Advanced kegel exercises for men
Pelvic floor exercises, or Kegel exercises, are not for everyone. Kegels can help strengthen the pelvic floor, but if your muscles are tight, they can worsen your condition.
Help manage prostate pain and swelling that occur with prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Increase sexual pleasure by helping with erections and ejaculation.
Consider seeing a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor therapy to ensure you perform the most appropriate exercises for your condition.
Pelvic floor muscles span the bottom of the pelvis and support the internal pelvic organs. In men, this includes the bladder, prostate and rectum. The muscles also wrap tightly around the anus and urethra. They can weaken with age or due to diabetes, an overactive bladder or prostate surgery.
Pelvic Floor Exercises for Tight (Hyper-tonic) Muscles
Tight (hyper-tonic) pelvic floor muscles can cause health concerns like bladder problems or pain during intercourse. Exercises for tight muscles focus on relaxing the pelvic floor.
Deep Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
Diaphragmatic breathing reduces muscle tension throughout the body, including the pelvic floor. It also helps to decrease the pain that tight pelvic floor muscles can cause.
Perform as follows:
1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
3. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
4. Slowly breathe in through your nose, filling your belly with air.
The hand on your stomach should rise while the hand on your chest
stays still.
5. Pucker your lips (like you're blowing out candles) and slowly blow
the air back out.
6. Perform for five min
Adductor Stretch
If the adductors (inner thigh muscles) are very tight, rest your knees on pillows during this stretch to decrease muscle tension.
Perform as follows:
1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Bend both knees and bring the soles of your feet together, with the
outer border of each foot resting on the ground.
3. Slowly allow your knees to drop to the sides—you should feel a
stretch along the inside of your thighs.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat three times.
Child's Pose
The child's pose spreads your pelvic bones apart to help stretch your pelvic floor muscles.
Perform as follows:
1. Begin on your hands and knees.
2. Keeping your elbows straight, sit back on your heels while kneeling.
3. Bend forward and rest your belly on your thighs.
4. Rest your forehead on the ground between your shoulders.
5. Take several deep breaths.
Happy-Baby Pose
Use your arms to gently stretch your pelvis open to help stretch pelvic floor muscles with the happy baby pose.
Perform as follows:
1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Bend both knees and bring your feet toward your hands.
3. Grasp the outer edge of each foot with your hands.
4. Pull your knees toward your armpits and relax your knees outward.
5. Hold for several breaths.
If this pose is too difficult, place your hands behind your knees instead.
butterfly stretch:
On a yoga mat, lie on your back with your knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor.
Bring the soles of your feet together and allow your knees to fall comfortably out to your sides and towards the floor. Focus on breathing slowly as you hold this position.
Return to the starting position.
As you do this exercise, you might feel a gentle stretch in your groin area and inner thigh muscles.
Everyone is different, which is why you may need to modify this exercise to meet your needs.
Place pillows on either side of your legs to support the weight of your knees as they stretch out to your sides
Pelvic Floor Exercises for Weak (Hypotonic) Muscles
Excess strain on the pelvic floor muscles from chronic coughing due to Smoking , pressure from chronic constipation pregnancy, and childbirth can weaken these muscles. Additional factors surgery can weaken your pelvic floor muscles. Surgery in your pelvic area. Aging. The muscles of your pelvic floor, as well as muscles in your rectum and anus, naturally weaken with age.
Squats
Squats are excellent for working the muscles in the lower body, including the pelvic floor. Perform as follows:
Perform as follows:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, keeping your chest and back straight.
Engage your pelvic floor muscles as you lower and rise.
Aim for three sets of 10-15 squats, gradually increasing the intensity as your strength improves.
Pelvic tilts
Pelvic tilts help strengthen your lower back and abdominal muscles, contributing to pelvic floor stability. Follow these steps:
Perform as follows:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Tighten your abdominal muscles and press your lower back into the floor.
Hold for a few seconds, then release.
Repeat this movement 10-15 times, gradually increasing as your muscles become stronger.
Bird dog
The bird-dog exercise activates multiple muscle groups, including the pelvic floor. Follow these steps to perform the exercise:
Perform as follows:
Start on your hands and knees, aligning your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keep your back straight.
Engage your core muscles and retract your shoulder blades down toward your hips.
Simultaneously extend and raise your left leg and right arm, maintaining a neutral body position. Hold this position for a few seconds.
Gently lower your arm and leg to the starting position. Repeat the movement with the opposite arm and leg.
Heel slides
Heel slides encourage pelvic floor contractions while targeting the deep abdominal muscles.
Begin by lying on the floor with your knees bent and pelvis in a neutral position.
Inhale into the rib cage, then exhale through the mouth, letting your ribs naturally compress.
