Male Masturbation:

Techniques, Tips & Advice

Virtually all men masturbate at some point in their lives, the majority practicing the art of self-pleasure throughout the entirety of their sexually active years. Unlike in the case of women, the topic is no longer regarded as taboo, particularly since the opening up of the pornographic market in the 1980s, which led to greater social acceptance and availability of masturbation aids. 

In previous generations it was erroneously believed that masturbation was the cause of a variety of medical disorders such as blindness; insanity and even hairy palms(!) to name a few of the most commonly held misconceptions. In Victorian England, a particularly repressed and sexually-frigid period in history, nursemaids caring for children were alleged to have engaged in the practice of manually stimulating boys’ penises before fitting a metal ‘anti-masturbation’ device (analogous to the female ‘chastity belt’) onto the pelvic area to discourage masturbation and ejaculation during the night. Shockingly, in some sections of ‘polite-society’ drapes were used to cloak the carved wooden legs of tables or pianos, lest gentlemen viewing said furniture, became uncontrollably aroused by comparing the inanimate objects with the curves and contours of the actual female body! Contemporary science and philosophy regarded sexual urges, essentially as flaws, which if acted upon led to mental and physical weakness and social pathology and Freud’s psycho-sexual theories, prominent in the late 1880s, reinforced these ideas by suggesting links between early sexual experience and later psychosis. Nowadays we know this to be untrue; masturbation is normal, healthy and, crucially—absolutely subjective; there is no rulebook or blueprint for how, where and when masturbation occurs.

Penis size or shape does not affect ability to attain pleasure from masturbation, and there is no set age at which this activity takes place. Whilst most boys begin to ejaculate between the ages of 11 – 16 years, the period during which most adolescents commence puberty, masturbation may in fact start before or after these ages. In many circumstances, males may begin to play with, and derive pleasure from stimulating the penis before ejaculation is possible and indeed may discover the art of masturbation by accident; simply finding out that touching the penis (maybe whilst bathing) produces a pleasurable sensation which increases as stroking/fondling is prolonged.

Masturbation is mentally and physically rewarding. Sexual appetite and desire varies greatly amongst individuals and some people masturbate only when they need relief from pent-up sexual frustration, whilst others may frequently masturbate simply because they want to experience orgasm or desire an enjoyable, self-indulgent (and essentially, free!) way to pass time. The technique used for masturbation depends largely on your personal preference; most of the tips below are suitable for the majority of men and you may want to experiment and try several different ways of stimulation before you find your perfect method.  There is some debate as to whether masturbation is more satisfying for circumcised or uncircumcised men, but bearing in mind that approximately 80% of American males are circumcised at birth, and the US boasts the world’s largest pornographic industry, it would appear that there this should not really be a major concern--whether you possess a foreskin or not, will have little, if any, impact upon your ability to climax through masturbation.  That said, techniques used may be adapted according to whether you have had the chop or not; uncircumcised males often find there is less friction between the palm of their hand and the head of the penis, as the foreskin will ‘roll down’ with each stroke, which there tends to be more flexibility in the style and length of the stroke which can be performed. Any problems with the level of friction experienced through masturbation can be solved by using a lubricant or masturbation jelly, which maintains moistness and heightens pleasure.

The basic stroke is probably the first technique mastered by most males, but that is not to say that it is the best method—just very simple to learn and adapt. Place one or both (this depends on personal preference) hands around the shaft of the penis and stroke up and down (using the pumping action of the foreskin to create friction, if uncircumcised). Make sure you have tissue or wipes at the ready if you plan to ejaculate from your masturbation session, as semen is notoriously tricky to remove from fabrics if accidentally spilled (just ask Mr Bill Clinton, if in doubt) and you will not want to have to make a frantic dash to the bathroom to clean up afterwards!

As the head, or tip, of the penis is the most sensitive area of all, some men attain pleasure from lightly encircling this with each stroke and you can masturbate by concentrating solely on this area, quickly and continuously massaging the slippery tip of the glans (use lubrication for best results) until ejaculation, although it may not provide enough stimulation for all. To vary things, try masturbating until you are about to climax and then desist, letting your excitement subside before recommencing stimulation. Varying the intensity of stimulation will provide a longer; more scintillating experience than simply sticking to the same speed and rhythm throughout. Through practice, masturbation can also enable you to achieve prolonged sexual performance generally (by teaching you how to retreat from the brink of orgasm), benefiting intercourse with a partner. The frenulum (the prominent vein on the underside of the penis) is a secondary area of sensitivity (and one often focused on by persons performing fellatio, due to the pleasure which can be derived from extra stimulation) and you may enjoy rubbing your thumb up and down the vein during masturbation.

