A healthcare professional has explained the surprising benefits of a pelvic exercise that can improve your sex life as well as your overall health.
Kegels are often associated with women, but one doctor has also encouraged men to train their pelvic floor, saying it can support everything from everyday comfort to sexual function.
Sometimes referred to as “penis kegels,” the movement is easy to add to a normal routine and is said to offer bedroom-related benefits too, including helping lower the chances of erectile dysfunction.
Urologist Dr Ashwin Sridhar told Metro: “The pelvic floor muscles act like a hammock supporting your internal organs. So, when these muscles are strong, they provide several health benefits.”
The specialist added that practicing kegels may reduce post-urination dribbling, and could also help people who experience pain linked to prostatitis, as well as BHP (an enlarged prostate).
Beyond that, strengthening the area may aid pelvic stability and contribute to better lower-back support.
Dr Sridhar also noted that the potential upside isn’t limited to general wellbeing — it may translate to improved sexual performance.
“Strong pelvic floor muscles directly influence the mechanics of erection and ejaculation,” he went on to explain.
“The pelvic floor muscles help trap blood in the penis to maintain an erection. Strengthening them can lead to harder, longer-lasting erections.”
To get started, the first step is identifying the correct muscle. Dr Sridhar outlined two common ways to locate it.
One method is to imagine you’re trying to stop yourself passing gas — the muscle you contract to pull the backside inward is the one you’re looking for.
The other option is to attempt to stop your urine stream mid-flow. If you can pause it, you’ve found the right muscle group.
Once you’ve identified the muscle, you can perform the exercise while standing, sitting, or lying down.
Dr Sridhar told Metro that you need to squeeze said muscle and to imagine you’re ‘trying to lift your scrotum upwards into your body’.
“Your body should look completely relaxed from the outside; the work is all internal,” he added to the outlet.
Health experts commonly recommend doing 10 repetitions at a time, repeated across three sets throughout the day.
Dr Sridhar added: “While squats and glute bridges help the general area, the standard Kegel is the most effective isolation exercise for these specific muscles.”