Loading, lengthening, healing.

Well I hope this question is on topic !

Can anyone answer this ?

Given that connective tissue is a viscoelastic material does strain increase as a function of time if stress remains constant ?

So hypothetically if hanging 20lbs for 30mins reaches a strain of 3% can you get to 4% by just hanging longer at the same weight ?

I apologise if this is really obvious but I’ve learnt to double check things.
Thanks.

Sorry, it was my fault, I meant to add a question after (or within) some considerations about the tunica, but it doesn’t look proper enough.

I fail to see how it wouldn’t strain more the longer you apply the load, but I’ve learned to not trust my physical intuition regarding the tissues of my dick.

That’s exactly why I’m asking :)

See if this answers your question:
"Stress/relaxation occurs if a tendon or ligament is held at a constant length (strain) by a load (stress), and the stress required to maintain that strain decreases (Fig 33-21). This decreases rapidly during the first 6 to 8 hours of loading and then more slowly over the next few months.".
So, given the relations between load and strain, it makes sense that if a lower load is required to held the tissue at the same length, the same load will stretch the tissu further. How much further? Here comes elasticiy: the tissue will stretch easily a bit further for a small range, then you’ll need a way bigger force.
"Because of their elasticity, tendons are more deformable at low strain rates. Therefore, the tendons absorb more energy but are less effective in transferring loads. At high strain rates, tendons become less deformable with a high degree of stiffness and are more effective in moving large loads."

Another problem is that, again, we are not dealing with inanimate things; most of curves you are going to see illustrate the behavior of connective tissue in a span of few cycles or hours, not a span of weeks or months:
"Tendons are living tissue and respond to mechanical forces by changing the metabolism as well as their structural and mechanical properties. For example, tendons exhibit increase cross sectional area and tensile strength, with increased tendon fibroblast production of collagen type I in response to appropriate physical training. However, inappropriate physical training leads to tendon overuse injuries or tendonopathy and excessive repetitive stretching of tendon fibroblast increases the production of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4. The ability of connective tissues like tendons to alter their structure in response to mechanical loading is referred to as tissue mechanical adaptation."

http://www.shou lderdoc.co.uk/a … sp?article=1029

I think we have basically two strategies: 1) apply a low load to overcome the elastic behavior of connective tissue and stretch it longer easily; b) applying big forces with low frequency, so that gaps in the tissue are filled:

" Collagen fiber and fibril damage above the damage threshold. After axial tissue strains were induced in medial collateral ligaments, control tissues (0% strain; A, C, D) possess normal microstructure, while tissues stretched above the defined damaged threshold for rat MCL (∼5% or 40–60% of the failure strain) show collagen fiber and fibril damage, disorganized fibril organization, and ruptured fibrils (B, E–H). (A) Control tissue. (B) Tissue stretched to 7.7% strain showing collagen fiber damage. (C, D) Control ligaments displaying normal fibril organization and morphology. (E) Tissue stretched to 7.7% strain revealing a region in which collagen fibril morphology and organization appear normal (the collagen fiber that contains this region appeared intact). (F)

Tissue stretched to 6.7% strain showing substantial fibril disorganization (the fiber that contains this region was ruptured indicating a possible retraction of fibrils). (G–H) Tissue stretched to 5.8% strain displaying collagen fibril rupture (the fiber containing this region appeared intact). Hence, shortly after injury some fibers are intact and appear normal, some fibers are completely ruptured and a ‘gap’ exists between ruptured fibers, and additionally some fibers are intact but contain ruptured collagen fibrils that contain a ‘gap’ between ruptured fibril ends.
As such, if the tissue gap remains and is present when new tissue ‘fills in’ without substantial contracture, the repaired fiber or fibril would be longer than its pre-injury length and as such it will be more lax."
http://www.scie ncedirect.com/s … 945053X04001210

Note that ‘more lax, when applied to the penis, means near for sure temporary erectyle disfuntion. Note also that we are speaking of sub-failure damage of connective tissue, not a complete rupture.

That’s a pretty comprehensive answer thanks.
It makes sense that strain increases with time, it’s the only way I can understand how guys can make gains with low pressure pumping, they just go for longer !.

I think for us non gainers the problem is probably that we don’t stretch hard enough or long enough to get past the elastic phase ?

Pumping is too brief to give low-load gains IMHO.

