Edging: The Benefits of Orgasm Control & How to Do It

What is edging, and what are the benefits? Edging is the process of starting and stopping sexual activity to delay orgasm as long as possible. 

Many people who practice edging report that it leads to stronger orgasms and improved control over ejaculation. And while there’s relatively little scientific research available on the benefits of edging for sexual performance, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that it leads to better sex or sexual gratification (at least, for some people).

In this article, we’ll go over:

• What edging is

• How it works

• The potential benefits of edging

• How you can use edging to delay orgasm

Let’s get started.

The term “edging“ refers to a sexual practice of delaying orgasm by halting sexual stimulation at the very “edge“ of climax. When a person edges, they’re stimulated almost to the point of orgasm, but then stimulation stops, extending the duration of sexual activity before climax.

Edging advocates say this buildup helps you last longer during sexual activity, potentially making it more enjoyable, either solo or with a partner.

You can practice edging yourself through masturbation or with a partner during sexual intercourse. With practice, you’ll get to know your own body and your partner’s.

Bringing yourself or a partner to the edge one or more times in a single sex session may gradually build arousal and anticipation, which some people say leads to more satisfying sexual experiences. 

Edging and the Sexual Response Cycle

The sexual response cycle is a model that divides the emotional and physical changes that happen during sexual activity. The four categories of this model include:

• Excitement

• Plateau

• Orgasm

• Resolution

Edging involves stopping this cycle before reaching the orgasm phase to delay orgasm and build sexual excitement.

You bring yourself close to climax but stop just before reaching the “point of no return.“ This phase is a short yet intense period where continued stimulation almost certainly leads to orgasm.

Edging during sex or masturbation offers several purported benefits. According to some people who do it, the benefits of edging include:

• Increased orgasm control

• Improved sexual stamina

• Enhanced sexual satisfaction

Keep reading for details.

1. Increased Orgasm Control 

Some proponents of edging believe it can improve the psychological side of orgasm control.

Edging is arguably a variation of the stop-start technique — an old-fashioned method for preventing premature ejaculation (PE). It involves stopping sex or masturbation for up to 30 seconds and restarting to delay premature ejaculation.

If you usually reach orgasm and ejaculate quite quickly, edging may sometimes provide a confidence boost (something science hasn’t actually proven yet).

Cornell Health suggests a four-step training program you can do at home to help delay ejaculation that involves edging. Here’s how it works:

• Dry masturbation. Avoid lube and pause before climax to build control (as with the stop-start technique). Repeat the cycle several times before allowing ejaculation to happen.

• Vary stimulation. Change your speed or stroke style instead of stopping to extend arousal.

• Use lube. Increase sensitivity while maintaining control through edging. 

• Apply to sex. Practice these techniques during intercourse with a partner.

2. Improved Sexual Stamina

For men dealing with premature ejaculation, techniques like edging (and the stop-start and squeeze methods) might allow them to perform for longer before reaching orgasm and ejaculating.

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common male sexual disorders, affecting up to 39 percent of men (but estimates vary). According to research, the stop-start and squeeze techniques are often effective at increasing sexual stamina in the short term.

This increase in sexual stamina can do wonders for improving your sexual self-confidence, which might have all sorts of ripple effects in the bedroom.

3. Enhanced Sexual Satisfaction

Some people find that edging makes solo or partnered sex more pleasurable by increasing the intensity of orgasm.

While there’s little formal research to corroborate those claims, delaying your orgasm through edging could make sense. The psychological side of delaying ejaculation may also make the eventual moment more significant.

Since edging allows penetrative sex to last longer, it might also increase sexual pleasure for your partner.

Whether you want to know how to edge yourself or help a partner delay climax, the concept is essentially the same. Edging is about getting close to orgasm, then slowing down to prevent or delay it.

Here are a few edging technique tips.

During Masturbation (Solo)

If you want to use edging during partner sex to last longer, it may be helpful to practice solo and work out when your cutoff point is. To perform edging during masturbation:

• Masturbate until just before you reach orgasm.

• Pause and wait until the sensation of orgasm has passed.

• Gradually start stroking again.

• Repeat the process until you’re ready.

You can also use the squeeze method while edging to control your orgasm and avoid ejaculating too early.

Similar to the stop-start method, the squeeze technique involves pausing sexual activity before climax. However, it adds an extra step: using your thumb and index finger to apply light pressure at the base of the glans (also known as the tip). This squeeze activates the bulbospongiosus muscle in the pelvic floor, helping reduce arousal and delay ejaculation.

During Sex (With a Partner)

For edging during partnered sex:

• Initiate sexual intercourse as usual.

