Pelvic floor muscle training is the primary evidence-backed way to strengthen the bulbospongiosus muscle. Because this muscle sits in the superficial layer of the perineum and wraps around the base of the urethra, you cannot isolate it with a dumbbell or a machine the way you would a bicep. Instead, targeted contractions of the pelvic floor, sometimes called Kegels, are the main tool, and research consistently shows they produce measurable gains in contraction pressure and functional improvements in areas like erectile function and ejaculatory timing. The challenge is learning to engage the right muscles, progressing the training sensibly, and understanding what this muscle actually does so your expectations match reality.
What the Bulbospongiosus Actually Does
The bulbospongiosus (often abbreviated BSM) is a paired, striated skeletal muscle that originates from the perineal body and wraps around the bulbar portion of the urethra.1PubMed Central. Applied Anatomy of Bulbospongiosus Muscle: a Narrative Review “Striated” and “skeletal” are key details here: they mean this muscle is under voluntary control, at least partially. You can learn to contract it on command, just as you can flex your forearm. It receives its nerve supply from the deep branch of the pudendal nerve, which also innervates the neighboring ischiocavernosus and other perineal muscles.
In men, the bulbospongiosus plays a central role during ejaculation, producing the rhythmic contractions that expel semen.2PubMed. The ischiocavernosus and bulbospongiosus muscles in mammalian penile rigidity It also assists in the final stage of urination by helping squeeze residual urine out of the bulbar urethra. In women, the muscle surrounds the vaginal opening and contracts during orgasm. Both sexes share the basic anatomy: a superficial perineal muscle that you can strengthen through deliberate exercise. One study examining the muscle’s microstructure found that its fibers are small in diameter and contain a low but consistent number of muscle spindles, the sensory receptors that help your nervous system regulate contraction.3Wiley Online Library (Muscle & Nerve). Muscle spindles in the human bulbospongiosus and ischiocavernosus muscles This sparse spindle population may partly explain why many people find it hard to “feel” or isolate these muscles at first.
The Core Exercise: Pelvic Floor Muscle Contractions
The exercise itself is deceptively simple. You contract the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine midstream or to prevent passing gas, hold the contraction, then relax. That squeeze engages the bulbospongiosus along with the ischiocavernosus, the levator ani, and other pelvic floor structures. You cannot contract the bulbospongiosus in perfect isolation, but training the entire superficial pelvic floor group strengthens it as part of the unit.
The practical steps look like this:
- Find the right muscles: Try stopping urine midstream once or twice just to identify the sensation. Do not use this as a regular exercise, as repeatedly interrupting urination can irritate the bladder. Once you know the feeling, practice the contraction while sitting or lying down.
- Contract and hold: Squeeze the pelvic floor muscles, hold for about five seconds, then relax for five seconds. Work toward holding for ten seconds as you get stronger.
- Build volume over time: Aim for three sets of ten repetitions spread across the day. Some protocols add quick-flick contractions (rapid squeeze-and-release cycles) to train the fast-twitch fibers involved in ejaculation and orgasm.
- Avoid bearing down: A common mistake is pushing outward (like straining on the toilet) instead of lifting inward. If your abdomen bulges during the exercise, you are doing it backward.
There is no universal consensus on the exact dose of exercise needed to improve pelvic floor muscle function.4PubMed Central. The status of pelvic floor muscle training for women Protocols in published trials range from daily sessions for six weeks to structured programs lasting several months. What the research does agree on is that the same principles governing strength training elsewhere in the body apply to the pelvic floor: progressive overload (longer holds, more reps), consistency, and adequate recovery.
Why Breathing Matters More Than You Would Expect
One aspect of pelvic floor training that often gets overlooked is the link between breathing and pelvic floor activation. The pelvic floor muscles naturally contract during exhalation and relax during inhalation, acting in synergy with the abdominal wall.5PubMed Central. Breathing, (S)Training and the Pelvic Floor-A Basic Concept Holding your breath during exertion, which many people instinctively do when lifting something heavy, actually increases intra-abdominal pressure that pushes downward against a relaxed pelvic floor. Over time, that pattern can work against your training.
Research confirms that diaphragmatic motion and pelvic floor contraction are correlated during breathing, and that breathing becomes more effective when the pelvic floor muscles are engaged.6PubMed Central. The effect of the correlation between the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles and diaphragmatic motion during breathing The practical takeaway: when performing a pelvic floor contraction, exhale as you squeeze. This coordinates the diaphragm and pelvic floor in the same direction rather than working them against each other. If you do heavy lifting or high-impact sport, exhaling on effort protects the pelvic floor instead of loading it.
Biofeedback and Getting the Contraction Right
A surprisingly large number of people perform pelvic floor exercises incorrectly, even after receiving verbal instructions. Some bear down instead of lifting. Others clench their glutes or inner thighs without engaging the perineal muscles at all. This is where biofeedback comes in: a device measures the actual pressure or electrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles and gives you real-time feedback on whether you are contracting the right area.
