Best Pelvic Floor Exercises for Men: Stop Doing Kegels Wrong

The Two Types of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Before you do a single exercise, you need to understand something critical: pelvic floor dysfunction is not one-size-fits-all. There are two completely opposite problems:

• Hypotonic (Too Weak): The pelvic floor muscles are weak and cannot support the organs properly. This leads to urinary incontinence and is common in older men or post-prostate surgery patients. Kegels help this.
• Hypertonic (Too Tight): The pelvic floor muscles are locked in chronic contraction. They cannot relax. This causes PE, erectile dysfunction, CPPS, hard flaccid, and pelvic pain. Kegels make this dramatically worse.

The 5 Best Pelvic Floor Exercises for Hypertonic Men

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)

This is the foundation. When you breathe deeply into your belly, the diaphragm pushes downward, physically stretching the pelvic floor from above. This is the most natural way to release pelvic tension.

• Lie on your back with knees bent
• Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly
• Inhale through your nose—only your belly should rise
• Exhale slowly through pursed lips—belly falls naturally
• 5 minutes, twice daily

2. Reverse Kegels ("The Drop")

The reverse kegel is the opposite of a regular kegel. Instead of squeezing upward, you gently push downward—as if starting to urinate. This teaches your pelvic floor muscles to let go.

• Coordinate with your exhale
• Gentle push—20-30% effort maximum
• Hold the "dropped" position for 5 seconds
• 10 repetitions, twice daily

3. Deep Squat (Malasana)

The deep squat is the single most powerful position for opening the pelvic floor. It simultaneously stretches the hip flexors, adductors, and pelvic floor muscles while decompressing the pudendal nerve.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out
• Slowly lower into a deep squat—hold onto a door frame or chair for balance if needed
• Let your pelvis drop and relax completely
• Hold for 60-90 seconds, breathing deeply into your belly
• 3 sets daily

4. Happy Baby Pose

This yoga pose directly opens the pelvic floor and stretches the deep hip rotators—the muscles most responsible for chronic pelvic tension.

• Lie on your back
• Grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands
• Pull your knees toward your armpits
• Rock gently side to side
• Hold for 2 minutes, breathing deeply

5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

PMR is a technique where you deliberately tense a muscle group for 5 seconds, then completely release it. This "resets" the nervous system's baseline tension level. Work from your toes up to your jaw, paying special attention to your glutes and pelvic floor.

• Tense toes for 5 seconds → release completely
• Tense calves → release
• Tense thighs → release
• Tense glutes and pelvic floor → release and drop
• Continue up to jaw and forehead
• 10 minutes before bed

Exercises to Avoid

If your pelvic floor is hypertonic, avoid these exercises until you have restored normal resting tone (typically after 4-6 weeks of the relaxation protocol):

• Kegels — adds tension to already-cramping muscles
• Heavy squats and deadlifts — these reflexively clench the pelvic floor under load
• Planks and sit-ups — increase intra-abdominal pressure which pushes down on a floor that cannot relax
• Cycling — compresses the pudendal nerve against the perineum

The Daily Routine

Combine these exercises into a simple daily structure:

• Morning (10 min): 5 min diaphragmatic breathing + 5 min reverse kegels
• Throughout the day: Body scan every 2 hours—drop your jaw, shoulders, and pelvic floor
• Evening (15 min): Deep squat holds + Happy Baby + PMR before bed