How to Masturbate: Men’s Guide to Self-Pleasure

Masturbation is a completely normal — and healthy — part of human sexuality.

Whether you call it self-pleasure, solo sex, or even jerking off, masturbation is a natural way to explore your body, ease stress, and experience pleasure. Plus, it can be a sign that your hormones and erectile health are in a good place.

How you choose to masturbate is entirely up to you. Some men stick with using their hands. Others mix things up with sex toys or explore stimulating other areas of their body beyond just the shaft and tip. 

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about male masturbation, including techniques and tips for a fulfilling experience.

First off, let’s get this out of the way: There’s no “right” way to masturbate — it’s all about what feels good for you. 

Masturbation is the act of self-stimulating your genitals for sexual pleasure. For men, it often — but  not always — includes orgasm and ejaculation.

Most guys try to jerk off for the first time around puberty, when hormones ramp up their sex drive. 

A 2022 Norwegian study found  a link between frequent masturbation and:

• Being younger

• Watching more porn

• More variety in sexual activities

A 2022 study revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, about 60% of men reported masturbating in the last month. The most common reason men and women masturbated was simple: it felt good. Men also said they masturbated for the following reasons:

• Stress relief

• Feeling “horny”

• Not getting enough sex 

• Enjoying fantasies during masturbation

• Wanting to relax

Caveat: Masturbation is often a taboo subject, so self-reported surveys likely underestimate how often people are doing it. People might omit information or lie out of shame or fear of judgement. 

But here’s what we do know: despite cultural stigma, medical research hasn’t found any direct health risks from masturbation.

And most medical professionals agree it's a safe, normal way to explore your body.

Male Reproductive Anatomy

Before outlining masturbation techniques, let’s quickly break down some male anatomy. 

• Penis. The penis includes the entire male external genitalia other than the testicles and surrounding skin called the scrotum.

• Penis head (AKA the glans). The glans is the soft, fleshy part of the end of the penis. It's highly sensitive because it contains a lot of nerve endings.

• Shaft. The shaft of the penis includes the entire penis other than the glans.

• Foreskin. Your foreskin is the flap of skin that covers the head of the penis. You might not have a foreskin if you’ve been circumcised.

• Frenulum. The frenulum is the band of skin on the back of your penis that connects the foreskin to the head of your penis.

• Scrotum. Your scrotum is the skin surrounding your testicles.

• Testicles. Your testicles or “balls” are the two round lumps of tissue beneath your penis and inside your scrotum. 

Perineum (AKA your taint). The perineum is the area between your anus and the base of your penis.

There’s no one "right" way to masturbate — everyone’s preferences are different. But here are a few male masturbation methods to try out during your next masturbation session.

Set the Mood 

Want to learn how to masturbate better? There are no rules. But creating a comfortable and private environment might make it easier to relax and experience pleasure. 

Consider:

• Choosing a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed

• Ensuring that you’re in a private area where sexual activity is appropriate

• Turning off or dimming your lights

• Playing sensual audio or watching erotic content 

• Having tissues, towels, or clothes available for easy clean-up 

Use Lubrication

Use lube or lotion to enhance pleasure and reduce friction. 

Lubrication can help prevent chafing or soreness, especially if you have a tight grip masturbation grip or use sex toys that aren’t already lubricated.

A water-based lubricant like our Glide water-based lube is a good choice for solo sex. 

Explore Male Masturbation Techniques

It’s up to you to decide what feels best, but here are some options:

• Classic stroke. Grip your penis with one hand and move it up and down in a rhythmic motion that feels good to you.

• Slow and sensual. For a slower and more sensual experience, try using a light touch, varying speed, and teasing motions.

• Two-handed stroke. Using both hands might add extra stimulation and variety.

• Edging. Edging involves bringing yourself close to orgasm and stopping. Then, resuming to prolong the session. Some men claim this increases pleasure when they do reach climax.

• Prostate stimulation. Some men enjoy using their fingers or toys to stimulate the prostate and the male G-spot.

• Other types of stimulation. Some men might prefer testicle, scrotum, or anal stimulation.

Try Experimenting With Different Sensations 

Here are some ways you can add variety to your sessions.

• Temperature play. Using warm or cool hands can add a unique sensation.

• Tingling lubricants. Some lubes are formulated to deliver a tingling sensation that you might find pleasurable.

• Different materials. Adding silk, satin, or textured fabrics to the mix can add novelty during masturbation.

Play With Toys

Sex toys can deliver new sensations and make masturbation more enjoyable. 

