The Best Exercises To Help The Effects Of ED
Reviewed on 26 Feb 2024
Struggling to get or maintain firm erections can deeply affect one’s confidence and quality of life, but it’s a challenge that many face, and it’s okay to seek help. However, making positive lifestyle changes like exercising regularly and including the best exercise for erectile dysfunction in your routine may help improve sexual function and health.
Specific physical activities like aerobic exercise, strength training, flexibility training, and pelvic floor muscle exercises can all contribute to better erections. These exercises help increase blood flow, make key muscles stronger, lower the chances of health issues that can cause ED, and help manage other health problems related to ED.
Combining a personalised workout plan with caring medical advice can treat the whole person—you are more than just your symptoms. Working on cardiovascular health (heart health), muscle strength, and endurance and visiting a doctor takes a holistic approach to sexual well-being.
In this guide, we’ll help you take control of your sexual health and find the best exercise for erectile dysfunction.
Key Takeaways:
- A mix of aerobic, strength, pelvic floor, and flexibility exercises can improve blood flow, balance hormones, and make muscles work better, helping to improve erections.
- Tailoring cardio, weights, yoga routines and daily Kegels to individual ability progressively improves erectile health over time.
- Medical treatments like medications or devices help restore sexual functioning when lifestyle changes alone still leave major firmness issues.
- Combining exercise, doctor visits, therapy and treatments provides comprehensive support for enjoying a healthy intimate relationship.
The Best Exercises for Erectile Dysfunction
Cardiovascular Health and ED
Getting your heart pumping is vital for blood circulation, which impacts erectile ability. Aerobic activities like walking, jogging, swimming and cycling make your heart work harder. This strengthens your cardiovascular system and blood vessels.
Aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week is a great step, but remember, any amount of movement is a positive start. This could be achieved through a dedicated workout or by increasing everyday movement. Brisk walking provides an easy way to start improving cardiovascular fitness.
As fitness improves, consider alternating days of moderate and vigorous activity. Vigorous exercise makes breathing much harder at the moment but provides excellent heart and circulatory benefits. Those with conditions like heart disease should discuss intensity with their doctor.
Try splitting the daily 30 minutes into multiple 10-minute increments if you need to start slower. Or extend a single session up to an hour to maximise gains. Partners can make workouts more enjoyable while providing mutual encouragement and accountability.
Strength Training’s Role in Alleviating ED
Building muscular strength, size and endurance through resistance training promotes several factors that enhance erections, including boosted testosterone levels and enhanced blood flow. Lifting weights a few times a week targets muscles throughout the body, with emphasis on the larger muscle groups.
Certain exercises intensely activate the pelvic floor muscles involved during sexual activity, directly translating to bedroom benefits. Squats, lunges, bridges, and core stability movements strengthen the glutes, quads, pelvic region, and abdominal muscles.
Start with 2 full-body strength sessions weekly, centring workouts around compound lifts like squats, deadlifts and bench presses. Emphasise good form over chasing workout benchmarks to ensure safety. Over time, steady increases in weight or reps signal positive muscular and erectile function adaptations.
Partners mutually spotting each other fuels social support while allowing greater weights to be lifted. Discuss personalised training plans with a fitness professional to maximise strength development and resolution of erectile difficulties. Consistency and progression are vital themes when strength training for ED improvement.
Pelvic Floor Exercises for Direct ED Improvement
Pelvic floor muscles play a crucial yet often neglected role in erection strength. Identifying and consciously engaging these muscles takes practice but provides massive benefits. Pelvic floor exercises make erections stronger by training a specific group of muscles to better support blood flow.
The most popular training technique goes by several names - “Kegel exercises” or “Pelvic floor activation”. To perform these exercises, first locate pelvic muscles by stopping urinary flow mid-stream. Next, squeeze these muscles tightly, holding for 5 seconds before relaxing completely.
Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions daily, consciously focusing on good form by isolating the pelvic muscles. Continual contraction and relaxation maximise muscle gains over time.
Notice improvements through firmer erections, increase in support during sex and enhanced climactic control. Combining pelvic floor moves with core, cardio and strength routines accelerates gains through overlaying benefits. Patience and commitment to Kegel exercises lead to better erection capacity.
Yoga and Flexibility Training
Increasing flexibility through yoga reduces muscle tension and stress while enhancing mind-body awareness. This holistic approach improves circulation, muscle control, breathing and mental well-being – all boosting erectile capacity.
Certain yoga poses and sequences target the core and pelvic areas. The Child’s pose stretches the inner thighs and calms the mind. The Bridge pose strengthens the glutes, back and neck while opening up the chest. Cat-cow flows enhance spinal flexibility and posture.
Work towards 30-60 minutes of beginner-level yoga flowing through foundational poses and stretches 2-3 times weekly. Focus on breathing, alignment and smooth transitions between positions. Progress by holding poses longer or attempting more complex sequences under instructor guidance.
