Strong pelvic floor muscles have long been recognized as a key component of women’s health. But, did you know that exercising this area is important for men too?
A study carried out at the University of West of England in Bristol found that pelvic floor exercises helped 40 percent of the participants regain normal erectile function and helped an additional 33.5 percent significantly improve their erectile function. What’s more, researchers found that Kegel exercises not only improved erectile function but also helped with premature ejaculation and dribbling after urination. The study went on to recommend that pelvic floor exercises should be the first-line approach for men seeking long-term resolution of their ED.
So, where is the pelvic floor in men?
A man’s pelvic floor is made up of layers or muscles and various other tissues that stretch like a hammock from the the tailbone to the pubic bone. A man’s pelvic floor muscles support his bladder and bowel. The urine tube and the back passage all pass through the pelvic floor muscles. Kegels that are beneficial for erections target the muscle at the bottom of the pelvis, particularly one called the pubococcygeus or PC muscle. When the PC muscle weakens, it’s unable to prevent blood from flowing out of the erect penis making erections more difficult to maintain.
How to do Kegels.
Once you’ve located the right muscles to target, Kegels are very easy to do.
One of the easiest ways to locate your muscles is while you’re urinating.
Halfway through urination, try to stop or slow down the flow of urine.
When you can slow or stop the flow of urine, you’ve successfully located the proper muscle.
Once you’ve located the muscle, contract for a slow count of five. Then release the muscle to a slow count of five.
Repeat 10 times. Do a set of 10 Kegels daily, three times a day.
In time you can increase the time you’re contracting the muscle from a slow count of five to a slow count of 10 seconds.
Also, doing the exercises standing up will put more weight on the muscles and improve your control.
There are also numerous apps available the will give you reminders and track your progress. I haven’t tried any of these so I don’t know which I would recommend. This is on my to do list for 2020.