thoughtfulgold's Edging Theory

Hi there, TG here. Today I’m going to talk to you about Edging. Also why I prefer it to Ballooning and some of the other good uses for edging other than warming up and warming down from PE workouts.

Q: What is Edging?
A: Edging is the process of taking your penis to an erect state and teasing yourself and holding it there. Staying as hard as you can, for as long as you can. The purpose of it is as a light stress exercise is often twofold;
1. It can ready the penile tissue for a more in depth session of exercise or device use (this is using it to warm up). Typically takes no more than 10 minutes.
2. or to restore feeling in the tissues, affirm good circulation and keep the tissue plump and engorged for positive benefits at a sessions end (this is using it to warm down.) Typically needs no more than 15 minutes.

Q: What makes it different from Ballooning?
A. Ballooning is at least on its face very similar to edging. You do the same technique of taking your penis to full erection but the difference is you take yourself to the brink of orgasm, until you feel it coming on and stop it while maintaining your erection. The core difference is there in blue italics but if you want to talk technical, you need more self-control, concentration and typically more time to balloon than to edge.

In simpler words, added for clarity…
Edging is staying hard as long as possible while. not orgasming (cumming).

Ballooning is staying hard and going to the brink, where you feel orgasm starting to happen then backing off over and over.

Q: Why Balloon over Edge?
A. Ballooning takes advantage of the pre-orgasmic swelling a penis is naturally prone to do and if you can hit the “Point Of No Return” several times without orgasming you will engorge the penis more than with regular edging in the same time span. So you get a raw net benefit physically of engorged size with Ballooning.

Q: Why Edge over Balloon?
A. Simple. Ballooning requires more precision control over your orgasm and this is much harder to modulate than simple edging. Long-duration edging offers similar benefits to ballooning, just taking longer to achieve, and it is also not as hard to control and can be easily stopped and started again. Ballooning, to play with the PONR that it is designed to reach, often requires a very aroused mind instead of somewhat aroused and lower EQ will make ballooning nearly impossible but not the same for edging.

This work focuses on the benefits and usage of Edging primarily, the techniques may in some contexts apply to Ballooning as well but this is not the intended purpose of this work and Edging is thoughtfulgold’s method of choice. Stating this bias before continuing with Edging observations that you may also notice as you edge.

1. From the 1st to second day you’ll get big flaccid benefits. I have edged from 10 minutes to 4 hours per day. HOWEVER, this is based on time off from work and also PC gaming between time, 20 to 40 minute breaks. The times listed are cumulative, not necessarily consecutive.

2. From the 2nd to third day you’ll see reduced benefit and EQ but benefits should still exist. Reduced benefit is related to the length of the session on the first day more than the second.

3. On the 3rd day it’s highly likely you’ll orgasm. EQ does decline from extremely heavy edging sessions (of 90 minutes or more0 but if you subscribe to the engorged penis method if gaining then you will find some benefit in keeping it engorged so long and performing kegels and squeezing.

4. You need a lot of time and privacy. A freaking lot. You will find many interruptions.

5. Orgasm after 2 or 3 days of edging can be a small load, despite not having done so for 3 days. I wager it’s incomplete emptying due to tired PC muscles.

6. I’ve tried this many times on consecutive days edging. I turtle if I edge hardcore for 2 or 3 days and orgasm. I just do the following day for a good while. EQ drops to 0 for me at least that morning into the afternoon typically.

7. Edging, long duration, does seem to have lasting effects I’ve seen week to week. After an injury burning myself with a hot pump cylinder I can say I’ve definitely not done anything but edge, squeeze and some lightweight stretching from the Lightweight Routine #1-Stretching and I’ve seen gains in glans size and definition. There are other instances of lasting benefit but this one I’ve seen and felt recent, compared to the writing of this post.

8. *Squeezes seem beneficial with edging. With each full erection (80% or better) I’ll do one or two squeezes (until erection fades) after kegeling to max erection possible and kegeling regularly to keep maximum engorgement. A tight OK grip somewhere below mid shaft is sufficient. Everywhere above the grip reaches close to max expansion for the period of time you put the pressure on. In 2 weeks I’ve noted greater Corona Ridge (the round edge of the glans) definition. I’m hesitant to claim additional head size now but the potential seems very strong.

9. Friction over 3 days reduces sensitivity. Even if you somehow don’t orgasm I’d recommend resting with 0 PE or edging a full day just for that.

10. I said this in the definitions of Ballooning and Edging but I repeat that I personally find the “Point Of No Return” the point of diminished returns. Ballooning…is just too difficult and complex. Many successful prevented orgasms decrease EQ for the rest of the session. So, all of this advice is geared towards just edging. Ballooning can benefit I’m sure but this isn’t about that theory. Dancing with the PONR is just not the idea here. Play it safe. Let your Erection fade. PONR is not to be played with and can lower your morale if you miss it and release.