Yoga helps you focus on your inner feelings and relax deeply. These heightened mind-body skills translate to the bedroom through improved erection ability and control. Partners potentially progress together by taking couples yoga classes.
Integrating Exercise Into Your Lifestyle
Finding enjoyable activities, planning workouts and overcoming barriers are key to exercising regularly enough to benefit erection quality. Adapt an exercise routine around preferences, responsibilities and physical abilities.
If you’re just beginning your fitness journey, starting with a gentle 10-minute walk each day is a wonderful way to show kindness to your body. Gradually increase either the duration of individual workouts or total weekly exercise time. Scheduling workouts alongside existing habits makes consistency easier.
Variety prevents boredom - alternate between cardio machines, aerobic videos, household chores, recreational sports or outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, garden work or walking various routes. Strength training can be done through free weights, resistance bands, weight machines, and bodyweight moves.
Remember that all movement counts. Taking the stairs, actively playing with kids or pets and parking farther away contribute to daily activity goals. Apps help quantify steps. Consider an activity tracker that provides weekly feedback.
When Exercises Aren’t Enough: Exploring Medical Treatments for ED
While increasing physical activity is a positive first step, it’s important to remember that if ED continues to challenge your intimacy, compassionate medical interventions are available to support you. Treatments like medications, devices, injections, or surgery restore function when lifestyle changes alone prove insufficient.
Determining appropriate clinical course involves openly communicating ED challenges with a healthcare provider. Describe the full context surrounding erectile difficulties, including medical history, current function level, emotional aspects and medication side effects. Initial bloodwork and exams assess contributing issues.
Pills like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil) help many men with ED by improving blood flow to the penis without causing too many side effects. External vacuum devices induce erections mechanically, offering independence from pills. The next step is injections directly delivering rigidness-enhancing agents to genital tissues.
Surgeries like vascular reconstruction or penile implants aim to enable erection sustainability when less invasive options fall short of expectations. Psychological counselling assists in coping with self-esteem challenges, performance anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns often accompanying ED.
Take the Next Step With The Independent Pharmacy
Taking the step to implement an exercise plan can be an empowering act of self-care in navigating erectile difficulties. However, exploring professional treatment options provides comprehensive support. The Independent Pharmacy offers customised ED treatment recommendations through convenient online consultations.
The private ED consultation looks at your lifestyle factors, health history, and how severe your symptoms are. Responses get reviewed by our team. They prescribe treatments, including medication, devices, counselling or combinations when appropriate.
The Independent Pharmacy ships approved treatments directly and privately while offering personalised usage guidance. Patients receive follow-up care adjusting modalities if the initial plan proves ineffective. The remote format maintains privacy and flexibility during the improvement journey.
We encourage you to take a gentle step forward by getting in touch with our team at The Independent Pharmacy and filling out a free self-assessment today. Allow our compassionate medical team to review the details and connect you with relief. Consistently take prescribed treatments and lifestyle steps towards enhancing intimacy and relationship satisfaction.
Related ED Articles You Might Like
For Treatment
- The Best Testosterone Boosters For ED
- The Latest Treatments For ED
- The Best Vitamins And Supplements For ED
For Causes
- Can Anabolic Steroids Cause ED
- The Main Causes Of Erectile Dysfunction
- How Obesity Can Affect Erectile Function
Further Research
FAQs
Can you fix erectile dysfunction with exercise?
Yes, properly selected pelvic floor, cardiovascular, strength training and flexibility exercises can significantly improve many cases of erectile difficulties when performed consistently. Benefits come from enhanced blood flow, stronger involved muscles reduced risk factors and better health.
How can I regain erectile strength?
The most effective lifestyle approach involves losing weight, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, managing chronic illnesses optimally with medical oversight and implementing an integrated workout plan that includes daily Kegels. Testing hormone levels also helps determine if testosterone therapy could aid in regaining erectile capacity.
Why is my erection not as strong as it used to be?
Erections naturally weaken gradually with ageing due to declining hormones, poorer circulation, weight gain and loss of muscle mass. But factors like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis and lack of physical activity often accelerate deterioration in erectile strength as well. Consulting a doctor helps diagnose underlying reasons and guide proper management.
Sources:
- NHS (2024). Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/
- NHS (2024). Strength exercises - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-exercises/
- Stephen W. Leslie; Thushanth Sooriyamoorthy (2024). Erectile Dysfunction - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562253/
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Authored by
Scott is one of the two founders of The Independent Pharmacy. He is a registered pharmacist and the registered manager of our service with the CQC.
Reviewed by
Dan is an experienced pharmacist having spent time working in both primary and secondary care. He currently supports our clinical team by providing robust clinical governance review of our internal processes and information.
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