Kegel exercises have been all the rave for women, but men have yet to come to terms with the fact that they can do it too. While Kegels have said to help strengthen the pelvic floor which helps support bladder control, it can also help with erectile dysfunction and even help prevent premature ejaculation (PE). Some claim that it can even help intensify orgasms!

Now, that we’ve got your attention, what are Kegels and are they effective? Also called pelvic floor muscle training or PFMT, Kegels aim at your pelvic floor or to get more sciency, your pubococcygeal muscles (PC). These muscles help in supporting the pelvic organs such as your urethra, bladder and bowel. It helps with bladder control and sexual function because it pretty much holds your organs in their rightful place.

As you age so does your PC muscles, they go from being strong to weak and stretched. Life experiences such as prostate cancer surgery, bladder or bowel problems, and pregnancy for women contribute to the weakening of these muscles. The degrading evolvement of these muscles can affect the control you have on your bladder and even your sex life. The good news is that like all muscles, PC can be strengthened – that’s where Kegels come in!  Women are more keen on talking about kegel exercises in general, so the research for Kegels and men are somewhat minimal.

With the little research that has been done, it does portray that Kegels can help men relieve overactive bladders, and improve sexual function - which is a promising start.  The most important question - can it help improve your bedroom time? According to research, Kegels can help improve erectile dysfunction, control during ejaculation and increase the intensity of orgasm for men who suffer from chronic prostatitis.

So how do you get started with Kegels?

Start by locating or “feeling for” your PC muscles; these are the ones you use when you pee. All you have to do is stop peeing while you’re midstream - your PC muscles are the ones that hold back your urine. Fun fact, they are also the same muscles that you’d use to control your farts!

Once you’re confident that you’ve found your PC muscles, you can practice doing a kegel by just flexing them.

Contract them and hold for at least 20 seconds and then release - repeating this 15-20 times in a row about four times a day will strengthen your PC muscles over time. You can also build upon the number of contractions and hold as you get more comfortable with it.

When you do a Kegel exercise, you’ll notice that your testicles will also rise, so don’t be alarmed – it’s just contracting.

You can do them anywhere, at any time with no side effects! Confirm with your doctor to see how Kegels can benefit you, from improving erectile function to preventing PE; you have nothing to lose if you try some Kegels once in a while. It’s not just for women, spread the knowledge so men can benefit from the glory of Kegels.