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- The pelvic floor muscles help trap blood in the penis during an erection.
- Train them daily for about 3 months: slow holds plus quick squeezes.
- You don't need to buy anything. A reminder app helps more than a gadget.
Why it helps
Two muscles in the pelvic floor, the ischiocavernosus and the bulbocavernosus, wrap around the base of the penis. When they contract, they press on the veins that drain blood out, which helps an erection get firmer and last longer. Like any muscle, they get stronger with training.
In a UK randomised trial, men with ED who did daily pelvic floor exercises for three months (with some biofeedback sessions) improved significantly, and about 40% regained normal erectile function. Another third improved.
Step 1: find the right muscles
Imagine stopping yourself from passing gas, and at the same time stopping the flow of urine. You should feel a lift and squeeze between your scrotum and anus, and the base of your penis may pull in slightly. Your buttocks, thighs and stomach should stay relaxed.
A quick check: standing in front of a mirror, your penis should twitch upwards slightly when you contract. Don't practise by actually stopping your urine flow regularly, as that can interfere with emptying your bladder.
Step 2: the daily routine
- Slow holds: squeeze and lift, hold for up to 10 seconds, then fully relax for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
- Quick squeezes: 10 fast, strong contractions, relaxing fully between each.
- Change position: lying down to start with, then sitting, then standing as you get stronger.
Can't hold for 10 seconds yet? Start with 3–5 and build up.
Two extra habits help: tighten the muscles gently while walking, and give a strong squeeze after urinating (this also stops after-dribble).
Common mistakes
- Holding your breath. Breathe normally throughout.
- Squeezing your buttocks, thighs or abs instead of the pelvic floor.
- Not relaxing fully between contractions. The relaxation matters as much as the squeeze.
- Overdoing it. More is not better. If you get pelvic, testicle or penile pain, stop and see a doctor, since some men have a pelvic floor that's too tight rather than too weak.
- Giving up after two weeks. The trial ran for three months.
Do you need a pelvic floor trainer?
Honestly, most men don't. The exercises are free, and what makes people succeed is doing them every day. A simple reminder on your phone does that job.
If you're unsure you're using the right muscles, the best upgrade is a few sessions with a pelvic health physiotherapist. That is the biofeedback the trial used. Consumer biofeedback trainers for men exist, but there is little independent research on them.
If you'd still like some help at home: books on men's pelvic floor training · men's biofeedback trainers (check reviews carefully).
Combine it with other changes
Pelvic floor training works well alongside exercise and weight loss, and alongside medication such as sildenafil or tadalafil if you use it.
Sources
- Dorey G. et al. "Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction." British Journal of General Practice, 2004.
- Cohen D. et al. "The role of pelvic floor muscles in male sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain." Sexual Medicine Reviews, 2016.
- NHS: Pelvic floor exercises (men).