Premature Ejaculation Exercises: X Exercises to Try
You talk to your friends about how many reps you can do and how marathon training is going. But even though it’s something many men experience, you’re probably not chatting casually over a beer about exercises for premature ejaculation (PE).
So you turned to us, your trusty internet friends, to find out if there are things you can do at home to prevent premature ejaculation.
We have good news. There are exercises you can do to control ejaculation — and they don’t require a trip to the gym (in fact, please don’t do them there).
Read on to discover four exercises to try for premature ejaculation, plus other alternative treatments that may help you last longer in bed.
3 Exercises for Premature Ejaculation
Exercises for premature ejaculation are similar to exercises for ED — they won’t get you out of breath (well, probably not), and they don’t require you to lace up your sneakers or step foot on a treadmill.
Rather, premature ejaculation training (aka exercises to last longer) focuses on the muscles in the penis and pelvic floor, which can help improve your sexual health.
We don’t often think of engaging the pelvic muscles in terms of men’s health. However, exercising these small muscles can be crucial in combating early ejaculation without medical treatment.
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Kegels (Pelvic Floor Exercises)
Yes, kegels are for men too. You can do these pelvic floor exercises while driving, at your desk, in the shower or while brushing your teeth.
Essentially, pelvic floor muscles control the flow of urine through the urethra. The goal of these exercises is to learn to contract those muscles at will.
Pelvic muscles weaken over time and with age. And while kegel exercises are usually linked to incontinence issues (maybe your wife did a bunch after giving birth for this reason), there’s also quite a bit of research suggesting they can help with premature ejaculation.
In a small 2014 study with 40 male participants, 82.5 percent gained better control of their ejaculatory reflex after 12 weeks of pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation.
Their mean IELT (intravaginal ejaculation latency time) — a measure of how long it takes to ejaculate during penetrative sex — also increased. After six months, 39 percent maintained improvement in IELT.
There are a few ways to do kegels for premature ejaculation and overall functioning of the pelvic floor. The first exercise is one you can do while sitting (yay).
Here’s how:
Sit comfortably in a chair.
Squeeze your penis using just the penile muscles (as opposed to the sphincter or abs). It should feel like you’re trying to stop urine — you can actually do this while peeing, as well.
Hold the contraction for five seconds, then release.
As if you needed an excuse to lie down, you can also do pelvic floor exercises on your back. Here’s how:
Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Using just your penile muscles, draw your penis toward your body, hold for five seconds, then release.
Squeeze your sphincter or anus (as if holding in a fart), hold for five seconds, then release.
Aim for eight to ten repetitions and three to five sets for each exercise.
The Squeeze Technique
Another option for delaying ejaculation is the squeeze technique (sometimes called the squeeze method). And you can do it during sex.
This method requires you to recognize the “point of no return” (i.e., when ejaculation is imminent and inevitable).
Just before you reach that point, pull out and gently squeeze the tip of your penis for 30 seconds or so until you feel like you can resume sex without ejaculating.
You may need to repeat the squeeze maneuver a few times. The most obvious limitation of this technique is being able to recognize the point of no return approaching and pull out in time.
The Start-Stop Technique
The start-stop technique isn’t so much a technique as just stopping and restarting sex. In fact, if you’re experiencing PE, you’ve probably done this exercise without realizing it had a name.
The trick is to stop stimulation just before you’re about to orgasm, then start again when the urge to ejaculate goes away (easier said than done in the throes of the moment). You can practice this during partner sex or masturbation.
Alternatives to Premature Ejaculation Exercises
Research divides PE into two subtypes: lifelong and acquired.
Lifelong means premature ejaculation has been, well…a lifelong issue (since puberty). Have you been experiencing PE ever since your first sexual encounter? If the answer is yes, it’s probably lifelong.
Acquired PE develops after a period of “normal” ejaculation time, meaning it wasn’t always this way.
In any case, if you’re not into exercise or are just looking for an occasional fix for PE, other treatment options are available. This includes topical treatments (like creams or sprays) and medications that can help sexual performance.
Topical PE Treatments
A topical anesthetic is the oldest known treatment for PE.
Clockstopper benzocaine wipes are basically wet wipes for your penis, except they’re not for cleaning (take care of that in the shower, sir). They use benzocaine as a numbing agent, which desensitizes the penis and glans (that’s the tip).
These premature ejaculation wipes are discreet and portable (easy to tuck into a wallet if you plan to spend the night elsewhere).
Prefer your wet wipes stick with hot wings? There are other topical treatments for PE.
