# How do men find their pelvic floor muscles? Published: 2026-10-21. Updated: 2026-10-21. URL: https://rockkegel.app/guides/how-to-find-pelvic-floor-muscles-men/ ## Short answer To find your pelvic floor muscles, imagine that you try to stop passing gas. Squeeze the muscles that you would use. If you feel a "pulling" feeling in the rectal area, you squeeze the right muscles ([NIDDK](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kegel-exercises)). You can also stop your urine in midstream one time. The muscles that stop the flow are the same muscles. Many men find this hard at first. The muscles are inside the body, so you cannot see them work. This guide gives four ways to find them and three ways to check that you do not use other muscles by mistake. ## How do men find their pelvic floor muscles? The Short Answer - **Stop gas.** Imagine that you hold in gas. Squeeze. Feel a pull in the rectal area. - **Stop urine once.** Stop the flow in the middle. Do this only to learn the feeling. - **Look in a mirror.** When you squeeze, the base of the penis moves toward the abdomen and the testicles rise. - **Check with a finger.** Put a finger in your anus and squeeze. You feel tightness on the finger. Your stomach, thighs and buttocks must stay relaxed in all four methods ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000141.htm)). ## What and where are the pelvic floor muscles? The pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of your pelvis. NIDDK says that these muscles stretch like a hammock from the front to the back of your pelvis. They support the bladder and the rectum. They help you stop urine, stool or gas at the wrong times ([NIDDK](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kegel-exercises)). Cleveland Clinic describes them as the muscles that you use to stop the flow of urine. They also help with sex ([Cleveland Clinic](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14611-kegel-exercises)). You use these muscles every day, but you do not usually think about them. A kegel exercise is a squeeze, a hold and a release of these muscles on purpose. Before you can train them, you must find them. ## Four ways to find the muscles ### 1. Imagine that you stop gas You can do this method anywhere. Sit or lie down. Imagine that you are in a quiet room and you must stop gas. Squeeze the muscles that you would use. NIDDK says that a "pulling" feeling in the rectal area tells you that you use the right muscles. The NHS also tells people to imagine that they stop themselves from peeing and farting ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/10-ways-to-stop-leaks/)). ### 2. Stop your urine in midstream, one time When you urinate, start the flow and then try to stop it. MedlinePlus says that you can feel the muscles in the bladder or anus get tight and move up. These are the pelvic floor muscles ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000141.htm)). Use this method only to learn the feeling. NIDDK says that if you do kegels while you urinate on a regular basis, you can increase your risk of a bladder infection. MedlinePlus says not to practice kegels while you urinate more than twice a month. ### 3. Watch in a mirror Stand in front of a mirror with your feet apart. Tighten the muscles as if you stop urine and gas at the same time. The base of your penis moves nearer to your abdomen and your testicles rise. This check comes from the exercise sheet that men used in a randomised trial of pelvic floor exercises ([Dorey et al., 2004](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1324914/)). The same sheet gives a check for sitting. Sit on a chair with your knees apart. Tighten the muscles as if you lift your pelvic floor off the chair, but do not lift your buttocks. ### 4. Check with a finger Put a finger into your anus. Squeeze as if you hold in urine. If you feel tightness on your finger, you use the right muscles ([NIDDK](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kegel-exercises)). MedlinePlus gives the same method for men. It says that you should feel the muscles tighten and move up and down. ## How to know that you use the wrong muscles Many men squeeze other muscles by mistake. Look for these signs: - **Your buttocks tighten.** You lift up from the chair. The Dorey exercise sheet says to lift the pelvic floor but not the buttocks. MedlinePlus says that your buttock muscles should stay relaxed. - **Your stomach pulls in.** NIDDK says that if you tighten your stomach or thighs, you can put more pressure on your bladder. - **You hold your breath.** Cleveland Clinic says not to squeeze so hard that you hold your breath. To count out loud can help you breathe normally. - **You feel pain.** Cleveland Clinic says that kegels should not hurt. Pain in the stomach, back or head can mean that you hold your breath or squeeze the wrong muscles ([Cleveland Clinic](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14611-kegel-exercises)). ## If you still cannot find them NIDDK says that many people have trouble with this. A doctor, a nurse or a pelvic floor therapist can examine you while you do the exercise. They can tell you if you squeeze the right muscles. They can also suggest aids such as biofeedback, electrical stimulation or special weights ([NIDDK](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kegel-exercises)). Biofeedback uses sensors to measure the muscle contractions that control urination ([NIDDK](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-control-problems/treatment)). In the Dorey trial, men did pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback from an anal pressure sensor. ## After you find them When you can find the muscles without stopping your urine, you are ready to train. Start with a squeeze of 3 seconds and a release of 3 seconds. Repeat 10 times ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000141.htm)). Read the full method in [how to do kegel exercises for men](https://rockkegel.app/guides/how-to-do-kegel-exercises-for-men/). ## How Rock helps The Rock app has a section called "How to locate my pelvic floor muscle?" on its FAQ screen. Use it before your first set. When you are ready, [Control Mode](https://rockkegel.app/features/control-mode/) is a good place to start. It uses a slow squeeze and a slow release. Slow movement gives you time to feel which muscles you use. The screen shows **Squeeze**, **Hold** and **Release** at each step. With [vibration feedback](https://rockkegel.app/features/voice-and-vibration-cues/) on, you can close your eyes and focus on the feeling. Rock is a training tool. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor about symptoms. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Where are the pelvic floor muscles in men? They stretch like a hammock from the front to the back of the pelvis. They support the bladder and the rectum, according to NIDDK. ### Is it bad to stop urine to find the muscles? Do it only to learn the feeling. NIDDK says that if you stop your urine on a regular basis, you can increase your risk of a bladder infection. MedlinePlus says not to do it more than twice a month. ### How do I know that I squeeze the right muscles? You feel a pulling feeling in the rectal area. In a mirror, the base of the penis moves up and the testicles rise. Your stomach, thighs and buttocks stay relaxed. ### Who can check if I do it correctly? A doctor, a nurse or a pelvic floor therapist can examine you while you do the exercise. They can also use biofeedback, according to NIDDK. ## Sources - [Kegel Exercises](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kegel-exercises). NIDDK, National Institutes of Health. - [Kegel exercises - self-care](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000141.htm). MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. - [Kegel Exercises: Benefits, How To and Results](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14611-kegel-exercises). Cleveland Clinic. - [Urinary incontinence: 10 ways to stop leaks](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/10-ways-to-stop-leaks/). NHS. - [Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction (Dorey et al., British Journal of General Practice, 2004)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1324914/). PubMed Central.