Adding electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback to standard pelvic floor training produces significantly greater gains in muscle strength compared with exercises alone.7PubMed Central. Electromyographic Biofeedback for Stress Urinary Incontinence or Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Biofeedback is typically offered through a pelvic floor physiotherapist who places a small sensor either rectally (for men) or vaginally (for women) and guides the exercise session in real time. Home biofeedback devices also exist, ranging from simple perineometers to app-connected sensors. The value is not the device itself but the learning it provides: once you can consistently activate the correct muscles, you can maintain an effective home program without it.
Newer imaging techniques, such as transperineal ultrasound, are being explored as tools for both measuring and guiding pelvic floor contraction. One feasibility study found that the bulbospongiosus and the bulb of the clitoris contracted simultaneously and could be visualized on grayscale ultrasound, though the small size of some perineal muscles made measurement challenging.8ResearchGate / Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Measuring Superficial Pelvic Floor Muscle Properties Using Transperineal Grayscale and Sonographic Elastography: A Feasibility Study These tools are still largely confined to research settings, but they illustrate how the field is moving toward more precise assessment of muscles like the BSM.
Erectile Function
For many men, the motivation behind strengthening the bulbospongiosus is improving erections. A well-known randomized controlled trial assigned men with erectile dysfunction to either pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback or to a control group receiving lifestyle advice. After three months, the exercise group showed a significant increase in erectile function scores, with average improvement on a standard erectile function questionnaire of about 7 points. By six months, roughly 40% of participants had regained normal erectile function, another 35% had improved, and about a quarter saw no change.9PubMed Central. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction When the control group was later crossed over to active treatment, they experienced similar benefits.
These results hold up in broader reviews. An integrative review of pelvic floor physiotherapy for erectile dysfunction found significant improvements in erectile function across studies, with the combination of exercises and biofeedback standing out as particularly effective.10Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia Pelvica. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Erectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation: An Integrative Review One study that compared an exercise-only group to a group receiving both exercise and medication (tadalafil) found that while both improved, the combination group saw more pronounced gains.11Revista Internacional de AndrologÃa. The role of physical activity in the treatment of erectile dysfunction The exercise-only group still improved significantly, which matters for men who prefer a non-pharmacological approach or who want to augment their medication.
The mechanism makes intuitive sense when you consider what the bulbospongiosus and its neighbor, the ischiocavernosus, do during an erection. The ischiocavernosus compresses the base of the erectile chambers to help trap blood, while the bulbospongiosus stabilizes the bulbar urethra and contributes to rigidity. Stronger, better-coordinated contractions of both muscles translate to more effective blood trapping and firmer erections.
Ejaculatory Timing
The same muscles that support erections are involved in ejaculation, and strengthening them can improve control over when ejaculation happens. One rehabilitation study of men with lifelong premature ejaculation found that after a course of pelvic floor training, about 83% gained control of their ejaculatory reflex, with average time to ejaculation rising from roughly 40 seconds to over two minutes. At a six-month follow-up, the gains were still present.12PubMed Central. Pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation for patients with lifelong premature ejaculation: a novel therapeutic approach
An eight-week comparative study looked at pelvic floor training in both lifelong and acquired premature ejaculation. Both groups showed significant increases in ejaculatory latency and contraction pressure after training, along with improvements in psychological distress scores. Men with acquired premature ejaculation tended to benefit more overall, but both groups improved.13PubMed Central. Differential efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training in primary versus acquired premature ejaculation: an 8-week comparative study using non-invasive biomechanical assessment
That said, the picture is not entirely one-sided. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that while pelvic floor training improved ejaculatory timing, the medication dapoxetine and combination therapies (exercises plus supplementary techniques like diaphragmatic breathing or an auxiliary device) tended to produce larger gains in time-to-ejaculation than exercises performed alone.14PubMed. Efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training in the management of premature ejaculation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Pelvic floor exercises are effective, but for men seeking the fastest or largest improvement, combining them with other approaches likely works better than isolated exercise programs.
Post-Urination Dribble
Post-micturition dribble, the annoying leakage of a few drops of urine after you have finished at the toilet, is a less dramatic but common reason men look into strengthening these muscles. The dribble happens when urine pools in the bulbar urethra and leaks out once you move. The bulbospongiosus is the muscle responsible for squeezing that urethra empty.
Both pelvic floor exercises and a technique called bulbar urethral massage (pressing behind the scrotum and sweeping forward after voiding) are effective treatments for this problem.15PubMed Central. A current perspective on post-micturition dribble in males A review of the literature described targeted exercises for the bulbospongiosus and ischiocavernosus muscles alongside a functional post-void “squeeze-out” contraction to help develop a normal post-void milking mechanism.16Physiotherapy. Prevalence, Aetiology and Treatment of Post-Micturition Dribble in Men: Literature review A direct comparison trial found that pelvic floor exercises were more effective at reducing urine loss than urethral milking alone, though both beat counseling without active treatment.17PubMed. Pelvic floor exercises as a treatment for post-micturition dribble As a practical matter, doing both is reasonable: the squeeze-out technique gives immediate relief while the exercises build long-term strength.
