Exercises for Erectile Dysfunction: An Australian Guide

Regular exercise can improve erectile function for many men, and it is one of the simplest changes you can make. The strongest evidence supports aerobic exercise and pelvic floor training, with results usually building over a few months rather than overnight. Exercise works best as part of a wider plan, so it helps to talk with a doctor about what is driving your symptoms.

Does exercise really improve erectile function?

For many men, yes. A 2018 systematic review in the journal Sexual Medicine looked at ten trials and found that aerobic exercise improved erectile function across every group studied, with relative improvements ranging widely depending on the starting point (Gerbild et al., 2018). Separately, Harvard Health reports that around 30 minutes of walking a day was linked with a 41 per cent lower risk of erectile problems (Harvard Health Publishing).

The reason is largely about blood flow. Erections depend on healthy arteries and good circulation, and the same habits that keep your heart and blood vessels in shape also support erectile function. Exercise also helps with weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and stress, all of which play a part.

Responses vary between individuals. Exercise helps most when erectile difficulty is linked to inactivity, weight or cardiovascular health, and less so when there is another underlying cause. That is why a proper assessment matters.

Erectile function and your heart

Erectile difficulty is sometimes an early sign of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, because the small blood vessels in the penis can be affected before larger problems show up elsewhere (Healthdirect). This is one reason not to treat ongoing symptoms as just a bedroom issue. If erectile problems continue, see your doctor for a check of your general health as well.

Aerobic exercise: the strongest evidence

Aerobic activity is the most consistently supported form of exercise for erectile function. The 2018 review concluded that moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise, done for about 40 minutes a session, four times a week, over six months, is a reasonable evidence-based target (Gerbild et al., 2018). That works out to roughly 160 minutes a week.

Good options include:

• Brisk walking, which is free, low-impact and easy to build into a day
• Jogging or running once your fitness allows
• Swimming, which is gentle on the joints
• Cycling, with a well-fitted saddle to avoid pressure on the perineum
• Rowing, which adds some resistance work to the cardio

If you are starting from a low base, build up gradually. The national physical activity guidelines suggest at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for general health, so the erectile-function target sits just above that.

Pelvic floor exercises for men

Pelvic floor training is often thought of as women's health, but it has good evidence in men too. In a randomised controlled trial of 55 men, 40 per cent regained normal erectile function and a further 34.5 per cent improved after pelvic floor muscle exercises with biofeedback (Dorey et al., 2004). These muscles help maintain rigidity and keep blood in the penis during an erection.

How to do them:

1. Find the muscles. They are the ones you would use to stop the flow of urine or to hold in wind. Do not practise by actually stopping urination, that is only a way to locate them.
2. Contract those muscles and hold for about five seconds, then relax for five seconds. Keep your stomach, thighs and buttocks relaxed.
3. Start with around ten repetitions, three times a day, and build towards longer holds as you get stronger.
4. Add a few quick one-second squeezes between the longer holds.
5. Give it time. It usually takes several weeks to a few months of daily practice to notice a difference.

If you feel pain, discomfort or increased urinary urgency, ease off and speak with your doctor or a pelvic health physiotherapist.

Strength and general fitness

Resistance training is not a direct fix for erectile function, but it supports the things that help: weight management, better body composition, mood and overall cardiovascular fitness. Compound movements such as squats, lunges, deadlifts and hip thrusts are efficient because they work several muscle groups at once.

A practical approach is two to three sessions a week, leaving around 48 hours before working the same muscle group again. The aerobic and pelvic floor work still does the heavier lifting for erectile function, so treat strength training as part of a balanced routine rather than the main event.

Flexibility, stress and recovery

Stretching and gentle movement such as yoga will not treat erectile dysfunction on their own, but they help with stress and circulation, and lower stress can ease performance anxiety. If anxiety is a large part of the picture, that is worth raising with your doctor, since the mental side often needs its own attention. You can read more in our guide on how sleep and stress affect intimate health, linked in the references below.

