Most changes in my method of masturbation came early. At first, I would put my erect penis under the tub faucet and let warm water pour over it until I reached orgasm. Then I began to masturbate manually. I would hold the shaft of my penis between my right-hand middle and index finger on one side and thumb on the other, and stroke up and down. It took a few years for me to think of using lubrication. However, when I found out how much more pleasant it is to masturbate that way, I began to use hand lotion regularly and stroke my penis with my whole hand. Lately, I've discovered that I can sometimes reach more powerful orgasms by just stroking the sides of my shaft as I approach climax and not touching the underside as I attain orgasm. I've tried a few variations over the years, but these have been the major changes in technique since I began.
- age 44, Tennessee
I was eight when I first started masturbating. A whole session consisted of rubbing the head of my penis a few times because Id never actually heard about sex and didn't know anything about orgasm. About the time I was ten I started having orgasms by putting my penis in front of a spa jet. Finally when I was around 12, I climaxed by hand for the first time. My penis has grown since then, so I have become rougher and more intense in everything that I do. I have gradually found that the harder I stroke, the stronger I ejaculate.
- age 15, Texas
My technique changed the day I found JackinWorld. I always used to use my fist or three fingers. Now I have a whole range of techniques to suit my mood or circumstance.
- age 30, United Kingdom
I've been masturbating only for about two years and my main technique hasn't changed. Sometimes I use the pulsating, handheld showerhead in our bathroom; but mostly, I masturbate on my bed using hand lotion and stroking up and down.
- age 14, New York
Thanks to web sites such as yours, my masturbation technique has changed. I have become more creative with many new techniques. In fact, I have been able to teach my wife some of them, since she enjoys pleasuring me as well. Thanks for making this information available. It has given us many hours of pleasure.
- age 55, Ontario Canada
When I first started masturbating, I would be really quiet and slow. Now I'm highly vocal and love fast fist pumping. Plus, toys play a huge part in my techniques today. Before, I didn't even consider them. My latest and biggest change is that I love to masturbate while online. Cybersex is awesome, especially when your partner is masturbating with you. I was once quite shy about masturbation. Now I love to show off and explore any new techniques that I discover.
- age 39, Wisconsin
My masturbation has changed a lot over the two years that I've been doing it. I started with just fingering, then found my clitoris and enjoyed rubbing it while I fingered. Later, someone introduced me to the shower method. Now the shower and rubbing my clitoris are my favorite methods. I do stick things into my vagina, and I use the electric toothbrush (ideas from this site). However, the shower and rubbing my clitoris remain my favorites.
- age 14, New Jersey (female)
My masturbation method really hasn't changed much, but my attitude about it has. The visuals have changed, but I still stroke the same as when I started. However, I am *much* more open while masturbating – I will do it wherever, whenever, however, and with whomever I want.
- age 19, Massachusetts
My most significant change has been that I now always use my left hand, whereas in the beginning, it was the right hand that I used exclusively. I'm not sure when I began to use my left hand, but now I don't even like the way it feels to masturbate with my right hand. I still do the basic circle with my thumb and index finger though. Besides that, masturbation feels better than ever now. I attribute that to years of practice and getting it fine-tuned.
- age 29, North Carolina
Masturbation is masturbation: It all ends with an orgasm.
- age 16, Maryland
I found that using just one hand caused one of my pecs to be larger than the other, so now I switch hands quite often to keep it balanced.
- age 17, Texas
I've become much more imaginative with my masturbation in the last 15 years. My friends and I discuss useful tools, techniques, lubes, and positions. I'm glad to have gotten over my fear of vibrators, creative condom usage, and helpful furniture. My favorite acquisition is a rubber ring that holds a vibrator snugly against my balls while I masturbate – brilliant invention.
- age 27, Illinois
I started out with the basic "I-wonder-what-would-happen-if-I-pretended-my-hand-was-a-woman?" idea. Over the years, I learned more about masturbation and sex until eventually I became the addict and expert I am today. It seemed to go from mystery to hobby to profession.
- age 15, Wisconsin
I started only a week ago, so I haven't had much time to change the way I masturbate. However, I did get my first orgasm by tapping on my erect penis through tight underpants and now that I have read this site, I have switched to the three-finger grip. I have to use this because my penis isn't yet long enough to do the fist grip. As it grows, I hope I can start using some of the other techniques on this site. Just reading them gives me an erection!