Ok so how are they gaining ?

I’ve read a load of physiotherapy pages online recently and the time frames of 30-60mins for low load stress keep coming up.
That’s inline with what a lot of pumpers do.

So what do you think is going on ?

I don’t see many pumpers gaining at all, frankly. A lot of fluid build up and bad measurement. If there is any permanent gains from pumping, has to come through sub-failure damage.

So do you think the dynamic pressure cycling method has some merit ?

Considering everything you’ve studied in the context of this thread and the forum as a whole what do you think works ?

Personally I just see different ways of applying force, I don’t see how one method is that far removed from another having tried them all except hanging.

I’ve found them all equally ineffective LOL

Pumping is a strange beast. If you stretch, you pull the tunica, basically. If you apply depression, you are filling the void (so to speak) with anything that can be pulled in. This means that what mostly will be used to fill the void will be fluids. Just a fraction of the expansion you see in the tube is due to real tunica expansion, otherwise you could pump at crazy pressure (like with the dynamic method) once every two weeks and see half inch girth gains per month. Does this happens? No. That’s also the reason why is suggested to pump erect - so to avoid that you are just filling your penis with fluids.

I think the best approach would be something like few months using an extender and few weeks applying very high force, through manual fulcrum stretching. As for girth, a few months with a routine based on edging with a cock ring+ wet jelqs, than a few weeks based on fulcrum stretching (expecially spiral stretches, which I think have big potential) + horse440/clamping + dry jelqs should do the trick. Pumping can be a useful supplement to both phases.

At the present, this is the best approach I can think of.

I think you are right!! Force applied reasonably, sanely and with common sense can do good. Without reasonable thought and knowledgeable guidance, it is going to harm a lot of people. A little force, properly applied, will get the job done. And I mean a little force as compared to what is being expounded today.

For God’s Sake this is NOT a “science”. It is not even a reasonably developed “art”. Do you see a common thread of repeatability anywhere? That is from one person to the next. We must understand the sex organ (penis), like any organ, muscle, tissue, or whatever, is usually NOT in optimum condition unless it is exercised a little beyond it’s routine and usual interaction with the environment around it. Stress it a little, whether it be a bicep or penis, and after a while you can realize a larger, stronger, more effective (in what it is supposed to do) and in general; healthier body part. Remember I said; “stress it a little”. This extreme stuff is dangerous.

I guess I’m one of the lucky few that gets great results, in just a little time, and with very little effort. I’ve been at PE for only 3 months. I have gained a good one inch in length, 1/4” to 3/8” girth increase, and a hang that many would envy. I had the turtle syndrome 4 months ago. I massaged that thing out of the body and today it rests very well externally with a 5” flaccid heavy hang. My routine has been mostly Bath Mate (a hydro vacuum pump) and with a little jelqing and manual stretching to cement in the gains. Over this 3 months I have seen 2 occasions where I peaked out in gain and even seemed to lose some of it. I would leave it alone for a couple days and come back to find it had actually gained more.

Today, this is what I see. A one to 1-1/4” length gain and now at 7.0 to 7.25 BPEL. And, a mid girth of 5.0 to 5.25. That is up from 4-3/4”. What I actually see is as follows. Base is around 5-1/2”, Mid girth is about 5-1/4” and the glans, I’m not sure about. The glans seems to have enlarged the most. The glans’ trailing edge is at an angle to the center line of the shaft. If I measure around the maximum perimeter following this 20 to 25 degree (glans) angle, the measurement is a good 6” in girth. Is this the correct way to measure or should it be at a 90 degree angle to the center line? Anyway, it’s big.

I see these increases, my measuring instruments see these increases and my wife is really seeing and feeling these increases. She is so pleased. Sex has never been better. We are now deep into the cul de sac (fornix) and loving it. Even better, that 6 inches (more or less) in the leading edge in doing great things in the shallow and tight area. That includes the G-spot, just a little beyond. Pumps seem to work for me!

Congrats on the gains Idol. I’m not sure your posts are on the topic, though.

Sorry if I am not on subject. I was just vehemently objecting to your claim Originally Posted by marinera and follows:

” I don’t see many pumpers gaining at all, frankly. A lot of fluid build up and bad measurement. If there is any permanent gains from pumping, has to come through sub-failure damage”

I just can’t agree based upon my (although limited) experience.