Premature ejaculation can put a spanner in the works when it comes to having a fulfilling sex life.
While it may get in the way of sexual intercourse, feeling comfortable with your sexual partner or your self-confidence, the good news is that, in some cases, premature ejaculation can be helped by exercises designed to delay ejaculation and create ejaculation control.
So, while a leg day at the gym won't do much to treat premature ejaculation, there's a whole range of exercises you can get close and comfortable with if you're keen to nip premature ejaculation in the bud.
Working on your fitness and your pelvic floor before sex and during sex (as well as at other times) can take your sexual encounters from zero to one hundred before you know it!
What causes early ejaculation?
Before we dive into exercises and tips for working on your pelvic floor muscles, we need to explore the ins and outs of premature ejaculation (PE) itself.
As one of the most common issues in the world, PE causes sexual dysfunction and, depending on the severity of your condition, can disrupt an otherwise healthy sex life.
According to research, 1 in 3 Australian men experience PE at some point in their lives [1].
While, of course, it's totally normal to ejaculate quickly or without too much stimulation if you're incredibly horny, or enjoying a passionate moment with your sexual partner, a diagnosis of PE requires the issue to be regular and disruptive.
With this in mind, the symptoms of PE are:
- Ejaculation with minimal stimulation
- Causes the sufferer and/or their partner distress
- The sufferer has little or no voluntary control
- The issue is persistent, long-term or recurring
If you're dealing with a penis that wants to let loose before you can give it the green light, and the symptoms above check out, it's very likely you're dealing with PE.
The great news is you can learn to deal with your premature ejaculation by trying your hand at a range of exercises, including pelvic floor exercises.
Designed to help you regain control between the sheets and delay ejaculation, pelvic floor muscle training and premature ejaculation-based exercises can make a world of difference to your self-confidence.
Can exercise help with premature ejaculation?
To answer this question, we thought we'd let the figures do the talking for us right off the bat.
A 2014 study rounded up 40 men who reported having lifelong difficulties with premature ejaculation [2]. The men, aged between 19 and 46, had previously tried a wealth of premature ejaculation treatments to no avail, including behavioural therapy, creams and more.
The men were trained to exercise their pelvic floor muscles for 12 weeks, being taught exercises that were similar to those used to help people with incontinence.
The men performed these exercises 3 times a week, in 20-minute sessions and the results were pretty astounding.
33 of the participants, or 82%, saw improvement in delaying their ejaculation. 2 others noticed improvements but dropped out before the program was complete, and 5 saw no improvement at all.
The start of the trial saw the average participant ejaculating within 32 seconds, but by the end of the trial, the average time had increased to almost 2 and a half minutes. Exercise for the win!
So, why do the exercises work? Well, the pelvic floor muscles are involved with cutting off the flow of urine but they're also actively involved in sexual function.
Knowing this, it makes sense that strengthening this part of our body would improve one's sexual performance. The exercises, which aim to retrain or re-educate the pelvic floor muscles to contract or length on command or need, need to be done regularly for the treatment to make a difference.
Arguably the best part of conquering premature ejaculation with Kegel exercises, is that the treatment is more cost-effective and natural, leaving almost no room for unwanted side effects.
Can squats help with premature ejaculation?
If you're experiencing PE and want to go down the exercise route, you might want to try adding squats to your workout routine. Front squats using a barbell might increase testosterone release, which can help sexual function [3].
Furthermore, cardiovascular fitness from squats and exercise in general may help with erectile dysfunction and ED is often a common cause of secondary PE [4].
As long as you do the exercise with good technique and don't injure yourself, it won't hurt to try squats to improve PE.
The good news is that if squats and pelvic floor exercises don't do anything to improve your premature ejaculation, there are other ways to treat it and Pilot offers personalised premature ejaculation treatments, so you're not in it alone.
Does being out of shape cause premature ejaculation?
We all know the importance of regular exercise on all aspects of health but your activity level can also play a role in PE.
A study from 2018, which included 250 participants ranging in age from 18 to 45, found that men who exercise regularly tend to last longer in bed [5].
Over a 6-month time period, researchers found that those who jogged, cycled or lifted weights for 40 minutes each day lasted around 5 minutes and 30 seconds before orgasming.
Men who walked less than 30 minutes a week, on the other hand, lasted an average of 3 minutes, with 1 ejaculating after 20 seconds.
