Yoga for erectile dysfunction: pelvic floor, circulation and a calmer mind

Your erectile dysfunction yoga plan

Bridge PoseSetu Bandhasana BeginnerSupine Bound Angle PoseBaddha Konasana BeginnerSeated Garland PoseMalasana BeginnerStanding Goddess PoseUtkata Konasana BeginnerStanding Cobra PoseBhujangasana BeginnerProne and kneeling Locust PoseSalabhasana BeginnerProne and kneeling Cat PoseMarjaryasana BeginnerProne and kneeling Cow PoseBitilasana BeginnerProne and kneeling Corpse PoseSavasana BeginnerSupine

More poses that help with erectile dysfunction

Add these once the session above feels easy, or swap one in when a pose does not suit you.

Bow PoseDhanurasana IntermediateProne and kneeling Boat PoseNaukasana IntermediateSupine Reclining Bound Angle PoseSupta Baddha Konasana BeginnerSupine Mountain PoseTadasana BeginnerStanding Warrior II PoseVirabhadrasana II BeginnerStanding

Emerging evidence: Small or early trials look promising.

Yoga for erectile dysfunction (ED) is best seen as one part of a wider plan: it trains the pelvic floor muscles that help keep blood in the penis, supports heart and blood-vessel health, and calms the stress and performance anxiety that often make erection problems worse. It is not a quick fix and it does not replace a medical check.

See a doctor first. Yoga for erectile dysfunction for men is safest after a check-up, because erection problems can be an early warning sign of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol or low testosterone, sometimes years before other symptoms. A simple check-up (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, sometimes hormones) protects your health, not only your sex life. Stop exercising and get urgent care for chest pain, pressure or sudden breathlessness.

How can yoga help with erectile dysfunction?

An erection needs healthy blood vessels, working nerves, the right hormones, a relaxed mind and strong pelvic floor muscles. Yoga touches three of these:

• Pelvic floor strength. Two muscles at the base of the pelvis (the bulbocavernosus and ischiocavernosus) squeeze around the base of the penis and help keep blood in during an erection. Yoga for pelvic health teaches you to find, lift and relax these muscles with the breath.
• Circulation and heart health. ED and heart disease share the same risk factors. Regular movement, a healthier weight and lower stress support the blood vessels, which is why yoga fits alongside other lifestyle changes.
• Stress and performance anxiety. Worry switches on the "fight or flight" nervous system, which works against an erection. Slow breathing with a long out-breath shifts the body towards "rest and digest". This is where yoga for men's mental health and sexual health overlap.

Is yoga for erectile dysfunction backed by research?

The evidence is emerging, not strong, and it is worth being honest about it. In a 2010 study, 65 men aged 24 to 60 who attended a 12-week yoga camp reported better sexual function scores afterwards; there was no comparison group, so other factors may explain part of the change. A 2024 scoping review found only ten small studies on yoga for erection problems and premature ejaculation, most of them on premature ejaculation.

The stronger evidence is for the pieces yoga contains. A 2019 systematic review of ten trials found that pelvic floor muscle training improved ED in every trial that measured it, although study quality was low to moderate. A 2011 meta-analysis of randomised trials (740 men) found that lifestyle changes and treating heart-disease risk factors improved erectile function scores. So the best yoga for erectile dysfunction is a practice that trains the pelvic floor, keeps you active and lowers stress, used together with the treatment your doctor recommends.

Yoga poses for erectile dysfunction in the session

The guided session uses nine yoga asanas for erectile dysfunction, chosen for the pelvic floor, hips and back. If you were looking for yoga for erectile dysfunction with pictures or a video, the 3D figure does the job better: rotate it to see each pose from any angle, and the Body guide lights up what each pose stretches and works.

Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana)

Bridge pose is the key pelvic floor pose. As you lift your hips, gently draw up the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine, hold for a breath or two, then fully let go as you lower. The glutes and hamstrings work too. Modify: place a block under your sacrum and simply practise the lift and release there.

Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana)

Bound angle pose opens the inner thighs and groin. Sit on a folded blanket so your back stays tall, and let the knees drop only as far as is comfortable. Breathe into the lower belly and feel the pelvic floor soften on the in-breath.

Garland pose (Malasana) and goddess pose (Utkata Konasana)

Garland pose is a deep squat that stretches the hips and lets the pelvic floor lengthen. Sit on a block if your heels lift. Goddess pose is its strong standing partner: wide feet, bent knees, thighs working. It is one of the best yoga poses for strength for men who are new to yoga because it builds the legs and hips without any flexibility needed.

Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) and locust pose (Salabhasana)

Cobra and locust are back-strengthening poses that also press the pelvis gently into the floor. They double as erector spinae strengthening exercises (simple bodyweight workouts for the erector spinae, the long muscles beside the spine), which helps men who sit all day. Keep the neck long and the lift small.