Relevance for Women
Women have a bulbospongiosus too, and it plays a role in sexual sensation and orgasm. Research on pelvic floor strength in women has found a moderate correlation between pelvic floor muscle pressure and sexual satisfaction.18PubMed. Women with greater pelvic floor muscle strength have better sexual function Stronger pelvic floor muscles were associated with better lubrication and greater overall sexual function. While that study cannot prove the relationship is causal, the physiology supports the idea: the bulbospongiosus surrounds the vaginal vestibule and constricts during arousal and orgasm, and a stronger muscle produces stronger contractions.
For women, pelvic floor training is more commonly discussed in the context of urinary incontinence and postpartum recovery, but the benefits for sexual function are an underappreciated bonus. The same exercises described above apply. The main difference is that women can use vaginal sensors or cones for biofeedback, while men use rectal or perineal probes.
The Aging Factor
The pelvic floor muscles are not exempt from the age-related decline that affects skeletal muscle throughout the body. Research shows that these muscles undergo progressive deterioration with age, including decreased cross-sectional area, reduced force-generating capacity, and increased fibrosis, particularly after age 60.19PubMed Central. Bidirectional Relationships between Sarcopenia and Pelvic Floor Disorders This deterioration parallels what happens in your quadriceps or grip muscles as you get older, but because the pelvic floor is hidden, most people do not notice the decline until symptoms appear: weaker erections, incontinence, or difficulty fully emptying the bladder.
The encouraging side of this is that skeletal muscle responds to training at any age. The same progressive loading principles that help an older adult rebuild leg strength in the gym apply to the pelvic floor. Starting pelvic floor exercises before symptoms emerge gives you a head start, but starting after symptoms appear still yields results. The trial data on erectile dysfunction and ejaculatory control discussed earlier included men across a range of ages, and improvements were seen broadly.
Lifestyle Factors That Help or Hinder
Strengthening the bulbospongiosus does not happen in a vacuum. General cardiovascular fitness matters because the pudendal artery, which feeds the perineal muscles, relies on overall vascular health to deliver adequate blood flow. Aerobic exercise that improves endothelial function supports the very tissue you are trying to train.
On the other hand, certain activities can stress the perineum and work against your efforts. Prolonged cycling, for example, has been linked to pudendal nerve compression, transient reductions in penile blood flow, and repetitive perineal microtrauma.20Quality in Sport. Cycling-Related Erectile Dysfunction in Men: Evidence on Neurovascular Mechanisms and Prevention This does not mean you need to stop cycling, but if you are training the pelvic floor while spending many hours per week on a narrow saddle, you may be undermining your progress. Using a wider or split-nose saddle, standing periodically, and ensuring proper bike fit are standard preventive measures.
Body weight also plays a role. Excess abdominal weight increases chronic intra-abdominal pressure that pushes down on the pelvic floor throughout the day. Losing weight reduces that load and makes pelvic floor exercise more effective, much the same way that losing weight makes a calf raise easier because you are lifting less against gravity.
When to See a Specialist
Most people can start basic pelvic floor exercises on their own, but there are situations where professional guidance makes a real difference. If you have been doing exercises consistently for two to three months without noticeable improvement, a pelvic floor physiotherapist can assess whether you are contracting the right muscles, determine if you have excessive tension (some pelvic floor problems come from muscles that are too tight rather than too weak), and customize a program with biofeedback. Men who have had prostate surgery and women who have had difficult deliveries often need specialized rehab that goes beyond generic Kegel instructions.
Persistent pelvic pain is another reason to seek evaluation before diving into strengthening. An overactive or hypertonic pelvic floor can mimic the symptoms of a weak one, and strengthening exercises can make pain worse in that scenario. A specialist can distinguish between weakness and excessive tension and adjust the program accordingly, sometimes beginning with relaxation and stretching before moving to strength work.
How Long Before Results Show Up
Expect the timeline to vary depending on what you are training for. Improvements in post-micturition dribble can show up within a few weeks, because the “squeeze-out” technique works almost immediately and the underlying muscles do not need massive strength gains to push a few drops of urine through. Erectile function changes typically take longer. In the biofeedback trial described earlier, meaningful improvements emerged at three months and continued to build through six months.9PubMed Central. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction Ejaculatory control gains appeared within eight weeks in at least one structured study, though individual variation was wide.13PubMed Central. Differential efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training in primary versus acquired premature ejaculation: an 8-week comparative study using non-invasive biomechanical assessment
These timelines match what you would see in any strength training program. Neurological adaptations come first: your brain gets better at recruiting the muscle fibers you already have. Actual muscle hypertrophy and connective-tissue remodeling take weeks to months. Most people report awareness-type improvements, like simply being able to feel and isolate the contraction, within the first week or two. The functional outcomes people care about most take patience. As with any exercise habit, the people who stick with it past the point where motivation fades and discipline has to carry the load are the ones who see the best outcomes.