Kegel Exercises for Men: How to Strengthen Your Kegel Muscles

Introduction

When most men think about fitness, they usually focus on their abs, chest, and biceps. But there’s one important group of muscles that often gets ignored: the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles play a big role in your health. By doing Kegel exercises, you can boost bladder control, improve sexual health, and even support your prostate. In this blog, we’ll break down how men can find and strengthen their Kegel muscles to feel healthier and stronger overall.

What Are Kegel Muscles?

Kegel muscles, or pelvic floor muscles, are the muscles that support your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. These muscles are important for controlling when you urinate or have a bowel movement, and they also play a role in sexual health. For men, keeping these muscles strong can help with concerns like controlling ejaculation, improving erections, and recovering after prostate surgery.¹

Benefits of Kegel Exercises for Men

• Supports Normal Bladder Function: Helps maintain control over urination.²
• Promotes Healthy Bowel Function: Aids in the normal functioning of bowel movements. ²
• Contributes to Sexual Health: Supports normal erectile function and control during sexual activity. ²
• Assists in Recovery After Prostate Surgery: Helps in regaining pelvic strength and function. ²
• Maintains Core Stability: Supports the normal functioning of pelvic floor muscles, essential for stability. ²
• Improves Pelvic Comfort: Helps in managing mild pelvic discomfort and contributes to overall well-being. ²

How to Identify Your Kegel Muscles

Before starting Kegel exercises, it’s important to find the right muscles. Here's how:

1. Stop the Flow of Urine: While you're urinating, try to stop or slow the flow. The muscles that help you do this are your pelvic floor muscles.³
2. Don’t Use Other Muscles: Make sure you're not tightening your belly, thighs, or buttocks during this exercise. ³
3. Feel the Movement: Pay attention to the sensation of lifting or tightening inside your lower abdomen. These are the muscles you will be strengthening. ³

This approach helps to ensure you're using the correct muscles for Kegel exercises.

Kegel Balls How To Exercise

• Get comfortable: Sit or lie down in a relaxed position before starting the exercise.⁴
• Insert the Kegel balls: Gently insert the Kegel balls into your body as instructed by the product. Make sure they feel comfortable. ⁴
• Activate pelvic muscles: Tighten the muscles you use to stop the flow of urine, like you're holding it in. These are your pelvic floor muscles. ⁴
• Hold and release: Squeeze and hold the muscles for 5-10 seconds, then relax. Repeat this 10-15 times. Increase the duration gradually as you get stronger. ⁴
• Be consistent: Do these exercises 3-4 times a week to improve pelvic muscle strength. ⁴

This practice can support pelvic health, improve bladder control, and enhance overall wellness.

Tips for Effective Kegel Exercises

• Be consistent: Just like any exercise, doing Kegel exercises regularly is important to see results. ⁴
• Don’t overdo it: Doing too many exercises at once can tire out your muscles and cause discomfort. ⁴
• Avoid practicing while urinating: Only stop your urine flow once to find the right muscles. Doing it often can cause bladder problems. ⁴
• Breathe deeply: Remember to breathe while doing the exercises. Don’t hold your breath. ⁴

Following these tips will help you safely strengthen your pelvic muscles and improve overall pelvic health.

5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Doing Kegel Exercises

1. Using Too Much Force
   A common mistake is squeezing the pelvic floor muscles too hard, which can cause tiredness and make the exercises less effective. Start with gentle squeezes to ensure you're working the right muscles without overdoing it.⁵
2. Holding Your Breath
   Many people accidentally hold their breath during Kegels, which makes it harder for the pelvic floor to work with normal breathing. Instead, practice breathing normally, starting with slow and relaxed breaths. ⁵
3. Tensing Your Stomach Muscles
   Tightening your upper stomach muscles can push down on your pelvic floor, which defeats the purpose of Kegels. Focus on breathing into your upper belly and keep only your pelvic floor muscles active. ⁵
4. Squeezing the Wrong Muscles
   Some people mistakenly use their thighs or buttocks instead of the pelvic floor muscles. To find the right muscles, imagine trying to stop the flow of urine. You should feel a pull in your pelvic area without tensing other parts of your body. ⁵
5. Being Inconsistent or Doing Too Much
   Skipping Kegels or overdoing them can lead to muscle fatigue or even discomfort. Stick to a routine with short daily sessions, and give yourself time to rest and recover. Regular practice is more effective than occasional long workouts. ⁵

Challenges Faced

1. Men often find Kegel exercises challenging because they require focus and patience. Keeping track of how many times to squeeze and the timing between contractions can be tricky. This mental effort can feel overwhelming, especially as they get older, making it harder to stick with the routine.⁶
2. Keeping track of repetitions can be mentally exhausting, which makes it harder for men to stick to their Kegel exercises.⁶

When to See a Professional

If you're having trouble finding or using your Kegel muscles, or if you're dealing with ongoing issues like incontinence or erectile problems, it's a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional. A physical therapist who specializes in pelvic health can give you personalized advice and make sure you're doing the exercises the right way.

In addition to regular exercise, you may consider incorporating Prost-X, a natural food supplement made with ingredients that support prostate health. It is formulated with natural components that can contribute to the maintenance of normal prostate function as part of a healthy lifestyle. 

Conclusion

Kegel exercises are an easy and effective way for men to strengthen their pelvic muscles and improve overall health. Whether you're looking for better bladder control, improved sexual performance, or support after surgery, practicing these exercises regularly can make a big difference. By adding them to your daily routine, you'll be on your way to feeling stronger and healthier. 

References

1.continence. Pelvic floor muscles | Continence Foundation of Australia [Internet]. Continence Foundation of Australia. 2020 [cited 2024 Dec 26]. Available from: https://www.continence.org.au/about-continence/continence-health/pelvic-floor

2.Imhoff A. Kegels are for men too [Internet]. Mayo Clinic Health System. 2023 [cited 2024 Dec 26]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/kegels-are-for-men-too

3.Clinic C. Kegel Exercises: Benefits, How To & Results [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. 2023 [cited 2024 Dec 26]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14611-kegel-exercises

4.Patel S. How To Use Kegel Balls To Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor [Internet]. myinnovouk. 2021 [cited 2024 Dec 26]. Available from: https://uk.myinnovo.com/blogs/innovo/how-to-use-kegel-balls-to-strengthen-your-pelvic-floor

5.Dorey G. Restoring pelvic floor function in men: review of RCTs. British Journal of Nursing [Internet]. 2005 Oct 1 [cited 2024 Dec 26];14(19):1014–21. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16301945/#:~:text=Strengthening%20the%20pelvic%20floor%20muscles,maintain%20normal%20pelvic%20floor%20function.

6.Alireza Vasiee, Mosayeb Mozafari, Nasrin Ghiasi, Reza Pakzad, Mansour Masoumi. Effect of Kegel’s Exercises on Urinary Incontinence, Frailty Syndrome, and Self-esteem After TURP: A RCT. Salmand [Internet]. 2024 Mar 1 [cited 2024 Dec 26];19(1):54–69. Available from: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effect-of-Kegel%E2%80%99s-Exercises-on-Urinary-Frailty-and-Vasiee-Mozafari/cf0199ed0ad89c3304e61566c6bd1078e2567bfe