September 4, 2026, 12:01 pm | Read time: 8 minutes
“Good sex is not a matter of age. However, the body changes over the years. Muscles lose strength, tissues become less elastic, and hormonal changes can affect desire, arousal, and sexuality,” explains Dr. Heidi Gößlinghoff, a gynecologist, reproductive medicine specialist, and psychotherapist focusing on fertility and hormonal women’s health, at FITBOOK. The expert says, “One area is particularly underestimated by both men and women: the pelvic floor.” Training can help improve sex.
The muscles in the lower pelvis are not only responsible for the bladder and bowel. They also play an important role in sex. In both women and men, they are involved in arousal, orgasm, and sexual perception. No wonder pelvic floor training is often referred to as a kind of “sex gymnastics.” And it doesn’t require a gym or complicated equipment.
Why a Strong Pelvic Floor Can Benefit Sex
The pelvic floor consists of several muscles and connective tissue structures and works closely with nerves, blood vessels, and other muscles during sex. In women, the pelvic floor muscles contract rhythmically during orgasm, so good muscle control can help make sensations in the genital area more conscious. In men, parts of the pelvic floor muscles are involved in maintaining an erection and assisting in ejaculation.
“The pelvic floor is much more than a continence muscle (sphincter). It is part of a complex interplay that is also important for our sexuality. Therefore, it is worth noticing it before any issues arise,” says Dr. Gößlinghoff. “However, this does not mean that a strong pelvic floor automatically guarantees better sex. Sexuality depends on many factors. A well-trained and, above all, well-controlled pelvic floor can be an important physical foundation and make sex more enjoyable.”
What Changes with Age
Like other muscles, the pelvic floor can lose strength and coordination. Lack of exercise, obesity, chronic coughing, or frequent heavy lifting can add additional strain. For women, pregnancies and childbirth, as well as later hormonal changes during menopause, are added factors. As estrogen levels drop, mucous membranes and tissues in the genital area change, which can significantly affect desire due to dryness and pain during sex. In men, age-related vascular changes or other conditions can affect erectile function. Pelvic floor training often plays a role after prostate surgery as well.
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How to Find the Pelvic Floor Muscles
“To initially find the right muscles, you can imagine holding back both the urine stream and a fart at the same time. These are the exact muscles you should engage during training,” explains Dr. Gößlinghoff. “The good thing about pelvic floor training: It is uncomplicated and can be easily and completely inconspicuously integrated into everyday life.”
How to Properly Train Your Pelvic Floor
The most recommended exercises are Kegel exercises. They may sound like a modern fitness trend, but they are actually the classic form of pelvic floor training. The term is named after the American gynecologist Arnold Kegel and refers to the targeted tensing and relaxing of the pelvic floor muscles.
Here’s How:
Gently tense the pelvic floor for about five seconds and then completely relax it. Repeat this several times. Then you can incorporate short tensions: tense briefly, release, tense again. It is important to continue breathing calmly and not to tense the abdomen, buttocks, or thighs. “Pelvic floor training is not about pressing as hard as possible. Much more important is control: being able to tense, hold, and then fully relax again,” explains Dr. Gößlinghoff.
Relaxing Is Just as Important as Tensing
Especially regarding sex, it is often forgotten that a good pelvic floor should not only be strong but also flexible. Permanently tense muscles can cause discomfort and, in women, can lead to pain during penetration. Men can also develop an overactive pelvic floor. The muscles are then permanently tense and can cause pelvic pain, urinary issues, or problems during sex and ejaculation. Therefore, relaxation is always part of the training. After each tension, consciously let go, continue breathing calmly, and try to perceive the feeling of relaxation in the pelvis.
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Vaginal Balls, Weights, and Biofeedback: What Really Helps?
Vaginal Balls
Love balls or vaginal balls are inserted into the vagina and are intended to help the muscles work actively. For women with pelvic floor weakness, such aids can be a training option. However, there is no decisive advantage over classic pelvic floor training. “Vaginal balls are not a miracle cure for better sex. Those who get along well with them can use them as a training aid. However, they are not necessary,” says Gößlinghoff.
Vaginal Cones or Vaginal Weights
The small, differently weighted cones (cone-shaped training weights) are inserted into the vagina and are meant to be held there by the pelvic floor muscles. This creates a training stimulus that can strengthen the muscles and improve the awareness of one’s pelvic floor. For women with a weak pelvic floor, they can be a possible training aid.
Biofeedback Devices
Biofeedback devices measure muscle activity and provide feedback via an app or device on whether the pelvic floor is actually being tensed. This can especially help people who have difficulty finding the right muscles. “The technology can be useful if someone does not perceive their pelvic floor well at all. However, it does not replace correct exercise. Well-guided training works even without high-tech.”
What Doesn’t Help?
“Miracle Cures”
Do not expect too much from products that promise “more orgasms in a few days,” “guaranteed stronger erections,” or “perfect sex through ten minutes of training.” Pelvic floor training is not a quick fix and does not work the same for everyone.
Too Much Tensing
Also, tensing as often or as strongly as possible is not automatically better. The pelvic floor must not only be strong but also able to relax. Especially in cases of pain during sex or a permanently tense pelvic floor, additional strength training can even be counterproductive. In such cases, an examination and possibly specialized pelvic floor physiotherapy are advisable.
Interrupting the Urine Stream
When urinating, the bladder should be able to empty as completely as possible. Consciously interrupting the urine stream repeatedly can disrupt the natural process of urination and may promote problems with complete bladder emptying. This can, in turn, increase the risk of issues such as urinary tract infections.
What Happens If I Don’t Train the Pelvic Floor as I Age?
Not training your pelvic floor specifically does not automatically lead to sexual problems, as the muscles are also used in everyday life. However, with increasing age, their strength and coordination may decline.
“A weak pelvic floor can, among other things, promote incontinence or a feeling of pressure in the pelvis. In men, pelvic floor weakness can be associated with erectile problems, and in women, pelvic floor issues can also affect sexuality,” says Dr. Gößlinghoff. “You don’t have to wait for the first signs of trouble. Pelvic floor training is a simple way to maintain the muscles in the long term. However, it is just as important to seek the cause and get professional advice if there is pain or significant sexual problems.”
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Don’t Just Train the Pelvic Floor
Good sex requires more than just one muscle–training the pelvic floor alone may not be enough. Overall fitness also plays a role. Strength training maintains muscle and physical resilience, while endurance training supports the cardiovascular system and circulation. Flexibility, especially in the hips and lower body, makes the body more flexible and can make certain movements more comfortable.
And relaxation is also part of it. Chronic stress can dampen desire and sexual arousal. Regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and giving your body breaks can also benefit your sex life.
The Best Sex Workout Is a Combination
Pelvic floor training can be a useful part of an active lifestyle, especially if you want to keep your body fit and resilient as you age. However, you should not expect miracles from it.
“If I could give someone only one tip, it would not be: Buy a specific device. It would be: Get to know your pelvic floor. Feel when it tenses and, above all, when it relaxes again. Combined with strength, endurance, and flexibility, this is a very good foundation for a healthy body and, therefore, for sexuality,” summarizes Gößlinghoff.