Here are a few options to try:

• Cock rings

• Artificial vaginas

• Butt plugs

• Male vibrators

• Penis sleeves

• Penis pumps

• Prostate massagers

Switch Up Positions

Changing positions may make masturbation more enjoyable for you. 

Some positions you can try include:

• Lying down. Lying down allows you to settle in and take your time. 

• Standing up. Standing up can mimic a real sexual experience, especially when combined with certain sex toys.

• On all fours. This position allows access to other erogenous zones like your prostate.

Worried about masturbation impacting your health? Good news: a lot of the information you’ve heard probably isn’t true. 

Let’s debunk a few masturbation myths.

Masturbation Causes Health Problems

Masturbation is a safe and natural human behavior. There’s no evidence masturbating leads to health issues.

And no, masturbation doesn’t cause:

• Blindness

• Infertility, in the long-term

• Hair loss

• Penis shrinkage

• Infertility

• You to run out of semen

Masturbation also doesn’t lead to premature ejaculation when you’re having sex. In fact, certain types of masturbation can potentially help manage premature ejaculation. 

You Should Stop Masturbating After a Certain Age

This just isn’t true. 

A study from four Northern European countries found that around half of partnered men aged 60–75 reported masturbating in the past month. For those without a partner, the number was nearly 75 percent. 

Masturbation Damages Your Genitals

Unless you’re really aggressive, it’s unlikely you’ll damage your penis (or other parts “down there”) by masturbating.

Using too tight a grip can lead to a loss of sensation (AKA death grip syndrome).

And getting really rough during sex can potentially lead to a penile fracture, which can happen when your penis suddenly bends. 

People Masturbate Because They Can’t Find a Sexual Partner

Many people in healthy sexual relationships masturbate too! Masturbation isn’t a second-tier sexual activity. Plenty of couples even masturbate together.

Excessive and compulsive masturbation that interferes with daily life, relationships, or other activities might be a sign of sex addiction. 

Sex addiction (AKA hypersexuality) involves an overwhelming preoccupation with sexual thoughts and behaviors. 

People with hypersexuality might excessively consume pornography or engage in risky sexual behaviors like having sex in public places. That being said, a strong sexual drive or having several sexual partners is not a problem if you're able to keep other areas of your life in balance.

If you think you’re masturbating too much or feel overwhelmed by thoughts of sex, consider reaching out to a mental health professional.

It’s obvious that masturbation feels good. But what about other benefits? 

Here are other pros of masturbation for men:

• Stress and pain relief. Sexual activity triggers the release of endorphins. These are your body's natural feel-good chemicals, which may help boost your mood, and reduce stress, anxiety, and pain.

• Improved sleep. Many people feel relaxed after achieving orgasm. If you do it before bedtime, you might find it easier to fall asleep. But, if jerking off starts eating into your sleep time, it might do more harm than good.

• Sexual awareness. Masturbating regularly can help you better understand your body — from what feels good to you to which areas are most sensitive. It can also help with body positivity. 

• Ejaculatory control. Practicing masturbation can potentially improve your stamina and control during partnered sex. This can be particularly helpful if you deal with premature ejaculation.

Ejaculation and Risk of Prostate Cancer

There’s a potential link between frequent ejaculation and a lower prostate cancer risk. 

A 2023 study in almost 32,000 men found that those who ejaculated 21 times or more per month during adulthood had a lower risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer later in life.

Here are a few reasons you might consider reaching out to a professional — like your provider or a sex therapist — for help with masturbation:

• Compulsive behavior. You’re masturbating or thinking about masturbation a lot (think: more than 10 times a day) and it’s interfering with your job, responsibilities, relationships, or daily life.

• Physical discomfort. You’re having penile pain while masturbating or that doesn’t go away after you ejaculate.  

• Emotional distress. You feel guilty, anxious, or depressed about masturbation.

• Erectile dysfunction. You’re having trouble getting and keeping an erection hard enough to masturbate. 

By experimenting with different techniques during a solo session, you can better understand your sexual likes and dislikes. 

Let’s recap what we know about how to masturbate for men:

• There’s no right or wrong way to masturbate. But keep in mind, masturbation shouldn’t be painful. If it is, stop what you’re doing.

• Masturbation is a normal sexual activity. Don’t let anyone tell you that it will make you blind, shrink your penis, or affect your fertility.

• Masturbation itself isn’t harmful, but it can be in excess. Compulsively masturbating at the expense of other responsibilities can be a sign of hypersexuality.

Want to learn more about how to masturbate? Check out our guide on mindful masturbation. 

If you’re struggling to get hard enough to have sex or masturbate, you might be dealing with ED. We can connect you with a provider who can talk you through your treatment options. Get started today!