- age 10, Australia
I have masturbated since I was twelve, mostly with very fast strokes and always with erotic fantasies. Fifteen years ago my wife stopped our love life, leaving me on my own with my still more juicy fantasies. I also changed my technique to a very gentle one, simulating the large and very wet vagina of my beloved wife: I round my thumb and forefinger, wet them with much saliva and let them hardly touch the head of my penis. I move my hand slowly and gently until my wet little finger touches the head. I gently tickle my left nipple, often fantasizing about my wife being with a very young man.
- age 81, Denmark
When I first started masturbating at 13, I got to orgasm quickly, managing to ejaculate within two minutes of starting. However, when I was about 15 or 16, I got worried that the practice might make me ejaculate too soon when I start having sex. So then I started trying to prolong the sessions as much as I could. Another thing that has changed since then was my libido. I rarely fantasized about others before I lost my virginity, focusing instead on how to make the session more pleasurable. I made love for the first time when I was 20. Now every time I masturbate, I cannot achieve orgasm without thinking of being with somebody I love and trust. And at this point, every orgasm I have when I masturbate is followed by a sense of profound loneliness.
- age 21, Washington
When I first started to masturbate, I always seemed to be in a desperate hurry. I couldn't wait to get to that special feeling, so I would go as fast as I could, gripping my penis as hard as I could. I was 12 then – what can I say? Now, I am much more in control. I take my time. I don't just masturbate, I adore it, rub it all over, spread the lubricant from the Cowper's gland all over the glans, and on down. In short, I make myself feel good for as long as I can until I cant stand it any more. Then I let myself power stroke to the end. I usually have far better orgasms, and my older brother tells me that if I make love to the ladies like I make love to my penis, I will be a very successful lover.
- age 17, California
When I first started masturbating, I used the fist technique and pumped as fast as I possibly could. That evolved into just stroking the top and bottom of my shaft (I have enough foreskin left that I slide the skin over itself, not my fingers over the skin) and I slowed down. Over the last year, I've had to adjust my grip to accommodate piercing jewelry and I've gotten into anal toys. So I'd say I've grown up a lot.
- age 21, Missouri
I had my first ejaculation by accident when I was about 14. I decided to rub my penis with baby lotion (I'm not sure why I decided to do this) and it felt *so* good that I kept going. I remember thinking, "I could do this all night." After a few minutes, I had the most amazing orgasm. I remember thinking, "So that's how it works." From then until about age 16, I used baby lotion like it was going out of style. It got to be a hassle trying to hide the lotion-soaked tissues in the trash. I switched to using nothing (dry is easier) except for when I masturbate with my buddy. We use Vaseline on each other to heighten the sensation.
- age 19, Pennsylvania
When I started, I used a technique with both hands, thumbs touching on the underside of my penis, first 2 fingers of each hand touching on the top. By squeezing together the thumb and fingers on each hand in succession, I could climax. When I was 15 I saw a porn movie where the guys were masturbating the way most of us do – fist moving up and down. Since then I have used mostly that method.
- age 31, Indiana
My masturbation technique has changed a lot since I started. I first masturbated when I was nearly 12, and managed to get to orgasm and ejaculate without touching my penis at all. I had gotten an erection and noticed that I could make it move on its own by contracting my crotch muscles, and that it felt good. I lay on my bed and kept contracting and releasing my crotch muscles until I eventually had an orgasm and ejaculated. A couple of days later, I tried again, but it was taking too long. So I put my hand flat on top of my penis, rubbed it against my stomach, and ejaculated that way. Soon I discovered I could also lie on my stomach and rub my erection on my mattress. I used both of those techniques until I was 13, when I masturbated with a friend. He showed me how to masturbate by stroking my penis with my hand wrapped around it. Since then I have masturbated mostly in that way and by rubbing my erection on my mattress. I have tried to ejaculate just by contracting my crotch muscles again. I can get very close, but now I need some contact to reach orgasm.
- age 15, Australia
Now, I enjoy taking my time; but when I was younger, I was always in a hurry to reach orgasm. Also, I've learned more ways to masturbate, not only with my hands, but also with my tongue and various sex toys.
- age 40, California (female)
When I first started masturbating at age three, I just rubbed against my stuffed animals or a pillow. Now whenever I get the urge to masturbate, I go take a shower. The shower massager is better than any other sex toy and sometimes better than men, too!