11. Edging is also a great time to try on condoms as you’re getting bigger. Understanding condom fit is best done solo, you don’t want surprises at showtime.

12. Hide your ruler/measuring tape. Mindset of getting bigger is so important. Ruler and tape can take you out of that zone if they aren’t bringing good news every time they appear.

13. Mix up your porn if you’re using porn. Try to imagine yourself in the action. To think of other sex or enjoyable times that you can generate images and feelings for in your mind. Edging is mental. Arousal is mental. Porn isn’t going to be there when you need to get erect for her. Try to make sure your arousal triggers aren’t static. This is one way how you can prevent dysfunction.

**14. For Long-term monogamous and Married PE practitioners a very good way to prevent dysfunction is to ditch porn all together and start using your partner as your material. Sext daily. Get nudes of them. Video of them masturbating or giving you fellatio. If you’re really good with your hands or have a tripod, take video of an entire session together. Become your own aphrodisiac. Prevents ED, makes sex a simpler affair and is a healthy habit to cultivate.

15. There is no minimum time for edging to show benefit. Don’t get down if you don’t last 10 minutes. Still happens to the best of us. Edging still benefits even without long durations.

16. Refine your technique and keep it stable. You need to know how to stay hard without releasing. So find your hot spots and use them sparingly. You can orgasm with a half erection (I’ve done it) so be careful when you use the more sensitive parts of your penis or your more arousing thoughts and material.

17. Do not forget that edging supplements a routine, be it manuals or devices. Engorging tissue that hasn’t seen prior strain will result in less change. Edging is encouraging your penis to reach its maximum and passively increase it. Increasing that maximum actively is still very vital and this is where your normal routine comes in.

18. Edging, especially consecutive days and long duration is in fact PE and if you’re going to use it in a longer sense like I detailed in this work, some of your rest days need to feature no PE at all. That way you can give yourself a more complete rest time. Overtraining with edging leads to the same losses in EQ, turtling, sensitivity issues and other negative Physiological Indicators that other overtraining leads to. Take this seriously.

*Squeezes here are defined as a basic exercise. Reach 80% erection, kegel, squeeze with an OK grip from the mid shaft or lower to the base if you prefer and hold for 30 seconds (kegeling additional blood to hold a stone hard engorgement is optional). I do not use ULIs or jelqing during edging. It increases fatigue to a point the session will conclude faster than I want it to. Do not do more than 3 of these consecutively. Stamina to continue the session does decrease quickly if you do.

**I stress “long-term” and “monogamous” here because you do not want to center your sexuality around anyone who is not a fixture in your life. This can cause serious problems if this person can or does exit your life because there’s no guarantee or reasonable expectation of a future with them. It will not be suitable for every partner that you may come across.

These are my personal notes on Edging and my theory on the concept. It may in fact differ from your experiences and beliefs and this is okay. If you feel you have anything to add or any questions just drop a comment below. We can all stand to learn a little more.

Good luck.

These three are the ones I’d highlight from my personal experience. I’ve been edging almost as long as I’ve been PE’ing, and here’s my most recent observations and understanding (related to these three points)

For 15: In fact, edging for more than 15-20 minutes or so actually reduces my EQ and significantly increases the probability of orgasming, which then reduces EQ further for the next day. For me, 10-12 minutes seems to give optimal effect.

For 17: We’ve all seen the temporary expansion our units reach directly after a PE session. Reasonable consensus has been reached (I think) that we microtear the penis and this stimulates cell division/proliferation which heals larger than before. I think edging improves the part in bold face by expanding towards our maximum (temp.) expansion hours after a PE session. Any repairs that have been made which would heal smaller will be stretched/rebroken. Any repairs towards a larger size will stay intact.

For 18: Especially if you edge for say 2 hours or more, you should really consider it a PE session. You’ll feel it if you PE the next day, and may eventually lead to injuries. I PE around 5 to 6 pm, then edge around 11:30 pm. I consider it part of the routine.

Great thread/post TG!

Good post in a time when I need it. I thought that I was edging, when, in fact, I’ve been ballooning. After a week, I’ve seen improvements in my EQ and ejaculation control. I’m nowhere near where I need to be but I’m working on my head and trying to read a d understand more about the parasympathetic and orthosympathetic nervous theory.

Edging/ballooning is enjoyable and I completely agree with the statements about monogamous relationships. My wife has given me some good boudoir pictures that are starting to get the edges worn.

I like this post. I’m in the edging/ballooning learning process and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Thanks for the thoughtful post. (:

It’s the thing that I do. My name, even. *smirks* You’re welcome.

