How to Do PC Muscle Exercises

Co-authored by Allison Romero, PT, DPT

Last Updated: February 20, 2023 References Approved

The pubococcygeus (PC) muscle is the muscle that stretches from your pubic bone to the bottom of your spine. Strengthening the pubococcygeus (PC) muscle can help both sexes treat urinary and fecal incontinence, as well as helping men avoid erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. PC muscle exercises are easy daily exercises that will help strengthen your PC muscle.

Things You Should Know

Pretend that you're urinating and stop the flow with a quick contraction to locate the PC muscle.
Contract the muscle 10 times, holding each contraction for 1-2 seconds.
Do 3 sets of 10 contractions a day. Aim to do the exercise 3-4 times weekly.
Up your reps to 20 and then 50 as you gain strength in your PC muscle.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Beginning Exercises

1
Locate your PC muscle. The pubococcygeus muscle forms the floor of the pelvic cavity and stretches like a hammock from the pubic bone to the bottom of the spine. Pretend that you are urinating, then try to stop the flow with a quick muscle contraction. That muscle you just used to stop the flow from the bladder is your PC muscle.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Allison Romero, PT, DPT
Pelvic Health Specialist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2020.} Try to keep your stomach and thigh muscles relaxed and focus only on the PC muscle.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
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2
Flex the PC muscle 10 times.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Allison Romero, PT, DPT
Pelvic Health Specialist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2020.} Hold it for one or two seconds each time, then release. Repeat this three times a day, three to four times per week.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Allison Romero, PT, DPT
Pelvic Health Specialist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2020.} Breathe normally during this exercise and try to avoid holding your breath.^{[5]
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Research source}

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3
Add ten really slow squeezes to each set. Take five seconds to slowly squeeze your PC as tight as you can. Now hold the tension for a full five seconds, if possible, and release gradually over the next five seconds.^{[6]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Intermediate Exercises

1
Clench your PC muscle longer and more. After about two weeks, you should be able to stretch your PC muscle easier and for longer durations. Like any muscle in the body, it responds to stimulus and grows with use. Next, try upping the length of the flex and go for more flexes.^{[7]
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- Only move onto more complex exercises once you feel confident doing the basic PC exercise.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Allison Romero, PT, DPT
  Pelvic Health Specialist
  Expert Interview. 2 December 2020.}
- Instead of a one or two second hold, try to clench your PC muscle for five to seven seconds.
- Instead of twenty reps, three times a day, trying shooting for 50 reps, three times a day.
- Once you get the hang of it, you’ll should learn how to clench your penis and anus sphincter muscle separately or at the same time.
2
Do the PC tremble exercise. Start clenching your PC muscle very slowly. So slowly, in fact, that it takes you several minutes to work up to the point where you are fully clenching. Now that you are fully clenching, clench a little more and hold it there for 30 seconds, breathing slowly all the while. When you feel the burn, release and do 20 normal PC clenches. Perform this exercise at the end of your PC workouts for the day.
3
Do the PC stutter exercise. All this is flexing your PC muscle in increments. Tighten your PC a bit by bit. Start off gently — hold the PC there for a little bit — then a bit more then "gentle." When you have stuttered your PC all the way up to a full clench, don't release the muscle fully; work gently back down, first releasing a little bit, then a bit more, and so on. Imagine that you are running up and down a staircase with your PC muscle.
4
If you're a guy, do PC muscle exercises with an erection. There are several PC muscle exercises you can perform as a male with an erection, and they mostly involve resistance training.
- Place a small towel over your erect penis and lift the towel up by squeezing the PC muscles. Hold for 2-5 seconds, relax, and repeat 30 times.
- Place your hand one or two inches above your erect penis. Clench your PC muscle to lift your erection up to your hand. Hold for 2-5 seconds, relax, and repeat 30 times.
- Place your hand one or two inches above your erect penis again. Clench your PC muscle to lift your erection up to your hand. This time, gently push your hand down while you lift your penis up, creating resistance. Hold for 2-5 seconds, relax, and repeat 30 times.
5
Don't overexercise. Combine any of the basic and intermediate exercises together, but only flex your PC muscles for 50 reps and 3 sets per day. Overstimulation can result in muscle fatigue.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Allison Romero, PT, DPT
Pelvic Health Specialist
Expert Interview. 2 December 2020.}

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Advanced Exercises

1
Do PC muscle exercises with your partner. Doing PC exercises while having sex can be productive and fun. The male partner gets erect, penetrates the female, and the pair take turns doing PC muscle exercises — he flexes, then she flexes, and so on. Just make sure that your partner is as keen on doing exercise as you are.^{[10]
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2
Do the PC squeeze with an erection. Massage your penis until you have an erection. Gradually massage your penis until you are at the brink of orgasm. Stop massaging immediately and start contracting your PC muscles. Once your erection begins to go flaccid, massage your penis until you are at the brink of orgasm again. Contract your PC muscles and repeat until your PC muscles are adequately worked.^{[11]
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- If you accidentally orgasm during this exercise, your PC muscles probably aren't strong enough for advanced exercises yet. Focus on mastering the intermediate techniques before moving on to the advanced sets.
3
Do the blitz PC exercise. This one is very hard to do, because it involves different clenching strengths and variable reps. Find yourself a spot where you'll feel comfortable for 10-20 minutes. Remember to breathe as you exercise.
- Do 50 PC clenches as a warm-up.
- Next, squeeze your PC muscle as tightly as you can, holding for 30 seconds.
- Next, perform 100 PC clenches without resting. Clench for two seconds, relax for two seconds, and so on.
- Next, try clenching your PC muscle as tightly as you can. Shoot for 1 minute of gut-wrenching clenching.
- Rest for two minutes.
- Next, do 50 5-second clenches where you slowly relax at the end. Your workout is finally finished!

PC Exercise Schedule

Weekly PC Exercise Schedule

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you do a Kegel correctly?

Allison Romero, PT, DPT
Pelvic Health Specialist
Dr. Allison Romero is a Pelvic Health Specialist, Physical Therapist, and the Owner of Reclaim Pelvic Therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over a decade of experience, Allison specializes in comprehensive pelvic physical therapy treatments for pelvic floor dysfunction. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Sonoma State University and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California. Allison is a board certified Physical Therapist in California and is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association-Section on Women’s Health and the International Pelvic Pain Society.

Allison Romero, PT, DPT

Pelvic Health Specialist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

To do a Kegel correctly, engage from your pelvic bone through to your tailbone as you focus on pulling up and squeezing in.

Warnings

Like any other muscle, the PC muscle can become strained or fatigued. If you feel any pain while doing the PC muscle exercises, stop immediately.

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