A simple weekly routine

You do not need anything elaborate. A workable week might look like this:

• Aerobic: four sessions of around 40 minutes at a moderate to vigorous pace
• Pelvic floor: short sets of contractions, three times a day, every day
• Strength: two full-body sessions, with a day of recovery in between
• Recovery: some light stretching and a rest day

Start below your target if you are unfit, and build up over the first month. Consistency over several months matters more than any single hard session.

Exercise habits that can work against you

A few things can undo the benefits:

• Overtraining without recovery, which raises stress hormones and leaves you run down
• Long rides on a poorly fitted bike, which can put pressure on nerves and blood vessels in the perineum
• Anabolic steroids, which can suppress your body's own hormone production and harm erectile function
• Skipping warm-ups, which raises injury risk

If in doubt, build slowly and get proper fitting advice for cycling.

When exercise is not enough

Exercise is a strong first step, but it does not resolve every case. If you have trained consistently for around three to four months without meaningful change, it is worth a medical review. Ongoing erectile difficulty can involve hormonal, cardiovascular, psychological or medication-related factors, and some of these need specific treatment.

Menova's doctors assess what is driving your symptoms and prescribe treatment only where it is clinically appropriate, and not everyone is eligible. Treatment is often most effective when combined with the lifestyle changes above, and keeping your regular GP informed helps join up your care. You can start with a confidential online assessment or read more about our approach to erectile dysfunction.

Frequently asked questions

How long before exercise improves erectile function?

Give it time. The main trials ran over about six months, and many men notice gradual change over several weeks to a few months of consistent effort. Aerobic fitness tends to improve first. Results vary between individuals, so steady habits matter more than a quick result.

Can exercise cure erectile dysfunction?

Exercise can improve erectile function, and for some men with lifestyle-related difficulty the improvement is substantial. It is not a guaranteed cure, and results vary. Where there is an underlying medical cause, exercise usually works best alongside medical treatment rather than instead of it.

How much exercise do I actually need?

The evidence-based target from a 2018 review is moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise for about 40 minutes, four times a week, over six months. Adding daily pelvic floor exercises is a reasonable complement. Something is better than nothing, so build up gradually.

Do pelvic floor exercises really work for men?

There is solid evidence. In one randomised trial, 40 per cent of men regained normal function and about a third more improved after pelvic floor training with biofeedback. They are discreet and easy to fit into a day, and they take several weeks to show results.

Can I overdo pelvic floor exercises?

Yes. Overworking these muscles can cause tension and discomfort. Build up gradually, and if you notice pain or increased urinary urgency, reduce how often you do them and speak with your doctor or a pelvic health physiotherapist.

Is erectile dysfunction a sign of a bigger health problem?

It can be. Because it can be an early marker of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, ongoing symptoms are worth checking with a doctor, who can look at your general health as well as the erectile issue itself.

Next steps

Exercise is one of the most accessible ways to support erectile function, and the aerobic and pelvic floor work has real evidence behind it. Set a realistic weekly plan, keep at it for a few months, and see how you respond. If symptoms persist, a doctor can help identify what else might be going on and whether treatment is appropriate. You can begin with a private online assessment.

References

• Gerbild H, Larsen CM, Graugaard C, Areskoug Josefsson K. Physical Activity to Improve Erectile Function: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies. Sexual Medicine, 2018. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5960035/
• Dorey G, Speakman M, Feneley R, Swinkels A, Dunn C, Ewings P. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction. British Journal of General Practice, 2004. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1324914/
• Harvard Health Publishing. 5 natural ways to overcome erectile dysfunction. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/5-natural-ways-to-overcome-erectile-dysfunction
• Healthdirect Australia. Erectile dysfunction. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/erectile-dysfunction
• Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. New research reveals exercise may help overcome erectile dysfunction. https://www.pcfa.org.au/news-media/news/new-research-reveals-exercise-may-help-overcome-erectile-dysfunction/