Are you looking for pelvic floor exercises for men? Below we discuss what it is about and which exercises you can apply.

What are pelvic floor muscles and what are they for?

To start with, it is important to know what we use our pelvic floor muscles for. In the floor of our pelvis, between the pubic bone at the front and the tailbone at the back, lies a group of muscles that have been given the obvious collective name ‘pelvic floor muscles’.

The pelvic floor has several functions to fulfill. Firstly, these muscles have an important load-bearing and supporting function, forming a hammock for the organs in the pelvis, as it were.

They are also responsible for closing and controlling the urethra and anus, they contribute to the stability of the spine and they play a role in sexual experience.

Do men also often suffer from pelvic floor complaints?

In general, people only think of women when they talk about pelvic floor problems, especially pregnant women or young mothers, or older women with urinary incontinence.

The reality is that, apart from the anatomical differences, there are also many similar complaints in men and women.

There are many tricks and guidelines that a pelvic floor therapist uses, ranging from external triggers by feeling to internal palpation and biofeedback via probes, to achieve the desired result.

In a second phase it is important to be able to consciously build up and release tension in the right place, in combination with a normal breathing rhythm or some basic activities. These exercises are usually taught in a supine position, but over time they can also be performed in a sitting and standing position.

Some examples of exercises:

• Lie on the back, with the legs raised: inhale, gently tighten the pelvic floor while exhaling and slowly release.
• Sit down on a chair: contract the pelvic floor muscles and keep a constant tension while alternating your left and right trying to lift foot off the ground. In the meantime, breathe slowly.
• Stand straight with a stick in your hands: tighten your pelvic floor muscles and raise the stick above your head, without lose muscle tone.

In a later stage we try to take these basic techniques into more difficult situations in daily life or even to heavier strength and core training, which generally increases the pressure on the pelvic floor, lower abdomen and back.

How many times a day should you do pelvic floor exercises?

As with any form of training, regularity is key, but a correct balance between the load and capacity is very important.