I find that Edging at length isn’t a topic often discussed. Everyone recommends it to warm down, it’s more than enough to warm up. But when it’s central to the session that day, it adds wear and tear. I may amend my routines for one edge day weekly. Especially since edging seems so girth friendly.

Clarity in the practice of edging offers another tool for the PE practitioner and it’s a good one since it only requires the same tools we all start with.

People who feel edging is inferior to ballooning only recommend it for warming up or down. This sort of thing dilutes the value of edging in the eyes of many. But these are pet peeves more than anything else.

I’m glad you got something out of it, Crusher.

I’m confused all over again when it comes to Ballooning vs edging. Can you clarify in simple terms?

You know that sinking feeling in your stomach before you cum? Get there and hold it and do not orgasm . That’s ballooning.

Edging is staying as erect as you can as long as you can.

Thanks for this info. I’ve been reading as much as I can about this topic. I’ve been edging for 10 minutes after each session and I feel like I’m getting more out of each session afterwards.

My thing is this:

Edging after a session really does help. Doing it a lot helps more BUT it adds strain and your penis will need more rest.

But you don’t need to bother with doing it long duration to get benefits.

I liked explaining short and long duration benefits. Edging is treated like something we all naturally understand and honestly, it needs more clarity. That’s why I wrote this and I’m glad it gave you some clarity.

Been edging two times per day, right after waking up and in the end of the evening, before shower (if PE day, edging will happen after the session). With close control to not kegel while edging, my stamina boosted big time.

Surely, edging and/or ballooning is a safe recommendation. Get the fluids running there is always a good approach, functional-wise.

It is. I love the versatility of it. Always a good recommendation. Just gotta understand how it works and how much is good. I’ve been trying to get a handle on it and it seems like I understand it half decent now.

Is there any significant reference to ballooning other than that one guy who posted way too long posts with multiple references to some quack’s website? The quack sold supplements of some kind to bring hormones in balance to be able to balloon… Or some other bs lol. Colour me a skeptic.

Anyway from your recent addition I think I’ve been ballooning then, though I thought what I was doing was edging. I thought edging was seeking the edge over and over, whereas ballooning is essentially staying on the edge without falling off (and often failing and ejaculating anyway). If I don’t approach the PonR I don’t get maximum expansion at all, so it doesn’t make sense from my theory of reminded expansion to not approach the PonR. I’ve previously achieved a really powered up erect status a few times which is what I consider to be the ballooned state.

That said, it’s still not very clear to me if there’s a formal definition of edging or ballooning and what I’m actually doing. I guess that’s life though. I know what I’m doing is working, whatever that may be. Lol. Clearly we need some more well-defined descriptions of the activities, and this is a good thread to start that :)

So do you think that edging and/or ballooning on their own would result in gains?

The “Edge” in edging is avoiding the Point of No Return. But staying erect, aroused, approaching orgasm. Not going over the edge. Orgasm failure with edging happens just like with Ballooning.

Ballooning, requires you to feel like you’re going to orgasm but hold your orgasm, not release it. Go there repeatedly. Dance with the Point of No Return.

This is the best description I have. I do know that I don’t play well with the point of no return.

On their own I suspect Edging and Ballooning don’t offer much gains. Stress for the extremely swollen state doesn’t last long enough on its own. And it seems to multiply the effects of any other routine and keep temporary gains longer.

Keep in mind the swelling you see in ballooning is minor compared to any pump and pumps still require disciplined use and cause swelling much longer and much more without gains manifesting in any fashion for some folks. And generally manifesting slowly for those it works for.

Going by your definition of ballooning and edging, I personally do both in a PE session. After jelqing, I would usually edge for several minutes and then try to reach the PONR and ease off after, and repeat. I’ll play around with edging and ballooning based on how my unit feels.

Just yesterday I edged and ballooned for about half an hour… stopped and did something else for half an hour and then edged and ballooned again for half an hour until release. I was really engorged during the second session. I think if you can edge a few times a day and not fatigue, you can really get good gains. Though one should make sure to get lots of rest after.

I believe that this has a mental as well as a physical cause. It’s not easy to keep yourself aroused for hours. One, you need to keep your mind occupied with sexual thoughts and not get distracted. Two, you need to be able to physically keep the erection.
There is a pretty fail safe way that keeps me rock hard for 3 or 4 hours on end: Gym + Cam. After I come from the gym my body feels heavy but relaxed and I get crazy horny. When I then get in front of the cam I can keep it up for hours. Watching others and being watched in return is a huge mental turn on for me and the chatting keeps it interesting for much longer than browsing porn does.
Others might have something else that works well for them. It is true though that when I just lie on my bed and edge I loose EQ after some time because my mind starts to wander and I fall out of the highly aroused state.