Masturbation 101: Everything You Need to Know for an Empowering Self-Pleasure Session

Not only is masturbating pleasurable, but it helps us look after our minds and bodies while better understanding our sexuality. In addition to helping you get to know yourself better, it can also help improve your sexual relationships overall, by giving you the power to articulate exactly what you want when your with someone else. 

Masturbation also come with emotional benefits, by encouraging emotional connection with your body. Sex is experienced between the ears, not just the legs. For example, a lot of people have insecurities about their body, which can lead to anxiety about sex. Masturbation can help embrace body positivity. The more your have a healthy experience exploring your erotic zones, and learning your pleasure principles, the healthier and sexier your will feel about yourself and appear to your partner(s).

Here are 14 tips to guide you threw masturbation

1. Put yourself in the mood

You’re maybe not always in the state of mind for masturbation and that’s ok. When your head is somewhere else, it’s easier to put yourself in the mood by changing your environment vibe. Play with your room lighting, light up some candles, put your sexy playlist or go do it in your bath maybe! It can also be easier when you are feeling yourself, so put on your favorite underwear, lingeries or perfume!

2. Touch your non-genital erogenous zones

Instead of going from zero to genital, spend time romancing your non-genital erogenous zones. There’s no rush! Spend 5 to 10 minutes touching your body. Explore it with your hands while taking deep breathes. Embrace your skin and curves, while using your breath to sink deeper into the pleasure. With your hands and mind, identify new erogenous zones. You can rub, pinch, pull, squeeze, or tug your nipples, inner thighs, ears, neck, and other parts of your body during solo play. 

3. Use your imagination

Fantasizing is a time to discover what turns you on without judgement. We can live any fantasy we want in our own heads. Using your imagination for masturbation allows you to be creative and empowered, which is not always the case when watching pornography. When you draw on your thoughts and desires, you can develop your own scenarios. This can make the experience more personalized and intimate to your unique sexual preferences.

4. Watch some ethical porn

If your imagination just isn't cutting it (no worries), invest in some ethical porn. Cause yes, if you want to incorporate pornography or erotica into your sexual fantasies, you need to consider the ethical implications of the material you consume. One way to do this is to look for ethical pornography and erotica by prioritizing the well-being and consent of all involved.

5. Listen to erotic audio

Not a visual learner? Thanks to erotic audio, you can listen to a tale that'll get you all hot and bothered and let your mind do the rest of the work.A bit like an erotic book, this leaves room to create your own visual surrounding the story. 

6. Head south

Use your fingers and go to your genital zones. If you have a vagina and want clitorial stimulations, run your fingers along the outer and inner lips of your vulva. Start rubbing or stroking your clitoris through the hood. You can also form a “V” with your pointer and middle fingers and slide them up and down the sides of the clitoral shaft. Find your rhythm. For vaginal stimulations, you can massage your vaginal opening, then slowly insert your fingers into your vagina. Make sure your vagina is wet or that you’ve applied enough lube to avoid friction. Start to move your fingers in a circular, in-and-out, stroking, or combination of motions. It’s best to use a “come hither” motion to stimulate your G-spot.

If you have a penis, moving your hand in an up-and-down motion is a tried-and-true masturbation technique — and for many people, it almost always leads to an orgasm. But why keep solo play boring? Experiment with different movements for a more profound and powerful experience. You can use long, twisting strokes from base to tip. You can palm and pull your penis head while masturbating with a full-hand grip. You could also add a little bit of rubbing to the classic three-finger grip.

7. Explore the backdoor

You don’t have to go inside the ass to enjoy its pleasure-potential. The entrance of the anus has as many nerve endings as the tip of the penis. When you begin exploring anal masturbation, start externally and get comfortable and familiar with the sensation. Add lube to your finger and simply circle the entrance to start.

8. Combine multiple types of stimulation

Combining stimulation from multiple erogenous zones (ex: penis, clitoris, vagina, cervix, nipple, inner thighs, anus, etc) can add up to some serious pleasure. Allow your other hand to explore elsewhere while the other one is busy.

9. Bring the sex toys

A sex toy can really take your self-pleasure game to another level. It gives you the opportunity to explore sensations that you may not be able to achieve on your own. It can also come in handy if you want to stimulate more than one area at a time, such as having a butt plug inserted while masturbating. 

10. Lube it up

The wetter the better! Lubrication is a pretty important part of masturbating because it makes stimulating your genitals much more comfortable. It also helps prevent friction and therefore bacterial infections.  

11. Focus on your sensations

You don’t have to turn off your mind to reach pleasure or orgasm. Not unlike how you pay attention to your breath when meditating. Look at how your body reacts, your heart beating faster, the warmth of your body rising.

12. Play around with positions

You switch positions in sex, so why not when masturbating? Experiment and find what’s right for you. Some people like to rub their clit against the bed, while others like to lay on their backs. Some like to keep their knees bent; others like to splay their legs out straight, and others still like to lift their legs into a V-shape. It doesn't matter what your personal taste is—but you won't know until you move around.

13. Focus on pleasure, not orgasm

Like with any sex acts and relationships, it's best not to go into masturbating with any expectations—even achieving orgasm—because that can make you feel anxious. The most important part of masturbation is simply to "savor the sensation" and not set out with the intention of orgasm. Take-your-time! 

14. Aftercare time, yes even alone with yourself

Before returning to your daily routine, it's important to take time to relax! Explore your emotions, your body responses, your mental state. Think about what you enjoyed or what you would like to try next time. Lay down, close your eyes and feel the goodness throughout your body.  

The Bottom Line

Now you are ready to enjoy! Maybe you will want to do it again right after. Why not! Contrary to many myths, it is not true that too much masturbation is bad for humans. Masturbation only becomes harmful if you devote so much time to it, that you have no time for your daily activities and that it leads you to experience distress. This practice has many physical and mental benefits, so go for it!