20 best tips and techniques for male masturbation

The most useful masturbation techniques for men are varying your grip and pace, and edging, which means stopping just before orgasm to build control. Pelvic floor exercises can also help some men last longer, and paying attention to the frenulum and prostate can add new sensation.

In a small study of 40 men with lifelong rapid ejaculation, 82.5% gained control over when they ejaculated after 12 weeks of pelvic floor training (Pastore et al., 2014). In one brain imaging study of men, the frenulum gave the strongest pleasure ratings of any genital area tested (Georgiadis et al., 2022).

Grip and stroke techniques worth varying

Varying your grip, pressure, and stroke pattern is what sex therapists most consistently link to easier solo and partnered pleasure. More than any single "best" grip, it's the willingness to change things up that matters.

Sex therapists have a term for the opposite problem: idiosyncratic masturbatory style. It describes a self-stimulation pattern so exact, a particular grip, pressure, or speed, that almost nothing else can replicate it. Perelman (2016) identifies this as one of the most consistently reported reasons some men find it harder to reach orgasm with a partner's hand, mouth, or body. Picture a grip that's always tight, always fast, and always in the same position, on your back, in bed, late at night. That's a textbook idiosyncratic pattern. Years of repeating the same motion trains your body to expect exactly that motion, and nothing else. A partner will almost never move the same way, at the same speed, with the same pressure, no matter how skilled or attentive they are. The fix is simple: variety, practiced deliberately rather than left to habit.

1. Change your grip regularly. Overhand, underhand, and a twisting corkscrew motion each create a different sensation. Rotate between them instead of settling on one, even within a single session.
2. Use both hands. Try one hand on the shaft and one circling the head, or alternate hands mid-session, to break up a pattern your body has memorized down to the millimeter.
3. Add lubrication. A water-based lubricant cuts friction and opens up lighter, slower strokes that dry skin makes uncomfortable to sustain. It's also easier on skin over a long session than repeatedly relying on saliva.
4. Adjust your pressure. Ease off the grip you default to when you're stressed, rushing, or trying to finish quickly. Light pressure held longer often produces more sensation than a tight grip held briefly.
5. Vary your pace on purpose. Speeding up, slowing down, and pausing mid-stroke all change what a session feels like. All of it counts as technique, not just the grip itself.
6. Try a different position. Lying on your back is the default for most men, but it isn't the only option. Other masturbation positions, including lying face down, change the angle and pressure entirely, which is often enough on its own to break a fixed routine.

If one grip has become the only one that works for you, that's worth a closer look. Death grip syndrome covers what happens when a single high-friction style takes over, and practical ways to loosen it. If erection confidence is your main concern rather than technique itself, The Erection Reset goes deeper on that specifically.

How does edging work, and how do you use it to build more control?

Edging means stimulating yourself close to climax, then easing off before you finish. Repeated a few times in one session, it builds awareness and control over your own arousal that a straight run to orgasm doesn't teach you.

The two most common versions are called start-stop and squeeze. Start-stop means stimulating yourself until you're close to climax, stopping completely until the urge fades, then starting again. Squeeze works the same way, except instead of stopping, you apply firm, gentle pressure just below the head, on the underside near the frenulum, for several seconds before continuing. The pressure should be firm enough to notice a clear drop in urgency, not so hard that it's painful. Most men need a few tries to figure out how much is enough. Both techniques date back to work by Semans (1956) and Masters and Johnson (1970), and clinicians still teach versions of them today (InformedHealth.org/IQWiG, 2022).

Only small studies exist on this, each looking at fewer than 40 men or couples. One found that consistent practice added a few minutes to time-to-ejaculation after 12 weeks (InformedHealth.org/IQWiG, 2022). That's a real, measurable effect but not a guaranteed fix, and it won't work identically for everyone. Edging is a tool worth practicing patiently, more like learning a physical skill than taking a pill.

Many men naturally tense their whole body as they get closer to climax: jaw clenched, shoulders up, thighs tight. Deliberately relaxing those muscles while you edge, unclenching your jaw, dropping your shoulders, taking a slower breath, can make it easier to hover right at that threshold instead of tipping straight over it.

1. Learn to recognize your point of no return. Most men can identify a specific moment right before climax becomes unstoppable, often a distinct shift in sensation rather than a gradual build. Edging means learning to stop just before that point, not after it.
2. Practice the start-stop method. Stimulate yourself close to climax, stop completely, wait for the urge to fade, then start again. Repeat 3 to 5 times before finishing, adjusting how close you let yourself get each round.
3. Try the squeeze technique. As you approach climax, apply firm pressure just below the head for several seconds, then ease off and continue. Some men find this more reliable than stopping outright, since your hands stay in contact the whole time.
4. Give it weeks, not one session. The evidence behind these techniques comes from practice sustained over 12 weeks, not a single attempt. One session that doesn't change anything is the baseline you're building from.

Can pelvic floor exercises improve masturbation and ejaculatory control?

Yes, for some men. A small clinical study found regular pelvic floor exercises, often called Kegels, measurably increased ejaculatory control over 12 weeks.

In that study, 40 men with lifelong rapid ejaculation did 12 weeks of pelvic floor muscle training, guided sessions building up to daily practice. Afterward, 82.5% (33 of 40) had gained control of their ejaculatory reflex, and average time-to-ejaculation rose from about 40 seconds to about 146 seconds (Pastore et al., 2014).

That study measured partnered vaginal sex specifically, not solo masturbation, and it had no comparison group, so other factors, like simply paying closer attention over 12 weeks, can't be fully ruled out. Still, the same pelvic floor muscles are commonly recommended as a target for solo practice too, since they support the ejaculatory reflex itself, not just partnered sex, and the mechanism works the same way regardless of context.

