Let’s take a poll. Who knows more about the penis, men or women? With no evidence at all, I will go out on a limb here and say women - - simply because men know so little about their reproductive system.

Why is that the case? Think about this. If your childhood was anything like mine, you weren’t allowed to say “penis” at the dinner table, touching it was discouraged and any questions about it were usually met with a complicated and confusing explanation that typically started by my father saying to my mother . . . “You handle this one.” Since Dad removed himself from the discussion at an early stage, it was up to Mom to handle the details. No wonder the male teenage years are so confusing. How do you talk to Mom about erections, why we get them and what to do with them? And masturbation? Forget about that topic. It is hidden, shamed and never discussed. No wonder teenage boys are so confused.

Frankly, the learning process doesn’t really improve as we get older. In high school, you’re not taught about the muscles that control the penis or how to care for them. College years are typically spent trying to operate the equipment, and by the time you are middle aged, most men have never even been to a urologist. Women are taught to listen to their bodies and spend a lot of time talking to each other about sexual health issues. Not only do men not listen -- as we are often accused of -- but we also don’t talk about our bodies. The fact is -- as a society -- we don’t talk enough about the male reproductive system. You can’t even say “penis” on TV! Seriously? This needs to change. We should be saying penis on TV a lot.

So, it should come as no surprise that men know virtually nothing about their penis and the complicated pelvic muscle system that control it. Men are truly in the dark when it comes to “maintaining their manhood.” So, the real question is, how are you expected to take care of a muscle system that you know almost nothing about?

Here is my advice. Start learning. Take control. Whether you are 18 or 80, it is never too late. There are three simple things you can do to get started:

1. Do some basic research. Learn about your reproductive system, how it works and the problems that can develop with age. There are many good resources on the web. WebMD and The Mayo Clinic are two good starting points.

2. Understand the importance of your pelvic muscle system. These muscles control and support your penis, bladder, prostate and bowels. As you age, you will want to take care of these muscles -- the effects of failing to do so are not pretty. Just ask the baby-boomer generation.

3. Exercise your pelvic muscles or use a program to help regulate how often you do them. Yes, you can do this, just like you do with any other part of your body. Women know these as Kegel exercises. When performed correctly by men, strengthening your pelvic muscles can improve sexual performance, prevent and reverse erectile dysfunction, stop premature ejaculation and support urinary, prostate and bowel health. They work for men of any age.

Get started today. You can learn all about the importance of your pelvic muscles and how to exercise them at www.privategym.com. Also, Dr. Andrew Siegel, one of the nation’s leading urologists and co-founder of Private Gym, spells it all out for you in his new book, Male Pelvic Fitness, Optimizing Your Sexual and Urinary Health.

David Mandell Entrepreneur and Co-founder of The Private Gym