Do Kegel exercises work for men? What the studies show

So whether Kegels "work" depends on what you want them to do. This page covers what they do, what the studies tested for erections and for early ejaculation, what Kegels can't do, and who should see a doctor first. For the how-to itself, see our step-by-step guide to Kegel exercises for men.

What Kegels do for men

Men have a pelvic floor too. Two of its muscles sit at the base of the penis: squeezing them raises the pressure inside an erect penis, and they contract in rhythm during ejaculation. Erections start with blood flow, not with these muscles.^3,4,5

A Kegel is a deliberate squeeze of those muscles, held and then let go. You can train them on purpose, like any other muscle.

Some of it you can check yourself, from your first week. Can you find the muscle first time? Can you squeeze without your belly or buttocks joining in, breathe through a hold, and let go fully? That skill is yours to track. Past the skill, the research gets thin, and the rest of this page is about that part.

The evidence at a glance

Limited is the word our claims register uses for small, uncontrolled or conflicting studies with no guideline recommendation behind them. It isn't a verdict either way. It means the evidence is thin.

Erections: what was studied

Pelvic-floor training has been studied for erection problems. The trials were small, mostly supervised clinic programmes with biofeedback, and their results were mixed. No guideline recommends training for erection problems, so treat it as one tool alongside a check-up with your doctor.^1,2,6

The best-known trial is a UK one from 2004. Men with erection problems had five coached sessions with a physiotherapist, using a pressure sensor for biofeedback, and exercised at home in between. A comparison group got advice on lifestyle changes only.¹ That is a long way from squeezing on your own with nobody checking your technique.

Two more things are worth knowing before you put your hopes in Kegels.

Most men sometimes fail to get or keep an erection, usually because of stress, tiredness or alcohol. Erection problems are very common, especially after 40.¹¹

Erection problems that keep happening can be an early warning of heart or blood-vessel disease, sometimes before any other symptom, and the link is stronger in younger men. If it keeps happening, see a doctor.^11,6,12

That is why a doctor comes first on this site, and Kegels second.

What else is linked to erection health

Regular exercise, especially aerobic exercise like brisk walking or running, losing weight if you're overweight, not smoking and keeping alcohol to 14 units a week or less are linked to better erections. Guidelines recommend these before or alongside any treatment.^6,11

None of those is a Kegel. Guidelines recommend them, and as above, no guideline recommends pelvic-floor training for erection problems.

Early ejaculation: what was studied

Pelvic-floor training has also been studied for early ejaculation, mostly in small clinic studies of supervised rehab that included electrical stimulation and biofeedback. Not everyone improved, some lost ground over the following years, and where it was compared with a medicine, the medicine did better on average. Guidelines don't recommend training on its own.^7,8,9,5

In one of the Italian clinic studies, men went in for three one-hour sessions a week.⁷ Again, that is a different thing from a few minutes at home.

Finishing sooner than you'd like now and then is common and isn't a cause for concern. Lifelong early ejaculation is much less common.^13,14 Worry about performance is a common cause of finishing early.¹³

GoBeast works alongside medical care, never instead of it. Guidelines say that for early ejaculation, combining behavioural techniques with medicine may work better than either alone.^15,5 If early ejaculation bothers you, a doctor can talk you through the options.

Stop-start and squeeze are standard techniques that sex therapists teach for ejaculatory control. Both train you to notice your arousal building and to pause before the point of no return, starting solo and later with a partner. They take lots of practice.^14,13,5 Guidelines describe the evidence for behavioural techniques as modest and inconsistent, and usually recommend them alongside other treatment.^14,5 Our guides to the stop-start technique and the squeeze technique explain each one.

Side effects, and who should skip Kegels

In studies, pelvic-floor training caused few or no reported side effects, but men with pelvic pain weren't included. Pain isn't normal: stop.^7,10

Pelvic-floor strengthening isn't right for everyone. If you have pain in your pelvis, genitals, perineum or bottom, pain when you ejaculate or pee, or trouble starting to pee, your pelvic floor may be too tense rather than too weak, or something else may be going on. Guidelines advise against Kegel-style strengthening for pelvic pain with a tender pelvic floor. Stop, see a doctor, and ask about a pelvic-floor physiotherapist.^16,17,18 Our guide to a tight or hypertonic pelvic floor in men covers the signs.

Had prostate or pelvic surgery or radiotherapy? Follow your care team's plan first. GoBeast isn't designed for recovery after surgery.¹⁹

What Kegels can't do

• They can't tell you why something changed. Erections that keep failing, pain or new urinary symptoms need a doctor, not more squeezes.
• They don't replace medical care. GoBeast works alongside medical care, never instead of it.
• They can't promise a date. We explain why in how long Kegels take to work.
• They aren't the answer to pelvic pain. With a tense pelvic floor, strengthening can be the wrong direction, as the section above explains.
• Your phone can't measure the muscle. No app can feel your squeeze, ours included.

What you can control

The research questions are out of your hands. Technique isn't.

• Train the right muscle. Re-check it with how to find your pelvic floor.
• Keep breathing, and keep your belly and buttocks out of it. The cue in the best-known trial was to try to avoid holding your breath, pulling in your abdomen or tensing your buttocks.¹
• Let the muscle go fully after every squeeze.
• Train regularly. A few minutes on most days is a different thing from a few sessions a month.
• Stop if anything hurts.

If something feels off, our list of 7 Kegel mistakes men make covers the usual slips. Our printable 4-week plan gives you a routine to follow, and the free Kegel timer counts it out loud.

When to see a doctor instead

Kegels are never the first step for any of these.

How GoBeast helps

We can't promise GoBeast changes anything above, and nothing has tested it. This is what it does.

• Lessons on what research does and doesn't show, each linked to its sources.
• Voice cues for technique on every rep, and a release at the end of every session.
• Progress from sessions you completed: your sessions, your level and your longest hold. No made-up scores.
• A Pain button, and pain switches you to a relax-first path.

Comparing your options? See how Kegel apps for men compare on price and features.

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