Erection At The Gym? (What To Do When It Happens!)

It can be embarrassing when you get an erection at the gym.

But why does it happen?

And what should you do when it happens?

That’s what I’m going to answer today.

What Causes Erections When Working Out?

Increased Levels of Nitric Oxide

Research shows that exercise increases levels of nitric oxide.

This is a compound which signals the blood vessels to relax, allowing them to expand and increasing blood flow.

Interestingly, erections are the result of increased blood flow into the penis. So, by exercising, you’re more likely to get an erection.

Increased Blood Pressure

While exercising, your blood pressure increases temporarily to push the flow of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body and to your muscles.

If this blood flows to your penis, and the blood pressure increases, then the penis will get harder, resulting in an erection.

It’s important to clarify that increased blood pressure from exercise is only in the short term. Exercise actually reduces blood pressure in the long run.

You should also know that hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the leading causes of erectile dysfunction.

Taking Pre-Workout Supplements

Before lifting weights, many gym-goers like to supplement with pre-workout to increase energy and focus.

L-arginine is a common ingredient found in pre-workout that’s converted to nitric oxide in the body. And, as I explained earlier, nitric oxide can dilate your blood vessels which can lead to an erection.

Pre-workout supplements can make your body more aroused too due to the high stimulant content, which can also result in an erection.

Increased Testosterone Levels

It’s been proven that exercise, specifically resistance training, can increase testosterone levels in the short term.

And there’s some research which suggests that testosterone may facilitate erections by acting as a vasodilator of the penile blood vessels.

This is why many people experience erections after doing heavy, compound movements, like squats and deadlifts, which have been shown to increase testosterone levels the most.

Checking Out Females

When working out, you might see your crush doing certain stretches in tight yoga pants which can arouse you, leading to an erection.

But, for everyone’s sake, please don’t be one of those gym creeps who always stares at the opposite sex when exercising…

You’re at the gym to build muscle, remember?!

Nature

At the end of the day, getting an erection is a normal bodily function, just like farting, belching, and peeing.

And sometimes, you just can’t decide when it happens as nature decides for you.

What Should You Do If You Get An Erection At The Gym?

Think About Something Else

One of the first things you should do to get rid of a gym erection is to take your mind away from it and think about something else.

Don’t even think about your erection and stay clear from arousing thoughts.

Instead, think about something that will distract you, such as the exercise you’re currently doing.

Keeping your mind focused on other things can also prevent erections while working out.

Shift Your Position

Shifting your position can have multiple benefits.

In some instances, the way you’re moving, or your clothing, could be actually causing your erection by stimulating your penis.

So, by changing position, you can help stop the stimulation and your erection.

Also, shifting positions can help hide the erection. If you’re wearing a long T shirt, you should place your hand in your pocket and gently reposition so that your erection isn’t as obvious.

Ignore It

As embarrassing as it can be, it’s important to remember that getting erections as a male is normal.

The more you pay attention to it, the more anxious you become which can stimulate the body and make it hard to get rid of the erection.

Instead, if you just ignore it and accept it for what it is, you can help calm down the mind which will help it naturally go away.

Slow Down Your Breathing

When dealing with an unwanted erection, your heartrate tends to increase as you start feeling anxious and worry about people seeing it.

By taking a few slow, deep breaths, you can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

This will change your mental and physical state from a ‘fight or flight’ state to a ‘rest and digest’ state, which will help calm the body and help you get rid of your erection.

Perform Seated Exercises

If you have an erection in the gym, you want to stay clear from exercises where it’ll be more noticeable.

This includes exercises when you’re lying down, like the bench press, and exercises when you’re standing up, like squats.

Instead, by focusing on seated exercises, your erection will be much less noticeable which will make you less anxious.

And when you’re less anxious, you’ve got a better chance of losing your erection.

Work Out When The Gym Is Quiet

If you’re prone to getting erections when exercising, then it makes sense going to the gym when it’s not too busy.

If there’s less people in the gym, then the chances of someone noticing your erection is much lower.

And when you know that it’s unlikely that someone will see your erection, you’ll feel a lot more at ease and less anxious.

This will help you get rid of your erection much quicker.

Is It Normal To Get An Erection At The Gym?

It is perfectly normal to get erections when working out.

While it can be embarrassing and uncomfortable, it can happen for many different reasons and none of these are of concern.

Sometimes you can’t control when you get an erection, so chances are, it’ll eventually happen when you’re in the gym.

You just have to accept it for what it is and not let it distract you from your workout.

Conclusion

In summary:

• Getting an erection in the gym isn’t as rare as you think, and it can happen for various reasons.
• If you do get an erection while exercising, try and take your mind away from it and focus on seated exercises where it’s less noticeable.

That’s all for this article, but why do guys stare at you at the gym? Or can you wear crocs to the gym?

Hope this helped!

Sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16651047/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7606631/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32866225/