A man, dressed in jeans and a red T-shirt, is lying on a sofa, suffering from stomach pains due to his perineum.

How do you build up a man's perineum?

This is a subject that you don't often hear about: the pelvic floor training and the perineum. Well known to young mothers, this discreet muscle is much less known to men. Yet it plays an essential role in many ways, particularly in sexuality and the prevention of urinary incontinence. Not very glamorous subjects, of course, but oh so important! Find out how to muscularize the perineum in men through a few easy to do exercises.

What is the perineum muscle?

Before we go any further, let's answer the following question: what is the perineum in men ?

Let's start with a little backgroundanatomy.

The perineum is located at the base of the basinIt is attached between the anus and the penis. It is attached at the level of the pubis and the coccyx, and takes the shape of a hammock to support the pelvic organs such as the bladder or the rectum.

The perineum and the pelvic floor usually refer to the same area. In reality, the pelvic floor is the muscle area of the perineum, the latter also being composed of ligaments and fascias.

Women are widely aware of the importance of the perineum before and after childbirth. They even follow rehabilitation sessions with a physiotherapist or a midwife.

On the other hand, some men don't even know about this part of their anatomy...

Why should you train your perineum when you are a man?

The pelvic floor muscles work in conjunction with the abdominal muscles. They perform several crucial functions for the human body:

  • They allow to contract the sphincter to prevent leakage of urine or gas;
  • Conversely, they also allow the sphincter to relax to urinate;
  • They have a supportive role in preventing the organ descent ;
  • They promote sexual relations by helping with erections;
  • Finally, they help to maintain the pelvis.
The anatomy of a human body with a red area designating the abdominal strap and pelvic floor.
The pelvic floor and the abdominal belt are two muscles that are intimately linked.

On the other hand, several situations can have harmful consequences for the male perineum muscle:

  • The agingThis can lead to progressive dysfunction and lack of tone in the pelvic floor;
  • A weight gain fast, because of the pressure created on this area of the body;
  • A surgical intervention on the level of the prostateIncontinence can be one of the side effects;
  • The regular wearing of heavy loadsThis can be the case for certain professional activities or for the practice of weight training;
  • The intensive practice of certain physical activities such as cycling or combat sports.

How to know if your perineum is muscular?

Before we look at the perineum exercises for menHow do you know if yours is healthy?

There are several signs that you may need to strengthen your perineum:

  • Sometimes you may have urine leakage involuntary when you exercise, sneeze or laugh;
  • You have trouble keeping yourself from going to the bathroom;
  • You need to urinate more than 8 times a day;
  • You have problems with constipation;
  • You have pain in your lower abdomen.

If you recognize yourself in one of these situations, the best thing to do is to consult a health care professional.

Most often, a few sessions of rehabilitation with a physiotherapist will suffice. He or she will suggest that you do appropriate exercises to strengthen the floor and combat its involuntary relaxation.

However, even if you are not concerned by a weakness of your perineum, it is in your interest to work on it in prevention.

It's not easy, especially when you're young and far from this type of problem. But keep in mind that your pelvic floor is a muscle like any other. It may not be visible, unlike your pecs, biceps or abdominal muscles, but it deserves your full attention.

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3 exercises to strengthen the male perineum

These 3 exercises for the perineum are to be done in prevention. You can easily do them at home, at any time of the day.

They simply aim to contract the muscles of the area, then to relax them, so as to tone up the whole.

Kegel exercises

If you are looking for ways to re-educate the perineum in men, or simply to tone it up, chances are you will hear about the Kegel exercises.

These movements were developed in the 1940s by Arnold Henry Kegel, an American gynecologist.

In its simplest version, sitting on a chair or lying on a bed with legs bent, the objective is simply to contract the perineum for 5 to 10 seconds, then release. Repeat about 10 times.

You can also make the exercise more complex by blocking your breathing as you contract, or by lying on your back with your pelvis raised.

The greatest difficulty with these exercises lies in your ability to activate the contraction of the perineum. The first few times, it is not easy to get a good feel for the muscle.

Hypopressive abdominals

Another exercise for the male perineum is to do hypopressive abdominal muscles.

This exercise is ideal for strengthening the muscles of the abdomenespecially if you have a fragile perineum. Unlike traditional crunches, it preserves your lumbar region and limits the downward thrust of the organs.

A shirtless man performs the crunch exercise to build up his abs in a fitness and weight room.
To strengthen the perineum in men, it is preferable to opt for hypopressive abdominals, rather than crunches.

It is a movement well known to the practitioners of yoga or followers of the Pilates method.

Lie on your back with your arms at your side and your knees bent. In this position, make sure to respect the natural curve of your lower back. It is not necessary to press your lower back against the floor.

Take a deep breath in while contracting your abs, then exhale while sucking in your stomach. Remain in apnea for a few moments, then inhale again.

The stomach vacuum

The stomach vacuum is an excellent exercise to build up the perineum in men. It is a variation of the hypopressive abs, very popular with bodybuilders.

In the 1970's, many bodybuilders were doing the vacuum to slim down their waist and get a flat stomach. It contracts the perineum and transversus abdominis muscles.

To learn more, I invite you to consult this article explaining how to make the stomach vacuum.

Conclusion

As you can see, the perineum training is not just for women in the postpartum period. To avoid leaks and stay healthy for a long time, it is just as important to strengthen the pelvic floor in men. If you are unsure, don't hesitate to consult a health professional.

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