Both men and women can benefit from exercising the Kegel muscles.
Many people think Kegel exercises are strictly for women, but there are big benefits with Kegel exercises for men, too. In fact, recent studies say these simple exercises can actually cure erectile dysfunction and supercharge your performance in bed.
In fact, one study found that after 6 months, 40% of the men in the test group had regained normal erectile function and another 35.5%} improved. While 24.5% showed no improvement, those are still pretty good odds — with no drugs involved.
The researchers at the University of West in the U.K. concluded: “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.”
Other authoritative sources like the Mayo Clinic and Web MD enthusiastically support pelvic floor (or Kegel) exercises for men — both for the sexual benefits and the ability to help control bladder incontinence.
Here’s an excerpt from the Mayo Clinic on how to get started:
How to do Kegel exercises for men
To get started:
Find the right muscles. To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream or tighten the muscles that keep you from passing gas. These maneuvers use your pelvic floor muscles. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles, you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.
Perfect your technique. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for three seconds, and then relax for three seconds. Try it a few times in a row. When your muscles get stronger, try doing Kegel exercises while sitting, standing or walking.
Maintain your focus. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
Repeat 3 times a day. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.”
Very simple to do and there is no special equipment required. Of course, there are gadgets for sale to help you get in the groove. More on those in a moment.
Advanced Technique
When we were younger, our erections pointed upwards at a 90 degree angle.
As we age, everything drops. Your erection may now point straight out or downward.
Once you’ve mastered the basic exercise and started to get some results, you can try the advanced form. This consists of placing a washcloth or towel over your erect member to increase the level of resistance.
Then, without using body english, bounce your penis up and down. Like a barbell curl. Takes concentration, not brute force. Focus on those pelvic muscles doing the work.
Hey Wait a Minute…
You might be asking yourself ‘what’s going on here?’ Is a site devoted to building muscle simply going for some cheap thrills by writing about erections? Well, hold on. This site is devoted to helping Baby Boomers get stronger as we age.
The Pelvic Floor Muscles are indeed muscles and they hold the key to a lot of life’s pleasures. And, they get largely ignored in gym class. Heck, I would wager most men don’t know they even have them, or what they do.
These muscles form a sling shape which runs from your pubic bone to the base of your spine. Both women and men have these muscles. (see diagram)
But in men, one of these muscles sits at the base of the penis and is responsible for erections and ejaculation. It is often this muscle which starts to weaken first, and if ignored, it simply stops functioning.
Talk about a lousy place for Sarcopenia to lay waste to a muscle!
click the above for a larger view
A particular focus in this muscle group is the bulbocavernosus muscle (see diagram). It does three jobs:
1. Allows the penis to engorge with blood during erection
2. It pumps during ejaculation
3. Helps empty the urethra after urination.
Just because our doctors rarely talk to us about this and few gyms and trainers ever mention it, doesn’t mean this isn’t a critically important muscle group in our lives. It is.
And the answer to strengthening it is so easy to do and costs nothing. But of course some of us love workout gear and gadgets of all kinds.
What kind of gym gear is available for this muscle?
Now, if you want to explore your options in terms of gear designed for this purpose, you’re in luck. There are a few items out there worth a look.
This is an 8 week course with DVD and video training, plus resistance weights. It claims to be FDA approved and promises to be “Clinically Proven To Increase Men’s Sexual Performance and Prevents Urinary Incontinence. Natural way to gain stronger, longer lasting erections, more sexual stamina, and increased control over your performance. This is a true Viagra alternative that does the job without the drugs!”
It even comes with a soft ring that attaches around your penis to add weight resistance, with additional weight to add as you progress.
This is an electronic stimulation tool that will stimulate the target muscles without effort on your part.
K-Fit says:
“With consistent use the average user reports noticeable results in less than two weeks. Your kit will include everything needed to get you up and running, including an ergonomically designed probe that is just 1/2 inch in diameter. What does it feel like…? After inserting your probe and selecting the settings that best suit your needs, your workout will begin. As you exercise, you will feel your muscles pull up, tighten, and then relax again.”
If you try one of these, I’d love to hear about your experience. If you have any comments or questions, please input in the Comments below. Or drop me a line at Brian@BoomerMuscle.com.
I've been resistance training for nearly 50 years. As a younger man, I used to believe in using ever-increasing amounts of weight. Until one day in my mid-50's, my aching joints could not take the punishment any more. I had to develop a new way of working out that was effective, but free of pain. I found it. It works great. I'd like to share it with you.