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When it comes to men’s sexual performance, conversations often center on finishing too quickly. The idea that men should “last longer”…
EQ Training and Retainer Rings: Ask The Experts
Big Al, of MaleEnhancementCoach.com, answers questions about levels of EQ for training and how retainer ring works and holds in blood.
If you have questions you’d like answered in an Ask the Experts article, please PM Big Al
Q. I read you mention about erection quality and where to start off in your training. What do you mean by this?
Al: When a client comes to me for training, one of the stats necessary for assessment for is EQ (Erection Quality: a combined measure of stamina and hardness).
EQ is the literal life blood of the penis and is foundational to male enhancement. If you want to add size via tissue expansion and thoroughly recover from training, you should be striving to develop your EQ to its maximum- even higher than what you may feel is needed for optimal sexual contact.
If EQ is a 5 or lower (on a 0 to 10 scale- where 0 is total impotence and a 10 is the client’s ideal level of EQ), I generally recommend starting on a Stamina Only regimen for conditioning.
For starting a basic routine, an EQ level of 6 or greater is desirable.
For advanced training, an EQ of 7 or greater is recommended.
Q. Why is it I can wear a retainer (cock) ring pretty tightly and it lets the blood in but not out? Shouldn’t the ring stop blood from going in altogether? What am I missing here?
Al: The penis delivers blood back to the body through the veins near the surface- as opposed to blood going IN via the deeper arteries (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorsal_veins_of_the_penis#/media/File:Gray588.png). To summarize: blood can go in, and it doesn’t go out (or at least the rate of blood return is slowed). This is why you can wear a secure ring and still pump or induce an erection.
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Pumping Edition of Ask the Experts
Big Al, of MaleEnhancementCoach.com, answers questions about pumping.
If you have questions you’d like answered in an Ask the Experts article, please PM Big Al
Q. Is there a specific erection level you should use when entering the pump? When I go in erect, I don’t get in as good of a workout as when I go in a bit flaccid.
Al: If you don;t have any serious stamina concerns and are utilizing the device with enlargement in mind, you can enter the device at about 70% erect or so- then proceed to induce a full erection once you’re in the device.
If one has ED or has serious stamina issues. then enter the device with as much of an erection as can be comfortably managed.
Q. What are your favorite pumping routines?
Al: The following are two pages of data I recommend on this subject:
‧ The Advantages of Pulse Penis Pumping
Q. Are there things you can do during the pump session itself to make the workout more challenging?
Al: There are various intensity techniques which can be used by the advanced. Pulling (jacking) the device slightly can generate even more pressure in slight bursts. Some use this as a means of self-pleasuring.
Another very advanced technique is to give a pull and then a quick pump to remove a slight bit of pressure. The singular pump combined with a pull creates a greater negative pressure deficit.
The above can also be performed with a well-timed Kegel instead of a pull.
These techniques work best with a manual pump or BathMate type device.
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Eating habits that can have a negative impact on men’s sexual health
By Radhika Agrawal
22 January 2023
This article is a repost which originally appeared on GQ India.
Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.
Key Points
‧ Diet has a high impact on sexual performance.
‧ Negative habits like smoking, excess caffeine and alcohol, and poor sleep can also negatively affect sexual performance.
‧ Switching to a healthy diet may reverse many of the above problems.
POV: You take your date out for pizza and wine, the two of you click instantly, and they even invite you back to their place. Everything is going splendidly—until your erection bails on you midway. If you’re not sure what went wrong, it might be a good idea to take a closer look at your diet leading up to the anticlimactic event. Junk food can have an adverse effect on your libido and excessive drinking can leave you with an unfortunate case of whisky dick.
“Sexual health and nutrition share a closer relationship than most realize. What we put into our body determines how it functions, and a lousy diet can influence erectile function through its effects on the biology of blood vessels and nerves, leading to issues that will affect sexual performance,” says Dr. Rushikesh Trivedi, Metabolic Expert at Fast&Up.
When we talk about men’s sexual health, we are not only referring to the sex drive or libido, but also the ability to have and maintain an erection, which is known as erectile function. Your diet and nutrition can have a positive or negative impact on your sexual health and performance, both directly and indirectly. We spoke to Dr. Trivedi to understand how this happens. Here’s everything you need to know about the relationship between nutrition and sexual health in men.
Following a healthy, balanced diet is not only the key to looking good in the bedroom—it’s also responsible for your sexual health. If you are noticing a decrease in your sex drive or erectile function, it’s time to start cutting out unhealthy and junk foods from your nutrition plan. “Making smart dietary choices can help turn things around. It is critical to consume meals high in zinc, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids for optimal sperm health and production. Nuts, beans, shellfish, green vegetables, seeds, seafood, and other foods fall under this category,” advises Dr. Trivedi. He also suggests consuming supplements from trusted and certified brands to meet your dietary needs.