- age 18, California (female)
Up to the age of about 16, I masturbated by humping a pillow. Then I also used a fist into which to thrust my penis while I was on top of a pillow. After my first few sexual experiences, I always tried to simulate a vagina – penetrating an apple, a melon, or just a rolled up newspaper or magazine. But for the past 40 years it has been the same: I lie on my back, cradle and pull my testicles with one hand and stroke my penis with the other. During masturbation, I often change hands to avoid fatigue; but when ejaculation approaches, it's always the left fist that does the work. I have tried other methods, but this seems the best.
- age 71, Spain
When I first started masturbating at age 12, I would stand in front of the showerhead, but never ejaculate. Then I started rubbing my two hands together back and forth on my penis (like you would do when its cold out) when I was about 12 1/2. At about 13 I tried the vagina (lying on my back), and at 13 1/2, I started the backhand grip. At 14 1/2 I made an "OK" sign with my hand then lightly moved it up and down my shaft, rubbing my foreskin against the head. Now I'm using the prayer.
- age 15, Oklahoma
When I started, I would put my penis in front of a hot tub jet and wait. Later I switched to spitting in my palm for lubrication and pumping. Now I pull the skin from the base of my penis to the tip and down again quickly, (I am circumcised). This provides a pumping action with no messy lubricants.
- age 15, California
When I was younger, I was very flexible and could perform auto-fellatio. Now that I'm older (36), I can no longer do that, so I need to use just my hand. I really miss being able to get myself off orally.
- age 36, Ontario, Canada
Sometimes, to avoid the messiness of ejaculation, I just stroke my penis while it's still in my briefs. It's somewhat like the "drummer boy," except that instead of patting my penis with my fingers, I place my hand as if it were a cup over my crotch and then push up and down in a rubbing fashion. It brings *great* pleasure and no mess. Sometimes though, I like to go all out and watch myself masturbate. I especially like to see the ejaculation. I know it may sound silly, but it turns me on.
- age 17, Florida
At first, I used no lube at all. Then, a friend of mine bought me a tube as a gag gift for my "Coming Out" party. I tried it that night, and have been a faithful user since. I have also adapted a new hand technique, a kind of twist on the head as I continue the stroke. It sends multiple sensations, and feels like a wet tongue if I do it just right.
- age 23, South Carolina
Over the years I've learned to slow down to savor the incredible pleasures that I can give myself. As a kid I used to masturbate several times a day, now I prefer "doing it" once or twice a day. And, I've honed my "riding the edge" technique to prolong the intensity of my orgasm. Typically, my sessions last 30 to 40 minutes or more. Also, find myself involving my entire body while I masturbate – caressing myself, tugging on my pubes, and pinching my nipples (things I never used to do).
- age 46, California
No, masturbation has always been the same for me.
- age 14, New Mexico
It wasn't so much the years that changed caused the change, but the wreck I was in this summer. A huge thump on my head was kind of minor compared to the broken right arm in a cast and a huge gash on my left hand and wrist. I couldn't grab anything. It even got my dad to make jokes about my masturbation, and he had never said anything about it before. I had to get creative, humping the bed, using towels and just fingering my penis. I had no girlfriend to help – I even had bisexual thoughts! Rubbing my penis between the sink counter and the edge of my hand is the only thing that stopped the wet dreams.
- age 16, Texas
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," I say! The standard grip has served me well. Don't get me wrong; if JackinWorld has an interesting technique to suggest, I'll try it – just as long as it doesn't involve too much set-up. Sometimes, if I have already gotten off that day, I'll use lubricant the second time around to increase the sensation.
- age 23, New Jersey
My earliest masturbation technique involved rubbing myself against the edge of the bathtub until I came. I did this from the age of 8 or 9 until 13 or 14, and had the most intense little-girl orgasms that way until I discovered how to use my hands. I've always loved the feelings that being horny and coming involved, but since meeting my boyfriend my techniques have become much more varied and satisfying. We adore masturbating for and being masturbated by each other, and consider it to be as much a part of our physical relationship as any other form of sex. We play with a vibrator and candles and experiment with what feels good, and we love to watch each other. But my favorite way to climax by masturbation is still by either of our hands gently exploring my body, then focussing on my labia, vagina, and lastly clitoris – moving in increasingly intense clockwise circles until I climax. This never fails to feel wonderful, especially if accompanied by my boyfriend's orgasm.