Pelvic floor training isn't unique to sexual function either. The same muscles support bladder and bowel control, which is partly why doctors already recommend this exercise broadly, not just for ejaculatory control.

1. Find the right muscles. These are the ones you'd use to stop urine flow mid-stream, or to stop yourself from passing gas. That's your pelvic floor, and most men have never consciously engaged it before. Use urination just once to locate the muscle. Making a habit of stopping and starting your flow regularly isn't recommended, since it can interfere with fully emptying your bladder.
2. Contract and hold. Squeeze those muscles for 3 to 5 seconds, then release for the same amount of time. That's one rep. Breathe normally throughout instead of holding your breath, which is a common mistake when people first try this.
3. Build up in sets. Aim for 10 reps, 3 times a day, most days of the week. Progress here is measured in weeks, not days, so don't judge the technique after a handful of attempts.

Exploring the frenulum and prostate for new sensation

Many men find new sensations by paying attention to specific, often-overlooked areas, including the frenulum, where the head meets the shaft, and the prostate.

In one neuroimaging study, the frenulum triggered the strongest pleasure ratings and the biggest reward response in the brain, more than any other genital area tested (Georgiadis et al., 2022). If most of your attention goes to the shaft during a typical session, this small strip of skin is worth spending more time on.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland. It sits roughly 2 to 3 inches inside the body, angled toward the front. Some men find it highly sensitive to stimulation. You can reach it indirectly, through pressure on the perineum, the area between the scrotum and anus. You can also reach it directly, inside the body, with clean hands or a body-safe product. Some men build arousal, or even reach climax, through prostate stimulation alone, without any direct touch to the penis. This is sometimes called hands-free masturbation. It's a real technique category, not a rare exception. It usually takes practice and a relaxed, unhurried setting rather than working the first time you try it.

Some men avoid this entire area out of stigma, assuming that exploring it says something about their orientation. It doesn't. Anatomy doesn't work that way, and finding a sensation pleasurable has nothing to do with who you're attracted to or who you have sex with. Every technique in this section applies whether you're gay, bisexual, or straight.

1. Spend more time at the head-shaft junction. A lot of nerve endings concentrate at the frenulum. Gentle, direct attention here, with a fingertip or the pad of a thumb, small circles or light back-and-forth pressure, can produce sensation a standard full-shaft stroke misses entirely.
2. Try external perineal pressure. Firm, steady pressure on the area between the scrotum and anus can stimulate the prostate indirectly. No penetration is involved. You don't need to go any further than this if you'd rather not.
3. If you want to go further, go slowly. Internal prostate stimulation calls for clean hands and trimmed nails, to avoid scratches, plus a generous amount of body-safe lubricant, to avoid discomfort. Start light, stay relaxed, and build up from there over multiple sessions rather than rushing it.
4. Consider a masturbation sleeve or stroker. These give some men a different sensation than a hand alone provides, particularly if you're deliberately trying to break an old grip habit. If you use a toy for internal stimulation, choose one with a flared base. Clean it thoroughly before and after each use rather than assuming it's fine as is.

Beginner vs. experienced techniques: what changes

Beginners generally benefit from a slower, gentler, more exploratory approach. More experienced men often benefit most from deliberately varying a routine they've had for years.

Neither group needs to get everything right immediately. Learning what works for your body, or unlearning a routine you've relied on for years, both take repeated, unhurried practice rather than a single perfect session.

1. Take your time and find privacy. There's no need to rush or perform for anyone, including yourself. Unhurried time with no distractions makes it easier to notice what actually feels good, rather than what you assume should feel good based on what you've seen elsewhere.
2. Use a light touch and drop the goal. You don't need to reach orgasm every time you touch yourself. Removing that pressure, and simply paying attention to sensation as it happens rather than where it's heading, often makes it easier, not harder, to get there anyway. This kind of present-moment attention is sometimes called sensate focus. It's worth practicing on your own before you ever think about bringing it into partnered sex.
3. Deliberately break an old habit. If you've masturbated the same way for years, that idiosyncratic style (Perelman, 2016) is worth interrupting on purpose. Pick one thing, grip, pace, or setting, and change only that one thing for a week before adding another.

Research finds no reliable evidence that porn use causes sexual dysfunction, relationship problems, or mental health issues (McKee et al., 2022). Still, a session without porn playing in the background can simply reveal what you respond to when nothing else is setting the pace for you. If you want structured support building a more intentional relationship with porn and masturbation, Break Free From Porn, built with Silva Neves, walks through exactly that.

Safety and hygiene essentials

Basic hygiene and a gentle touch prevent nearly all the physical downsides of masturbation, and there's no medical reason to avoid it. Most of what matters here is ordinary self-care, not anything specific to masturbation itself.

Wash your hands before and after, and trim your nails, especially before any internal touch, since this lowers the risk of scratches or irritation. A water-based lubricant reduces friction and lowers the risk of soreness, chafing, or irritation, whatever technique you're using. It's worth reapplying rather than pushing through once it dries out mid-session. Water-based and silicone-based lubricants are generally safe with skin and most toy materials. Oil-based products can degrade silicone toys over time, so check compatibility before you commit to one you'll reuse.

If you use a toy or sleeve, clean it according to its instructions before and after each use, and check it regularly for tears or rough seams that could irritate skin over time. Give yourself a private, unhurried space, not somewhere uncomfortable or rushed.

None of this needs to feel clinical or embarrassing. It's the same basic care you'd give any part of your body.

There's no evidence that masturbation itself, at any frequency, causes physical harm (Herbenick et al., 2010). Frequency varies enormously from one man to another, and none of that variation is a health problem in itself. If you notice ongoing pain, unusual discharge, or skin changes that don't settle down after a day or two, that's worth mentioning to a doctor rather than pushing through.