My suggestion to epic semen-retention athletes is that it probably is a good idea to ejaculate sometimes, maybe a couple of times a month, or at least every few months.
QUESTION: Hi, Bruce. My son is really smart, 3rd year at Stanford U. and we raised him liberally. He’s not on Bateworld (as far as I know!) like I am, but he has told me he masturbates every day using your Mindful Masturbation techniques, from your Erotic Engineering site. Now he tells me he’s been retaining his semen, not ejaculating, for almost a year. Is this really okay? Is it healthy?
RESPONSE: That’s great that you communicate openly and honestly with your son on the subject of masturbation. To be honest, the evidence is not at all conclusive that regular ejaculation can actually prevent prostate problems, despite some sort of online “urban legends” to that effect. The flip side of this is that I don’t believe there have been any studies at all about either drawbacks or benefits of choosing not to ejaculate so often, either edging for a while, or retaining your semen completely.
Though some doctors have also jumped on this bandwagon, saying to ejaculate often is healthier, this actually overlaps with a generally masturbation-friendly attitude, which of course, is great!
My reactions to this are based on my personal experience, the experiences of many men I know who retain their semen a lot of the time. The original studies that suggested a connection between ejaculation often and prostate health were statistically very limited in number and seem based on assumptions that may not hold up to scrutiny. For one thing, when you really do masturbate mindfully, keeping your pelvis relaxed, breathing, changing positions, perhaps stimulating your prostate directly or indirectly part of the time, your prostate gets exercised, pulsates, and produces its special fluid.
What I have observed is that prostate problems seem more likely for men who hardly masturbate at all, or who end up having sexual relations infrequently. I think a significant lack of much sexual activity at all may be more likely to cause prostate problems.
During arousal and prolonged intervals of penis stimulation, your prostate will swell up slightly and harden to the touch, and it grows more sensitive. During “dry orgasms” it even pulsates sometimes, sending blissful waves through your body from head-to-toes, though not the more vigorous and rapid pumping action that accompanies full-blown ejaculation. So—while life comes with no guarantees—I doubt you have anything to worry about in the case of your son. Mindful Masturbation is inspired partly by ancient Chinese Taoist teachings on sexual energy called “cultivation,” and the Taoist teachings emphasize the value of retaining your semen. The Taoist teaching is that as you age, you should ejaculate, to maintain your health and vigor. Any guy who practices this discovers that he can live his entire life in an altered state of feeling energized and satisfied, yet serene, while also ready for more erotic play almost anytime.
My suggestion to epic semen-retention athletes is that it probably is a good idea to ejaculate sometimes, maybe a couple of times a month, or at least every few months. Of course, I’d love to see precise scientific studies of brain chemistry, hormones, and influence on the prostate from prolonged semen retention by men who do enjoy a lot of penis stimulation but prefer not to come very often. Retaining semen produces an abundance of dopamine, oxytocin and testosterone. Some men go in and out of wanting to retain their semen.
It sounds to me like you have more reason than one to be very proud of your son! Keep the lines of communication open with him. Congratulations!
The Mindful Masturbation Techniques can also be found right here on The Bator Blog.
BRUCE P. GRETHER is the “BateMaster”. Mr. Grether’s lifelong love of penises and masturbation has led him to achieve a level of mastery and understanding of masturbation that is at once unique and extremely rare. He is renowned for both his ability to achieve seemingly endless states of prolonged and intense masturbatory pleasure as well as his skill in passing this knowledge on to his students. Mr. Grether has made it his life’s mission to encourage men to take their practice of masturbation to new levels of personal enrichment and self-discovery.
Mr. Grether is a globally recognized masturbation activist, an accomplished masturbation coach, and a tireless facilitator of masturbation workshops. In 2001 he coined the now popular term “Mindful Masturbation”. He is the author of a best-selling book, The Secret of the Golden Phallus, plus the erotic fantasy novels
The Moontusk Chronicles. His website can be found at www.eroticengineering.com.
A note from The Batemaster: I’m honored that the guys at Bateworld have asked me to respond to some questions from male masturbators around the world every week.
Always check with your doctor about any issues you might be experiencing with your sexual organs. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important. This article’s purpose is to inform and entertain readers and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.
What works for me at age 76 is ejaculating about once every 3 weeks. This minimizes the number of 2-3 day refactory periods following an ejaculation, a period that has gradually been increasing as I age. I still masturbate daily, usually for 20 – 60 minutes with an equal number of dry orgasms. In the 3rd week of retention my mind and body start to feel what becomes an irresistible need to ejaculate. I think we have to experiment a bit and listen to our bodies and then follow the wisdom we get – so I try and really enjoy those infrequent wet orgasms!
Brother, you are an exemplary and inspiring masturbator to me, and to many other men. Your comments are much valued, and make good sense. Though a “Fundamental Taoist” might consider using a formula based on the numerical age of a man for how often he ought to ejaculate, we humans are way too complex to formulate so simply as to exact numbers. You make the most important point of all: Listen to your own body. It tells you what it wants and needs, if you listen closely. You’ve listened to your body mindfully for many years! Thank you.
I totally agree Fullmoon, just listen to our bodies (for our sexual needs) its a simple enough task. At 65 I’m still a daily masturbator & ejaculator and love my orgasms of course. At the same time, I really should experiment more.
I seriously want to become an “epic semen retention athlete”. For real, what an accomplishment to be among the very best at giving ourselves the utmost in pleasure!