Let’s not forget that an improper diet is also linked to weight gain and obesity, which can lead to self esteem issues and other health problems. “Carrying those extra pounds can increase the odds of developing unwanted health and sexual problems,” says Dr. Trivedi.
You may not realize it, but your unhealthy lifestyle habits can affect your sexual patterns in the long run. Smoking, excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption, erratic sleep schedules, and a stressful routine can lead to sexual dysfunction over a period of time. It is essential that you take care of your cardiovascular health to improve your sexual health.
According to Dr. Trivedi, the most common causes of sexual problems are fatigue and depression. Exercising can boost your mood and help you have better sex. “By exercising on a regular basis, you increase your blood flow and stamina. You’re also releasing more endorphins, which generate positive emotions in the body akin to morphine,” he says.
The following is taken from Chapter 14: Ways to Treat Premature Ejaculation from The Ultimate Guide To Male Enhancement.
Edited for content
Many men never experience the full potential of pleasure they can receive from their sexual encounters. This little–known mental/sexual exercise will take you to levels of pleasure and control you never thought possible.
Step 1:
First, you must find a time and a place in which you will be COMPLETELY undisturbed for 20–30 minutes.
Step 2:
Lie back naked on your bed (or another comfortable surface) and encircle your penis with your thumb, index, and middle finger. Place your middle finger on the sensitive spot directly behind your penis head (glans.) Rub your penis or visualize until it becomes erect.
Step 3:
While maintaining the pressure behind the glans with your middle finger, close your eyes and concentrate as deeply as possible on visualizing yourself performing with the utmost confidence and completely stress free, and in feeling a slight bit of pressure behind the sensitive spot behind the glans. It’s the EMOTIONAL feel of performing in this manner you’ll want to be able to duplicate in real live sexual scenarios.
At first, it will probably be difficult to concentrate deeply without a break in concentration for any length of time. This is where the mantra “practice makes perfect” comes into play. It will probably take a dozen sessions or more of 20–30 minutes before you are able to achieve the very deep level of concentration necessary for this exercise to work.
After you master the technique, your ability to concentrate and focus will become so strong, you will be able to bring yourself to orgasm merely by keeping pressure behind the glans with your middle finger and
concentrating on the feel of the movement! Some very light rubbing is acceptable. Some men have even reported multiple orgasms from following this technique!
Once you have mastered this technique, you will then be able to fully appreciate the pleasures of sex!
NOTE: Keep in mind some men will not be able to achieve orgasm without movement. If this describes your situation, once you come as close to climaxing as mere pressure and concentration will allow, you can jiggle your penis just enough to push you over the edge into climax.
The Context of Stamina Exercises for Training Male Enhancement: Ask The Experts
Big Al, of MaleEnhancementCoach.com, answers questions about exercises.
If you have questions you’d like answered in an Ask the Experts article, please PM Big Al
Q. In your 3×20 routine you mention doing Kegels during the breaks in between sets.
What’s the advantage of this over doing them after the hanging?
Al: The Kegels in between sets are meant to act as an antagonist to the stretching- creating a “push/pull” effect*. There’s also the efficiency factor. It’s recommended you take a break in between hanging sets to restore full circulation, so if you can that and take care of other aspects of your training, you save time.
*Reference: https://mediphysio.com.au/pnf-stretching-technique/
Q. What is the purpose for starting a workout using Emotional Visualizations?
Al: The Emotional Visualizations serve the purpose of dispelling emotions inappropriate to the scenario (e.g.- anxiety, apathy, etc.) and replacing them with, at the very least, a feeling of neutrality. Optimally, you should be inducing a feeling of confidence and relaxed joy to effect the best response. This will allow you to set the tone to extract much more out of the sensations you’re experiencing- which leads to a better kinesthetic sense during training. As you get better as inducing the desired emotions, you’ll learn to transcend limitations placed by your own [initial] mental reservations.
Q. Up until now I haven’t been doing any sort of stamina exercise…
[Editor’s Note: This refers to Kegels and edging and may also include outside activities like cardiovascular training], and I think this could be why I’m not making gains. Getting erections is easy for me but maintaining them past a few minutes is hard. What should I do?
Al: It can’t be stressed enough that- for as long as you’re pursuing enlargement- you should be attempting to get your Erection Quality (EQ) as high as you can get it. This rule applies even if your sexual prowess is satisfactory. Few factors are more important for inducing maximum tissue stretch and recovery than high EQ.