Another simple technique is steadily slapping the penis against the stomach, an object, or between both hands, using lubricant to create slipperiness. You may find it is best to alternate between two or more different methods of penile masturbation to achieve variety, and all techniques can be shared with a partner, enhancing a couple’s foreplay repertoire. It is not uncommon to find that your partner’s manual technique does not match up to your own; sometimes the grip, motion and speed aren’t quite right, and this is unsurprisingly, a source of frustration for both parties. Experimenting with different types of stimulation and noting what works for you is a great way of road-testing methods you can later teach your lover (or recommend to your male friends, if that way inclined!)

And while we’re on the topic of stimulation, why stop at the penis? One of the best elements of sex with another person is the opportunity for simultaneous erogenous zones to be attended to, but that does not mean to say masturbation must only be restricted to penile massage and play. Why not rub and tweak the nipples? Fondle your scrotum and testicles, and then move towards the perineum, which is the diamond-shaped surface between the scrotal sack and the anus. This is often found to be a powerful erogenous zone in both males and females, and can be massaged firmly during masturbation to increase blood flow to the pelvic area. Some practitioners of tantric sex claim that massaging this area for in the correct manner for a sufficient length of time can induce incredibly strong male orgasms without any need to stimulate the penis itself.

The anus is an extremely sensitive area, as anyone who has incorporated anal stimulation or penetration into their sexual menu will tell you. Whilst the idea of touching or inserting items into your anus may be daunting for some (particularly heterosexual men who have not experienced anal stimulation with a female partner), don’t rule it out completely until you’ve given it a fair chance. Remember, the male prostate gland (which contributes to the production of semen); located approximately 2 inches upwards from your anal opening (feeling like a small round bump on the front interior wall); is also known as the ‘male G-spot’, with stimulation bringing the most powerful of orgasm- remember the ‘sperm-bank’ scene in the movie Road Trip? Well, don’t knock it ‘til you try it! Once you have familiarised yourself with the sensation of playing with the sphincter and feel sufficiently relaxed, slowly insert a lubricated finger into your anal passage. Laying back and raising the legs slightly may assist in achieving the optimal position for doing this, as can lifting your buttocks by positioning a cushion beneath you. Don’t push yourself too far on your first attempt; remember all new sexual experiences tend to take a while to get used to, so perhaps try inserting only the tip of your middle finger (best for length and flexibility) on your first session, and then gradually move on to deeper penetration as and when you feel ready. Once you eventually find the prostate, experiment with different types of stimulation and combine them for diversity--you may like to gently thrust a finger into the anus, brushing against the prostate on each upward motion, or you may prefer applying intense and constant pressure directly to the prostate itself.

A further idea for satisfying masturbation is to purchase a sex toy to spice up your masturbation sessions. After using a finger in the anus, you may wish to move onto a specially-designed toy, for example a ‘male G-spot vibrator’ which is uniquely contoured to target the prostate for ultimate stimulation. We recommend the vibrating Ebony Prostate Massager, which has a powerful bullet at the tip and soft layered nodules for extreme anal pleasure. If you enjoy the sensation of items being inserted into your anus, also consider investing in butt plugs or anal beads, which come in static and vibrating varieties, in a range of sizes and textures. Indeed an endless assortment of different vibrators exist in the modern market which provide penile and anal stimulation as well as being suitable for use on other erogenous zones. Try bullet or egg vibrators for use across the entire body, or sleeves/strokers and penis pumps (which create a tight suction around the penis, temporarily enlarging it). If looking for a more realistic experience,  we suggest you browse our website to view the extensive collection of high quality male sex toys and masturbators , made from flesh-like materials, such as CyberSkin or latex and designed to emulate the feel of actual body parts (vaginas; asses; breasts and mouths, in particular). Of course, you may require some visual stimulation to get you in the right mood and provide the erotic atmosphere for your masturbation session and we are proud to offer a wide range of books & magazines and DVDs, many of which are suitable if you are looking for mainstream erotica/pornography, and some of a more specialist nature, all of which can be ordered online and shipped with the utmost discretion. We can guarantee no matter what your preference, fetish or desire may be, we have just the right product for you.