• Before you reach orgasm, slow down or pull out completely. (Note: This isn’t a dependable form of birth control and shouldn’t be mistaken for one.)

• Wait for the feeling of reaching orgasm to pass.

• Restart sexual intercourse and repeat the same process.

• Take turns deciding when the “edge“ has approached for extra enjoyment.

Edging with a partner works best when both people are patient and in sync. It may be beneficial to have slow sex the first time you practice edging so the urge to finish doesn’t hit you (and/or your partner) too quickly.

Make sure to let your partner know you’re going to edge before you start having sex and agree together on the plan. That way, they can slow down at the same time and help you avoid orgasm and ejaculation.

Helping Your Partner Edge

You can edge a partner with a vulva by similarly stimulating the clitoris, vagina, and other erogenous zones to the edge of orgasm. Stop stimulation just before peaking to give them more powerful orgasms.

Communicating during sex can help you learn to read your partner’s body and when to reduce stimulation.

There’s no evidence that edging benefits testosterone by increasing levels of this male hormone. Testosterone levels may fluctuate slightly around sexual intercourse, but it isn’t clear if this has any long-term implications.

In a 2020 study, researchers found that testosterone levels increased before erection to the moment of ejaculation and decreased to pre-ejaculation levels 10 minutes after ejaculation. There’s no reason to believe masturbation or edging increases testosterone levels in the long run.

Currently, there’s no research to show that edging, the stop-start technique, or similar methods of delaying orgasm and improving sexual stamina are bad for your health.

Orgasm and ejaculation are complex, multiple-step processes involving multiple parts of the body, including the nervous system, cardiovascular system, and reproductive system.

Attempting edging with your partner without letting them know in advance may lead to them feeling frustrated. This could have a harmful impact on your relationship, so communication is key. It could also lead to an awkward sexual encounter for shorter-term relationships.

When paired with frequent pornography use, edging has been linked to reports of people spending extended periods delaying orgasm — sometimes for hours.

So, it’s possible you could overdo it and end up with an overuse injury or a friction burn on your penis.

Edging is generally a low-risk activity. Prolonged sexual activity might lead to soreness or chafing. The risk might not be as high if you use a lubricant to reduce friction on your penis.

Edging may be a good way to improve your sexual performance, but it’s not the only option. If you’d like to last longer in bed, you can try:

• Changing positions

• Adding additional foreplay

• Introducing a sex toy (like a vibrator) into the mix to offer your partner extra stimulation

• Using thicker condoms to reduce sexual stimulation

Most of the research on techniques to manage premature ejaculation relies on small sample sizes of less than 40 people. However, with the limited information we have, these techniques do seem to help some people last longer.

Techniques you can try include:

• The start-stop technique. The start-stop technique involves taking regular breaks when you’re close to orgasm to prevent ejaculating too early.

• Squeeze technique. The squeeze technique involves putting pressure on the head of your penis to decrease arousal. Put your index finger on the back side of your penis (where the head joins the shaft), and place your thumb on the other side.

• Regular pelvic floor exercises. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles may make it easier to delay ejaculation. Explore pelvic floor exercises you can do at home in our guide.

Premature Ejaculation Products

Topical premature ejaculation products can help, too. For instance, a benzocaine or lidocaine spray or cream can alter the sensitivity of your penis and help you last longer before reaching orgasm.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

If the above techniques aren’t effective at delaying ejaculation, you can try other approaches. A type of medication called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might help.

SSRIs like sertraline are commonly prescribed as antidepressants, but they’re also used off-label to treat premature ejaculation. In a study from 2022, researchers found that SSRIs increased time to ejaculation by over three minutes, but a significant number of men stopped treatment due to side effects.

Our guide to premature ejaculation medications goes into more detail about this process and the science behind improving sexual performance using antidepressants.

Practicing edging can add fun to a sexual experience and variety to your sex life. It might increase your confidence, potentially extend the duration of sexual encounters, and lead to better orgasms.

Edging isn’t sexual medicine, and telling you to hold off on finishing isn’t medical advice. But it may work.

Here’s what we know about the potential benefits of edging and other remedies for PE:

• Edging is safe and simple, and it appears to be relatively effective in increasing sexual stamina and preventing early orgasm.

• There’s no reason to believe that edging is dangerous or bad for sexual health in any way.

• Edging works best with a partner when you communicate. It can also be used during solo sex.

• There are other ways to handle PE, like SSRIs, numbing sprays, sensitivity creams, and certain sex toys.

If you’re experiencing PE, consider a virtual premature ejaculation consultation to get more information about possible treatments. We’re here when you’re ready.