This doesn’t even cover the other benefits of stamina work- which include greater penis strength and health, as well as ejaculatory control. One can even develop the ability to become multiorgasmic, as discussed in the Master Your Orgasms exercise.
In your case, including Kegels and Stop and Starts immediately after your enlargement work should work well. You should also take care to do what you can outside of male enhancement training to induce better EQ, and nothing beats cardiovascular exercise for this purpose.
The following are two chapters taken from the book: The Ultimate Guide To Male Enhancement.
Edited for content
Chapter 12: Dealing with Premature Ejaculation
What is Premature Ejaculation?
The definition of what constitutes premature ejaculation may vary depending on the source, but it’s commonly accepted as a scenario where the length of time for sexual performance on the part of the male is unsatisfactory, by either the man or his partner. That being said, what constitutes premature ejaculation can be arbitrary. There is no set time that if you orgasm before it then you have premature ejaculation.
Consider this – the average time between arousal and ejaculation is typically three minutes for a man. Considering the
average time for a woman to orgasm is typically 13 minutes after arousal it can be seen how many men may think they have premature ejaculation, but really they are simply normal. With this in mind, you can see why foreplay is so important to satisfying a woman.
Phases of Ejaculation
There are two phases of ejaculation.
● The Emission Phase and
● The Ejaculatory Phase
Emission Phase:
Here are the physical processes which occur during the emission phase of ejaculation:
● The vas deferens begins to contract to move sperm from the testes toward the urethra and prostate gland.
● The seminal vesicles secrete fluids into the urethra
● Chemical messages activate the sympathetic nervous system and begin what’s known as the ‘point of no return’
(PONR). Ejaculation is inevitable at this point.
Ejaculatory Phase:
During the ejaculatory phase, the posterior portion of the urethra senses the sperm and secretions and sends a signal
to the spinal cord. This then sends messages to the muscles at the base of your penis. This causes said muscles to contract, which results in ejaculation.
Chapter 13: Causes of Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation can be caused by any number of factors. These can be separated into two categories:
● Physical (which can include chemical side effects) and
● Mental (or psychological) causes.
It’s not uncommon for both some mental component to be present in physical cases of premature ejaculation. Worry
about the experience of premature ejaculation often compounds any physical components.
Physical Premature Ejaculation
The most common form of premature ejaculation is due to physical causes. The most common among these is negative conditioning. This is usually because most men masturbate in a hurried and furtive manner. Doing this repeatedly trains the body into ejaculating quickly, so it shouldn’t be surprising to understand how this can lead to issues.
If added stimuli like porn is used, it can further skew what you can expect from real sexual encounters. This then adds to anxiety, which further increases the possibility of premature ejaculation. The easiest way to correct this is to train in a manner contrary to negative conditioning. This will be discussed in detail further in the section.
Hormonal Issues
If you have low testosterone or abnormal levels of catabolic hormones this can have a drastic effect on your ability to maintain an erection. This can turn into premature ejaculation if you have to strive to get erect. It can be further compounded if your hormone imbalances induce negative emotions like anxiety. Diet and exercise is often recommended as a treatment for issues related to hormone imbalances; however, if do-it-yourself treatments aren’t effective, then a full blood work up is necessary to determine the cause of these imbalances.
Chronic and/or acute stress can lower levels of dopamine in the system. This can create a scenario where you can find it difficult just to get aroused even in the absence of anxiety. Stress management is key to helping treat this issue. The amino acid L-Tyrosine has been shown to be effective at helping to restore natural dopamine levels.
Infections
It’s been shown infections of the prostate and urethra may contribute to premature ejaculation. Infections usually require medical attention and antibiotics for treatment.
Pelvic Floor Issues
Pelvic floor spasms may contribute to premature ejaculation. If these symptoms are minor, rest and targeted stretching of the area should help to alleviate the issue. If the problem is more severe, this might require the services of a physical therapist for relief.
A strain in the pelvic floor may cause pain upon Kegeling and symptoms such as “hard flaccid”. Certain muscles like the ischiocavernosus can become perpetually strained. This leads to a difficult to resolve issue, as these muscles are involved in many different bodily functions. Due to this, it’s not easy to allow them to recover as you would if you immobilized an arm or even a leg. A strain may require targeted massage and heat. Specific yoga poses which specifically target the pelvic floor may help to speed healing as well.
A common cause of pelvic floor issues is due to abusing the Kegel. This includes the Reverse Kegel (contractile) exercise. It’s vital you start Kegeling by using only as much contractile force as is needed during any of the Kegel type movements. A limited number of reps should be performed as well and then slowly increased each session.