Hims Delay Spray works similarly to the wipes, though it uses lidocaine as a numbing agent instead of benzocaine. While rare, some research shows that side effects of numbing sprays include hypno-anesthesia of the penis (excessive numbing) and numbing of the vagina.
Physical Exercise
We know we said you didn’t have to hit the gym, but physical activity and regular exercise can help with PE. Ugh.
One study compared men between the ages of 18 and 45 based on the amount of physical activity they did regularly. PE was less frequent in men who exercised than those with a sedentary lifestyle. The researchers also concluded that physical activity leads to a higher-quality sex life.
More research is needed, but these findings are promising.
PE Medications: What to Know
Some people may be wary of numbing sprays or wipes or simply prefer the ease of taking an oral medication.
Maybe you’re considering tackling PE with a triple-threat approach: a numbing agent, medication and therapy. This could actually be a worthwhile choice.
Studies show that a combination of medication and psychotherapy (by yourself or with your partner) is the most promising intervention for lifelong and acquired PE — and more effective than taking a drug alone.
Keep reading for the 411 on medications for PE. (But note that no medication is currently FDA-approved for PE specifically, though several drugs can be taken off-label).
Sertraline
Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It’s the active ingredient in the antidepressant Zoloft® and is sometimes prescribed off-label for the treatment of PE. This medication increases serotonin levels in the brain — and serotonin plays a role in arousal.
A 2019 study showed that sertraline extends the IELT period and boosts sexual satisfaction for premature ejaculation patients and their partners.
Research shows that SSRIs can be taken on-demand four to six hours before sexual intercourse for the treatment of PE (as opposed to daily), though there is less ejaculatory delay than with daily treatment. We recommend taking sertraline daily.
Sildenafil
Sildenafil (you know it by its stage name, Viagra®) is usually prescribed for erectile dysfunction (ED), but it can help with climax control as well.
A 2007 study on 180 men experiencing PE found that sildenafil was very effective and safe in treating premature ejaculation. It also appeared to have a much higher efficacy than paroxetine or the squeeze technique.
A 2020 meta-analysis of several studies found that patients treated with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors like sildenafil had significantly increased IELTs and sexual satisfaction compared to a placebo group.
Notably, this study didn’t look just at sildenafil but rather sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil (as well as combinations of the meds).
Sildenafil was the most effective treatment in a small study with 31 participants. (Other approaches included acupuncture, the “pause-squeeze” technique and other medications, including sertraline and paroxetine).
Sildenafil side effects are rare and usually pretty mild. They can include headache, flushing, abnormal vision, indigestion and rhinitis (nasal congestion).
Paroxetine
Paroxetine is an SSRI often prescribed off-label for premature ejaculation.
A 2007 randomized study looked at the effects of three SSRIs (fluoxetine, paroxetine and escitalopram) in 100 men with PE. It found that 100 percent of participants showed improvement in PE, and the symptoms were well-tolerated.
A different study found that paroxetine was more effective than a placebo (no surprise there). It was also shown to be more effective than fluoxetine and escitalopram in treating PE.
So what’s the most effective of all? Glad you asked.
The above study gave top honors to paroxetine combined with either tadalafil or behavioral therapy. However, mild side effects (including nausea, muscle soreness, heart palpitations and flushing) were also more common in the group that took multiple meds.
SSRIs increase serotonin in the brain, which is helpful for mood disorders — they also block 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine) reuptake, which is what delays ejaculation. Definitely consult a medical professional before going this route.
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Should I Try Premature Ejaculation Exercises?
You may not know this because it’s rarely talked about, but PE is thought to be the most common male sexual disorder. It affects at least 30 percent of men (some research suggests as much as 75 percent).
If you’re part of that group, you’re likely wondering about premature ejaculation treatments and whether there’s really a last-longer exercise.
Here are a few things to remember about PE and its treatments, including exercises:
The official definition of PE offered by the World Health Organization (WHO) is “the inability to delay ejaculation sufficient to enjoy lovemaking, which is manifested by either an occurrence of ejaculation before or very soon after the beginning of intercourse or ejaculation occurring in the absence of sufficient erection to make intercourse possible.” Not fun, but common.
Research shows that exercises for premature ejaculation and regular physical activity are both effective in treating PE and improving sexual function. Yep, you’re doing a kegel right now, aren’t you?
If you’re experiencing PE, even just sometimes, it’s always good to talk to a licensed healthcare provider about underlying causes and climax control treatment options.
Using our telehealth platform, you can participate in a PE consultation online. If appropriate (and at-home exercises aren’t your thing), you can receive a prescription to treat your symptoms without ever leaving the house.To learn more about exercises for premature ejaculation, check out our guide to pelvic floor exercises for men.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.