Technique
How to find pelvic floor muscles (for men)
If you cannot find the muscles, extra reps will train the wrong ones. Identification comes before the program.
Quick answer
Men find the pelvic floor by tightening the muscles that stop gas and that would stop urine, feeling a lift at the anus and the base of the penis, with the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs quiet. A one-time midstream stop can confirm the cue. Do not make urine-stopping the workout. A mirror check may show the penis draw in slightly and the testicles lift. If you feel pain or only feel glutes, stop guessing and see a pelvic floor PT.
Why this page exists separately from “how to do kegels”
Search intent is different. “How to do kegels for men” wants a protocol. This page wants location. Mixing them causes men to skip identification and grind 100 false reps.
Cue 1: Stop gas
This is the safest first cue. Tighten the back passage as if you must not pass wind in public. You should feel a lift around the anus. Then let it go and feel softening. North Bristol NHS Trust describes a sense of squeezing and pulling the back passage up and in, sometimes with a slight retraction at the base of the penis.
Cue 2: Stop urine — once
Halfway through urinating, slow or stop the stream, notice the muscles, then finish emptying. That feeling is the front of the pelvic floor. Then never use this as your set. Mayo Clinic: don’t do kegels while you urinate. Continence Health Australia: only try midstream stop once or twice.
Cue 3: Lift the scrotum
Cleveland Clinic notes you can activate the pelvic floor with the muscles that pull the scrotum up toward the body. Combined with the gas-stop, this often locates the whole sling instead of only the anus or only the urethra.
Cue 4: Mirror check
Stand relaxed. Lift. Look for a small in-draw of the penis and a rise of the testicles. Let go and watch them drop. If the pelvis tucks or the glutes pop, the picture is lying.
Optional rectal check
Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic describe a finger in the anus: a correct kegel tightens and lifts around the finger. Skip this if you have pain, hemorrhoids in flare, recent rectal surgery, or you simply do not want to. It is a check, not a requirement.
| Likely pelvic floor | Likely cheating |
|---|---|
| Small lift at anus and penile base | Butt cheeks gripping |
| Scrotum draws up slightly | Holding breath, neck tension |
| Belly stays relatively quiet | Sit-up or belt-tightening abs |
| Clear let-go afterward | No drop; floor stays clenched |
If identification produces pain, that is data. Painful “finding” is a reason to treat the floor as possibly hypertonic, not a reason to hunt for a stronger squeeze.
Best for
- Beginners who are not sure they have the right muscles
- Men whose previous kegels felt like glute work
Avoid if
- You are using this page to justify stopping urine all day
- Rectal pain or a catheter is present
FAQs
What do male pelvic floor muscles feel like when they contract?
A small lift and tightening around the anus and the base of the penis. The scrotum may draw up slightly. It is not a glute squeeze and not a sit-up.
Is stopping urine the best way to find the muscles?
It is a valid one-time test. It is a poor daily exercise. Mayo Clinic and continence organizations warn that regularly stopping the stream can irritate the bladder and raise infection risk.
Can I check with a finger?
Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic mention that a clean finger in the anus can feel a squeeze and lift if the pelvic floor is working. This is optional, not required, and should be done only if you are comfortable and have no rectal pain or contraindication.
Why do I only feel my buttocks working?
You are substituting bigger muscles. Lie down, put a hand on the belly, think “stop gas,” and use less effort. If glutes still dominate, get a pelvic PT instead of squeezing harder.
Does a visible penis twitch mean I found them?
A slight in-draw of the penis and lift of the testicles is a commonly taught visual check. A thrusting pelvis or a hard glute clench is not.
What to do next
If kegels are appropriate, use the 4-week starter protocol. If you have pain or squeezing already made things worse, start with tight vs weak instead.
Sources
- Mayo Clinic. Kegel exercises for men.
- Cleveland Clinic. Kegel exercises for men. 2025.
- Continence Health Australia. Pelvic floor exercises for men.
- North Bristol NHS Trust. Pelvic floor exercises for men.