Cat and cow (Marjaryasana, Bitilasana) and corpse pose (Savasana)

Cat and cow move the pelvis forward and back with each breath. Try linking a gentle pelvic floor lift to the exhale in cat and a full release to the inhale in cow. Corpse pose ends the session with rest, which matters for a stressed nervous system as much as any strength work.

Pelvic floor exercises for men: how to do them right

These are the core yoga for erectile dysfunction exercises, and yoga for pelvic floor health works best when you can find the muscles on their own. Try this lying down or seated:

1. Imagine stopping the flow of urine and holding in wind at the same time. You should feel a lift behind the scrotum and the base of the penis draw in slightly.
2. Do not hold your breath, squeeze your buttocks or pull in your belly hard.
3. Hold for up to 5 seconds, then relax completely for the same time. The release is as important as the squeeze.
4. Build up to about ten slow lifts, plus a few quick ones, two or three times a day.

Do not practise by actually stopping your urine flow regularly, as it can interfere with emptying the bladder. If you have pelvic pain, the problem may be muscles that are too tight rather than too weak; a pelvic health physiotherapist can check. Our pelvic floor page goes deeper.

Breathing for stress and performance anxiety

For many men, especially younger men, worry is a big part of ED. Nadi Shodhana (alternate-nostril breathing) slows the mind; practise it for 5 minutes daily without long breath holds. Ujjayi, the soft "ocean" breath, keeps the pace slow during the poses. A longer out-breath than in-breath is the simple rule. If anxiety is part of the picture, the yoga for anxiety plan adds more tools.

Yoga for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation

Many adults search for yoga for ED for male sexual health in general, because the two problems often occur together and one can drive the other. Yoga has been studied more for premature ejaculation: in a 2007 trial, men who practised yoga reported improvement similar to men taking a standard medicine, although the study was small and not blinded. Pelvic floor control and slow breathing are the shared tools. Yoga for sexual dysfunction of any kind works best alongside advice from a doctor or sex therapist.

Yoga for men beginners, older men and seniors

Can men do yoga? Yes. Yoga for beginners supports men's health at any age, and yoga for regular guys looks nothing like the flexible poses on social media. Is yoga good for men? It builds strength, mobility and calm, the core benefits of yoga for men. This is yoga for the inflexible male: bend your knees, sit on a blanket and use blocks. The session here only uses basic yoga poses for men, so these are also the best yoga poses for men beginners and simple yoga exercises for men of any fitness level; see yoga for men for a full beginner yoga plan and best yoga sequences for men.

Yoga for older men and seniors over 70: yoga for erectile dysfunction for seniors over 70 keeps the same pelvic floor focus but skips malasana and goddess if the knees complain; do bridge, cat–cow and pelvic floor lifts lying down or on a chair. Yoga for elderly people should be steady and unhurried, and anyone with heart disease should check with a doctor first.

Athletes and fit men: yoga for athletes adds hip mobility and recovery, but heavy training plus poor sleep and high stress can also lower desire and function, so rest counts.

How often, and does yoga for ED work fast?

No yoga poses for ED work fast. Pelvic floor studies usually run for three to six months, so aim for 15–20 minutes of the session on most days, pelvic floor lifts twice a day, and at least 150 minutes of moderate activity such as brisk walking each week. Track your practice on My Practice to stay consistent.

Can yoga cure ED? Yoga can help some men, but "yoga for ED cure" claims are not supported. Men whose ED comes from diabetes, blood-vessel disease, nerve damage, prostate surgery or medicines usually need medical treatment too.

Yoga for erectile dysfunction side effects and safety

Yoga is generally safe. Possible side effects are muscle soreness, knee strain in deep squats, and low back pain in backbends if you push too hard. Kundalini yoga for erectile dysfunction often includes fast breathing such as Breath of Fire; skip that if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. Also avoid holding your breath while you lift the pelvic floor. If you take nitrates for chest pain, never combine them with ED tablets, and ask your doctor before any new exercise.

Start today: press play on the guided 3D session above. The voice talks you through each pose in your language, and the ring on the mat helps you keep the breath slow. Related plans: yoga for prostate health and yoga for heart health.

Research behind this plan

1. Dhikav 2010, Journal of Sexual Medicine — 65 men after a 12-week yoga camp reported improved sexual function scores (uncontrolled pilot study)
2. Myers 2019, Physiotherapy — systematic review of 10 trials: pelvic floor muscle training improved erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation; study quality low to moderate
3. Gupta 2011, Archives of Internal Medicine — meta-analysis of randomised trials (740 men): lifestyle change and cardiovascular risk reduction improved erectile function
4. Bhat 2024, Cureus — scoping review of 10 studies on yoga for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation; evidence limited, mostly for premature ejaculation
5. Dhikav 2007, Journal of Sexual Medicine — yoga compared with fluoxetine in 68 men with premature ejaculation; both groups improved

Medical note: yoga supports treatment; it does not replace it. Keep taking prescribed medicine and talk to your doctor before you start, especially with heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, recent surgery, pregnancy, epilepsy or severe pain. Read our medical disclaimer.