Draw your pelvic floor up, lock in your core, and slide your right heel away from you. Only go as far as possible without losing your connection to your deep core.
Find the bottom position, then inhale and bring your leg back to the starting position.
Repeat.
Do 10 slides up and back, then repeat with the other leg.
Kegels
Kegels help strengthen muscles that support your bladder. Another option is to lie down and place a hand on the perineum. This is the area between the rectum and scrotum. Your hand will feel the perineum lift slightly as you squeeze your pelvic floor muscles.
Perform as follows:
1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles—squeeze your muscles as if trying
to stop the flow of urine midstream.
3. Hold for three to five seconds, then relax.
4. Repeat 10 times.
Do not pull in your tummy muscles excessively.
Do not squeeze your legs together.
Do not tighten your buttocks.
Perform Kegels at least three times per day. Once you've mastered Kegels lying down, you can do them while sitting or standing.
Kegels and Bridges
Advance your pelvic floor strength by combining Kegels with a hip bridge. This exercise also strengthens abdominal and low back muscles that support your pelvic floor.
Perform as follows:
1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
3. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips off the floor. Keep your shoulder blades in contact with the floor.
4. While in the bridge position, contract your pelvic floor for three seconds.
5. Relax your pelvic floor and lower your hips back down to the ground.
6. Repeat 10 times.
Kegels With Clamshells
Clamshells strengthen muscles in the hips that work with your pelvic floor muscles.
Perform as follows:
1. Lie on your right side with your legs stacked on each other.
2. Bend your knees at approximately 45 degrees.
3. Contract your pelvic floor muscles and lift your top knee toward the ceiling (like a clamshell opening). Hold for two to three seconds.
4. Lower your leg back down and relax your pelvic floor.
5. Do 10 repetitions on each leg.
Ball or Pillow Squeeze
This is a great exercise to activate the adductor muscles (inner thigh), which causes the pelvic floor to automatically contract. Raising your hips into a bridge position is not necessary to activate the adductor muscles and strengthen your pelvic floor, but can be a good way to work your glutes and core at the same time, once you’ve mastered the standard adductor squeeze.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and a folded pillow or 7-9” ball between your thighs.
2. Gently squeeze the ball so you feel your inner thighs contract.
3. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds.
4. Breathe normally throughout the contraction and avoid holding your breath.
5. Relax your legs, rest for a few seconds.
6. Repeat 10 times.Do 1-2 sets, once per day.
Exercising With Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Some examples of high-impact exercises to avoid when dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction include the following:
* Heavy weight lifting
* Running
* Activities that require jumping
* High-intensity conditioning exercises (such as step aerobics)
Certain conditions, for example, multiple sclerosis (MS), stroke and diabetes may affect the nerve supply to the muscles.
• Injury to the perineum (the area from the base of the penis to the back passage) by a direct blow or prolonged pressure e.g. cycling for long periods
Safe, low-impact alternative exercises include:
* Walking
* Yoga
* Swimming
As your pelvic muscles improve, you can progress to higher-level activities.
Benefits of Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic floor exercises can help treat conditions and symptoms related to both tight and weak pelvic floor muscles
For Hyper-tonic Muscles
Hyper-tonic (tense) pelvic floor muscles can occur from conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Hyper-tonic pelvic floor muscles can cause:
* Pain during sex
* A strong urge to urinate or urinary incontinence
* Constipation
* Pelvic or abdominal pain
. Testicular pain, groin pain, and/or hip pain
Penile pain
Burning pain - in pelvic area, perineum, urethra, penis
Pain prior, during, and/or after ejaculation
Relaxation exercises can reduce pain and decrease the incidence of incontinence.
For Hypotonic Muscles
Pelvic floor muscles can weaken from intense exercises like heavy weight lifting.
Weak pelvic floor muscles can cause:
* Urinary or fecal incontinence
* Uncontrollable passing of gas
Pelvic organ prolapse
* less blood flow
Strengthening exercises can reduce incontinence and the excessive passing of gas, as well as support internal organs. However, in severe cases, pelvic organ prolapse can require surgery.
Managing the Side Effects of Pelvic Floor Exercises
While pelvic floor exercises should not increase pain, conditions that affect these muscles are often painful.
Treatments that can help decrease this pain include:
* Medications (such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), neuropathic pain medications, or muscle relaxants
* Moist heat
* Progressive muscle relaxation
* Biofeedback therapy
* Gentle stretching
* Yoga
How Long Does It Take to Improve Your Pelvic Floor Muscles?
Whether you are trying to decrease tightness in your pelvic floor muscles or improve your strength, it can take several months (or longer) to see improvements. If you do pelvic floor exercises consistently and are concerned that your symptoms aren't changing, consider seeing a
physical therapist specializing in pelvic health.
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