- age 33, England (female)
I'm an uncut male. I've been using the basic "up-and-down" technique, without lube since I began masturbating four or five years ago.
- age 17, Australia
When I was in elementary school, I would masturbate in the shower, using soap as a lubricant. When I left for college and I didn't have as much privacy, I learned to masturbate dry under the covers, although once in a while, I would go into the shower to take care of business. Now that I'm done with school, and have my own apartment, I have more freedom to do whatever I want. I'm back to wet masturbation, using hand lotion most of the time. I can walk around the apartment naked while masturbating, which is pretty cool. I can jump in the shower, leave the door wide open and masturbate, or be in my room totally naked and masturbate without worrying about anybody walking in on me. Someone had told me that I would masturbate less as I grew older, but I guess that person was wrong. I masturbate as much as or more than when I was 15-16. Most of my friends that I talk to in my same age group (26-27) say they masturbate just as much, even though most of us are in serious relationships.
- age 26, Florida
I used to wank gripping my penis in my fist. Since starting medication for high blood pressure, my erections have been less reliable and I now masturbate with a firm grip on my penis between thumb and first two fingers.
- age 53, United Kingdom
When I masturbate now, I tend to go much more slowly and take my time far more than I did when I was younger. I don't feel the "guilt" now – sometimes just a lack of self-control. Finding the right times and places where I can be undisturbed really helps me to enjoy it more and puts it in the correct light (rather than having a secretive quickie in the bathroom). This also helps with the whole relaxation thing and if done in the afternoon, invariably makes me enjoy making love with my wife much more at night. I theorize that this is because I am then more relaxed and start to think about lovemaking, as opposed to worrying about overdue bills. And then when we get to it, it's less about my sexual tension and more about us enjoying one another.
- age 25, Scotland
First, I was circumcised at 15. That changed things a lot. It stopped activity completely for 6 weeks. Then I was so "tight" that I had to use lube for the first time. My glans was so sensitive I could hardly avoid orgasm even from walking! However, that soon calmed down and I had to learn new technique. Sensitivity went away, and from a skin slider, I became a shaft stroker and glans stimulator. I also lost the need to "go for it" and developed long, slow sessions when I went off to University and had my own room. Then I married, and had to develop minimum movement techniques for relief in the early or very late hours. Finally I "came out" and my wife left me. My boyfriend, (much younger than I) taught me more in a month than I had learned about myself in 25 years of marriage! (We had been a very conventional couple.) I now find so much sensation from masturbation that it has become a hobby – but it's always better with two!
- age 52, Hong Kong
My masturbation technique has not changed and this has turned out to be a downfall because now it's impossible for me to orgasm from any other technique, or from stimulation from someone else.
- age 19, Pennsylvania (female)
When I first started masturbating, I found that the only way I could achieve an orgasm was to use both hands for support. I would masturbate that way for many years. Now I find that I only use one hand to masturbate, as the other hand tends to be involved in typing or surfing or fondling myself if I am not online. When I was younger, I often tried different techniques but now I seem to use only one. Every now and then I will try something else, but I find that it takes forever to reach an orgasm and the orgasm is not as intense as when I masturbate in the usual fashion. I guess I would state that once you find something you like, stick with it.
- age 25, Canada
I began to masturbate at an early age and at the time, did it rapidly to avoid getting caught. As the years have gone by, the frequency has decreased from four or five times a day to once a day. I have also slowed down and try to make it last. I still prefer to masturbate outdoors, unless I have a friend to enjoy it with. I now enjoy masturbating a female if she will do the same for me. Many females need to be taught what is really good for a man.
- age 66, New York
Yes, my technique has changed. And, a huge thank you to the people who make the Squiggle Wiggle writer! You've helped a lot.
- age 17, Maryland (female)
Yes I used to masturbate with my right hand, but my computer has a right-hand mouse and I like to look at porn that my friends send me when I masturbate. So now I am currently using my left hand. I seem to get much more pleasure out of my left hand then out of my right.
- age 15, Arizona
Since I got a computer, I've enjoyed using my left hand a lot. I also appreciate the tip on Albolene – it's so much better than Vaseline – just more expensive. I'm on my fifth jar!
- age 33, Georgia