In fact, researchers pinpointed that 27% of the men who didn't exercise were experiencing premature ejaculation.
If you are what you might consider "out of shape" or living a more sedentary lifestyle, this could also be a factor in your PE experience. Focusing on your health and how often you move your body can help with premature ejaculation while also improving your overall health.
Exercises to help you last longer in bed
If you're looking to improve your sexual issues, you'll feel relieved to know that pelvic floor-related exercise and premature ejaculation go hand in hand.
The start-stop technique
If you've experienced premature ejaculation for a long time, you've probably employed this technique once or twice between the sheets — whether you know it or not.
As a well-known exercise for delaying ejaculation, the start-stop technique involves masturbating right up to the point of orgasm — but, before you reach completion, stop right in your tracks. Relax, and when the urge to orgasm fades away, repeat.
The psychology behind this technique revolves around taking control of the feelings of orgasm and learning to recognise the phase of sexual arousal that comes right before an orgasm.
One study from 2019 found that the start-stop technique helped to delay ejaculation by a few minutes, but it's important to note this happened while being paired with other therapies [6].
So while stopping and starting may have some legitimacy, it's important to tackle this from as many corners as you can.
Pelvic floor exercises
While the start-stop technique may not have specific scientific grounding, pelvic floor exercises are completely proven.
Aiming to build stamina 'down there', these exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, should be done regularly to see their benefits.
Your pelvic floor muscles control the flow of urine to your urethra, but that's not the only thing they can control.
Kegel exercises aim to help premature ejaculation sufferers learn how to contract the pelvic floor muscles at will. Confused? Next time you go to the bathroom to urinate, try and stop your stream mid-flow. Got it under control? You can thank your Kegel muscles.
Pelvic floor muscles naturally weaken over time, and this can have a huge effect on premature ejaculation.
Most studies find that when premature ejaculation sufferers work on their Kegel muscles regularly, their ejaculation delay time is improved with flying colours.
The only issue is that for pelvic floor muscle training to really hit the mark, it's important that premature ejaculation sufferers really know what they're doing before they get down and dirty.
One of the best ways to make sure you're on top of this is to work with a pelvic floor physical therapist.
The squeeze technique
Buckle up, because we're about to dive into one of the more interesting techniques of all. Before applying the squeeze technique, you're going to want to have an open line of communication with your partner.
Right before orgasm, when you're deep in the throes of passion, the squeeze technique asks you to pull out and gently squeeze the tip of your penis between your fingers.
This limits the mind-blowing arousal you'll be feeling, and delays ejaculation. Do this for about 30 seconds, and you could find that this method helps to control your premature ejaculation over time.
Requiring self-control, this method may not be the best for couples experiencing intense sexual dysfunction due to the fact that it requires both parties to hit the pause button on a good time.
However, if your partner is supportive and open to trying new things that could work, why not give it a go?
What if these exercises don't work?
While these exercises could help improve your sex life, the reality is that for some folk, natural therapies don't work.
If you try doing Kegel exercises regularly or employ the squeeze method and nothing gives, don't fear. There is a range of ways you can prevent premature ejaculation.
As premature ejaculation can stem from a wide range of reasons, treatment depends on where the issue comes from. Getting in touch with a healthcare professional is always the best option if you feel like you're beyond your depth.
Ways of treating premature ejaculation (lifelong or acquired) include:
- Psychological support: Premature ejaculation commonly stems from psychological issues, so exploring underlying issues and anxieties that involve sex with a trusted therapist can help conquer self-confidence issues or problems between the sheets that begin in the brain.
- Work on reducing penile sensation: Do you orgasm too quickly? Try using local anaesthetic sprays and creams, which can help stop you from ejaculating in a jiffy. Using thick condoms is also a great way to limit sensation, so before diving into the deep end, give this a shot.
- Figure out whether erectile dysfunction is also an issue: Premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction are often connected, so getting help and support for erectile dysfunction can often put a pep back in your step.
- Personalised treatment plans and support: Pilot offers personalised premature ejaculation treatment plans that are created to suit your individual needs. Simply take our online consult and one of our Australian practitioners will create a plan to treat PE just for you. There's no shame in seeking help and you don't have to worry about discussing your personal issue face to face — all practitioner consultations are online and treatment is delivered discreetly to your door.
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