Drape a hand towel over your erect member, then contract the pelvic floor muscles to lift it. Hold for a few seconds, release, repeat. What you're actually training are the ischiocavernosus (IC) and bulbocavernosus (BC) muscles — the deepest muscles in the male pelvis and the ones most directly involved in erection rigidity.

Most discussions of male erection focus entirely on blood flow. That's half the story. Rigidity — the difference between a semi and a strong erection — is largely determined by what happens after the penis fills with blood.

The ischiocavernosus muscles compress the base of the corpora cavernosa (the erectile chambers), driving intracavernous pressure above systolic blood pressure. Schmidt & Schmidt, Sleep, 1993]

That suprasystolic pressure is what produces a truly rigid erection, not just a softy. Separately, the bulbocavernosus muscles help maintain that state by reducing venous outflow. [Junemann et al., Eur Urol, 1990]

Weak IC and BC muscles mean less pressure, more venous leak, and softer erections — even in men with normal testosterone and healthy cardiovascular function. [Kim et al., Scientific Reports, 2021]

The most cited trial on this is Dorey et al. (2004/2005), a randomized controlled study of 55 men with confirmed erectile dysfunction. [Dorey et al., BJGP, 2004]

One group did supervised pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback. The other received lifestyle advice only. At 12 weeks, 67% of the exercise group had improved erectile function versus 30% in the control group. At six months, 40% of the training group had recovered normal erectile function entirely.

The researchers concluded that pelvic floor exercises should be considered a first-line approach for men seeking long-term resolution of ED. [Dorey et al., BJU Int., 2005]

A follow-up study extending this work to weighted resistance training found that adding resistance accelerates results — participants showed improved erectile strength and rigidity alongside better ejaculatory control. [News Medical, 2015]

A 2022 meta-analysis looking at multiple systematic reviews (891 participants across 8 clinical trials) confirmed the effect but added an important timing note: pelvic floor training does not significantly improve sexual function scores at three months, but does so at six months. [Martins et al., RSD Journal, 2022] This is consistent training producing gradual muscular adaptation — not a quick fix.

The towel functions as a light resistance load. A dry hand towel weighs roughly 100–150g — enough to add meaningful resistance above an unloaded pelvic floor contraction, while being light enough not to risk injury.

A wet towel adds more load but introduces strain risk, particularly on the suspensory ligament.

One manufacturer of a dedicated resistance training device for male pelvic floor training cited the towel as a legitimate — if imprecise — version of the same exercise principle: more resistance than bodyweight Kegels, less controlled than purpose-built tools. [Private Gym, 2024]

It will not increase penis size. That claim has no evidence basis. [MEL Magazine, 2021]

If you feel like this is the right path for you, you could begin, based on the Dorey exercise protocol and standard progressive resistance principles to gradually see if you have results. Just remember, if you feel that you have considerable or any pelvic floor issues, or ED symptoms, a doctors visit is the best choice, but here’s a clever chart to get you started.

Proper muscle isolation matters. The contraction should feel like stopping urination mid-stream — not a glute squeeze, not a held breath, not an abdominal brace. Those are compensations that shift load away from the target muscles.

Pelvic floor training shows the strongest results in men with mild to moderate ED — particularly vascular or venous-leak ED where the erection starts but doesn't maintain rigidity. [Ubie Health, 2026]

For men with neurogenic ED (nerve damage following prostatectomy, for example), results are more modest and timelines are longer.
For men with psychogenic ED or hormonal causes, pelvic floor training alone is unlikely to be the primary solution.

For men without ED who want stronger, harder erections — the evidence base is thinner but the mechanism is sound. Stronger IC muscles mean higher intracavernous pressure.

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