexual performance, you should talk with a healthcare professional first. It could be weak pelvic floor muscles, but a more serious medical condition could be at play. They will help to figure out what’s causing your symptoms and advise you if Kegels are the best next step.
What are the most effective Kegel exercises for men?
The first step to doing effective Kegels is to locate the correct muscles. The muscles that allow you to control urine flow and pass gas are the ones you want to target.
You can find your pelvic floor muscles by starting to urinate, then stopping the urine flow midstream. Or pretend you’re trying to stop yourself from passing gas. You’ll know if you’re tightening the right muscles by placing a clean finger in your anus and contracting. If you feel a squeeze on your finger, you’re doing it correctly.
Types of Kegel exercises for men
Once you’ve identified the right set of muscles, you’ll do two types of exercises:
Short contraction: Quickly contract and relax your pelvic floor muscles. Repeat 3 to 5 times to begin with and work your way up to 10 repetitions.
Long contraction: Contract and hold the pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds. Relax for 5 seconds and repeat. Eventually, you can work your way up to holding for 10 seconds and relaxing for 10 seconds. This exercise will improve the supportive strength of your pelvic muscles.
How often should you practice Kegel exercises?
As with all exercises, you should start slowly. Start off doing one set each of short and long contractions per day. When you feel you’re ready, you can begin to increase the number. Eventually your goal should be to do about 5 to 10 repetitions of each exercise, 3 times per day. You should notice improvement in your symptoms in about 4 to 6 weeks.
Can you overdo Kegel exercises?
Most people can safely do Kegel exercises. But, you can overdo it. To prevent overuse, don’t do more than the recommended number of repetitions and sets per day. Overexercise can make the pelvic muscles tense. And this can cause you to strain when you urinate or have a bowel movement. If you feel pain or strain, stop the exercises and let a healthcare professional know.
About 2 out of 10 people don’t do Kegel exercises correctly. If you’re unsure you’re doing them right or if you’re experiencing pain, you may need to work with a pelvic floor physical therapist.
People who already have overactive or tense pelvic floor muscles shouldn’t do Kegel exercises. The only way to know if your pelvic floor is weak or overly tense is to have a physical exam by a healthcare professional.
Frequently asked questions
Kegel balls are weighted inserts placed in the vagina and used to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. They are not used in men, although there are other devices like anal beads that can help strengthen pelvic floor muscles. To use Kegel balls, you’ll need to apply a lubricant and insert the balls into the vagina like you would a tampon. You should then use the inserts to do Kegel exercises — contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. You’ll then remove the device when you complete the exercises. Make sure to talk with a healthcare professional before using Kegel balls.
Kegel weights are also not designed for men, and are used in the same way as Kegel balls.They are placed in the vagina and come in different weights that you can increase as you get stronger. Since the shape of the weight is more familiar and like a tampon, some people prefer Kegel weights as opposed to Kegel balls.
A quick internet search could turn up many different Kegel devices designed for men. Unfortunately, there’s very little research on their effectiveness. Common male pelvic floor devices include electronic biofeedback meters, electrical stimulation devices, and heat therapy. If you’re interested in strengthening your pelvic floor muscles, talk with your primary care provider or a urologist about your options.
Kegel balls are weighted inserts placed in the vagina and used to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. They are not used in men, although there are other devices like anal beads that can help strengthen pelvic floor muscles. To use Kegel balls, you’ll need to apply a lubricant and insert the balls into the vagina like you would a tampon. You should then use the inserts to do Kegel exercises — contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. You’ll then remove the device when you complete the exercises. Make sure to talk with a healthcare professional before using Kegel balls.
Kegel weights are also not designed for men, and are used in the same way as Kegel balls.They are placed in the vagina and come in different weights that you can increase as you get stronger. Since the shape of the weight is more familiar and like a tampon, some people prefer Kegel weights as opposed to Kegel balls.
A quick internet search could turn up many different Kegel devices designed for men. Unfortunately, there’s very little research on their effectiveness. Common male pelvic floor devices include electronic biofeedback meters, electrical stimulation devices, and heat therapy. If you’re interested in strengthening your pelvic floor muscles, talk with your primary care provider or a urologist about your options.
The bottom line
Kegel exercises have become a common recommendation for strengthening pelvic floor muscles in women. But pelvic floor muscle health is as important for men as it is for women.
Kegels have many benefits for men. They can help improve bowel and bladder control, and sexual performance. Always let a healthcare professional know if you’re having symptoms like bowel or bladder leakage, or erectile dysfunction. They can give you guidance on whether Kegel exercises could be helpful for you.
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References
APTA Pelvic Health. (2022). Everything to know about kegel balls, including when you *shouldn’t* use them.
Harvard Health Publishing. (2017). Not just for women: Kegel exercises good for men too.
Kandadai, P., et al. (2015). Correct performance of pelvic muscle exercises in women reporting prior knowledge. Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery.
MedlinePlus. (2025). Kegel exercises - self-care.
National Association for Continence. (n.d.). Kegel exercises.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2021). Kegel exercises. National Institutes of Health.
Siegal, A. L. (2014). Pelvic floor muscle training in males: Practical applications. Urology.
Wright Physical Therapy. (2024). A man’s guide to pelvic floor physical therapy.