Prescription Medications
Some prescription drugs may cause premature ejaculation as one of their side effects. If this is the case, contact your physician or pharmacist to see if there are alternative medications.
Mental Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation may be placed on the spectrum of erectile dysfunction, especially if the case is so severe that penetration becomes difficult or impossible. This is often the case if performance anxiety is involve. A common scenario will involve difficulty in obtaining an erection, with almost immediate ejaculation upon or even before penetration. This stage most commonly precedes impotence.
Anxiety, depression and stress are three of the leading mental causes of premature ejaculation. Sometimes, it’s a matter
of which came first though – the chicken or the egg – the premature ejaculation or the anxiety/depression/stress. It’s
not uncommon for men to suffer from these three common challenges without even realizing. It’s even more common for these challenges to surface, when there’s a concern about premature ejaculation.
Big Al, of MaleEnhancementCoach.com, answers questions about EQ and Male Enhancement.
If you have questions you’d like answered in an Ask the Experts article, please PM Big Al.
What if my stamina is already good? Can I do away with performing the recommended stamina exercises?
Al: EQ or Erection Quality is a combined measure of stamina and hardness. This stat measures the literal life blood of the penis. It’s a useful stat for checking many aspects of male enhancement development in addition to mere stamina and hardness- like conditioning, mind state (when taken in conjunction with other stats) and whether or not a training break is recommended.
You can have great EQ, but if you’re looking to maximize your size gains then you’ll need to do what you can to get your EQ as high as possible. This is even if your EQ is more than satisfactory for sexual performance. While some correlate EQ as being a factor in “newbie” gains (which it undoubtedly is), it needs to be understood the EQ is also a huge factor in achieving advanced trainee gains as well- see: Types of Gains in Penis Enlargement.
Maintaining high EQ is also important for maintaining size gains after you’ve achieved your enlargement goals.
Al: If you’re new to male enhancement training, then exercises like Kegels and edging/Stop and Starts will be very helpful. You should also take care to do what you can outside of male enhancement to maximize your EQ gains- namely: performing regular, intensive cardiovascular exercise, maintaining a heart healthy lifestyle, and taking care to do something to encourage positive emotional health. (amissionofmercy.org)
For advanced stamina training, exercises like Towel Raises, Super Kegels, and the “Master Your Orgasms” exercise will be useful.
Big Al, of MaleEnhancementCoach.com, answers questions about Stamina Training & Sexual Performance.
If you have questions you’d like answered in an Ask the Experts article, please PM Big Al.
1) This one doesn’t matter if it’s with a woman. I read that I should masturbate up to couple of seconds before ejaculating. Is that how it should be done or when I feel that the end is about to come – my pelvic floor starts tensing and I know that I’ve lost control over it – when should I stop, first or second ?
2) Are there some positions that you suggest since I need to have full control over the motions?
3) And I understood that I shouldn’t do the stop and starts if I have sex more than three times a week?
4) Since in the past I managed easily to get erection after finishing once or just maintaining it , is it bad to cum 3 to 4 times per evening when with a partner ?
5) And when cumming 3 or 4 times do you suggest doing the Stop and Start each time or just the first time ?
Big Al: Thanks for your questions! I’ve answered them in the order they were received:
1) Performing the techniques of the Stop and Starts during sexual activity is a superior practice to the manual version, but also more difficult to control. You’ll need to experiment with learning how you feel when you’re building up to ejaculation. If your pelvic floor begins to flutter this is a good sign you’re getting close. Slowing/stopping at this time should allow you to hold off ejaculation/orgasm. Learning when to stop and the timing in which you Kegel in reference to approaching the PONR is going to take practice.
2) Missionary position allows you maximum control, and when performed correctly is often the preferred position for giving a woman orgasms.
3) You should limit the MANUAL Stop and Starts as per the “60 Minute Rule” outlined in the Stamina Exercises section. You can have as much sexual contact as you can handle, but please be aware that sex can be considered a form of training. If you’re engaging in a lot of sex (several hours a day, multiple days per week) this will cut into your recovery. You may need to take extra days off between your enlargement sessions to account for this. Compound this with other types of training and you can see how you’ll need to optimize your recovery if you wish to be able to handle it all.
4) If you can recover enough to engage in 3 to 4 bouts of sexual activity per evening then more power to you 🙂
5) Practicing during live sexual activity is different from manual training. I don’t want to place any positive limitations on you (which includes the number of “stops”), but you should ensure you’re attempting to increase your time each session.
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