Pumping newbie - is extreme pressure at 3Hg normal?

I just had my first pumping session last night. Per the recommendations of the veterans, I’m using a 1.75” ValSeal cylinder with E-Z angle and pump identical to the Harbor & Freight model posted here numerous times. I can provide more details to my routine if requested but basically it was 2x 5-min pumping sets with jelqing in between, along with heat + stretch warm-up and heat warm-down.

I was planning to go up to 5Hg as recommended in the pumping 101 thread, but at 3Hg I swear it felt like I was going to explode. Just before my first set ended, I adjusted myself in my chair and it caused something to shift in the tube, so I felt at the verge of pain, leading me to release the pressure and cut it early. I didn’t feel any pain or see any problems after, so maybe it was psychological, but it was notable enough to warrant asking if this is par for the course with pumping newbies? Is my tunica (or something else) really that tight?

Perhaps noteworthy, but my mid-shaft EG is ~4.625”, and my glans EG hovers between 4.75” and 5”. However, in this thing my glans was absolutely maxing the thing out already. I’m not really sure how that works though— does .75” expansion on 3Hg even sound right?? (1.75 * pi = about 5.5” around the tube) Do I need a larger cylinder to allow for the mid-shaft to expand more (I’m about 5” at the base)? Was the intense pressure I felt simply because the glans were maxed out already? This is my one any only point of reference for pumping, so I’m not really sure what feeling I’m looking for.

In any event, I can see why so many people swear by this thing for girth gains. I’ve never felt this kind of pressure from manual exercises or even a brief foray into clamping. Also, my unit was super veiny, which looked awesome, but again I was terrified that one wrong move and my dick would literally explode. I’d love to continue this, but I also want to be sure I’m safe!

Simply use less vacuum. Everyone is different.

I have found that keeping glans, shaft and base pubic area well lubed reduces skin stretch pain. You want to let some skin from around the base slip into the tube as the vacuum decreases. If the skin is very tight then any movement of the tube can be painful.

Sounds like your cylinder may be too small.

Okay, I’ll just plan to keep it light in that case. Seeing some people on here are going way past even 5Hg I was shocked that 3Hg would be so intense for me.

Before anyone chimes in, this newbie is not going to start pumping at 30Hg!!!

I was pretty lubed up since I wanted to be as erect as possible when entering. But yes I would say that the skin was also pretty tight.

I’m flattered by this notion, but does that seem right that 4.75” is too big for a 1.75” cylinder? I went through most of the “select your cylinder thread” and it sounded like this was just about right.

I don’t think I want to get any bigger than 5.5” EG anyways (which would mean I’m maxing the 1.75” out). The only thing is I want 5.5” midshaft, not just in the glans.

Honestly I couldn’t agree more with Titleist, lower that pressure down to 2HG and focus on time under tension. If 2HG is too easy, then you can always go up on the pressure in small increments to find what works best for you. I’ve never personally pumped over 4HG and I can say that’s always been plenty for me.

If this was your first time pumping i suggest that you do it a couple of times at a level that don’t give you any pain. Personally I don’t feel 3 hg much and I can’t imagine it will get me any gains. On the other hand 5 hg for 20 minutes is to much and gives me a small donut.

You will be learning by doing🙂

Sounds good— I will assume that 3hg is perfectly fine for my body.

Quick aside: so if my glans maxes out the tube, does that mean that shaft gains will be limited? I can feel the pressure on the shaft (and it looks super veiny) so I assume some work is happening, but I’m not sure.

The sensation of pressure changes a lot in areas where you pack the cylinder.

I wouldn’t make that assumption. It could be too much. The only time I felt pain while pumping was when used for much pressure.

If your glans is packing the cylinder, it’s time to her a larger cylinder of your wanting to impact your shaft.

The first time I pumped I had massive wtf moment. Don’t aim for 5hg, go slow and low!

Sorry, I meant: “will shaft gains be limited if I continue to pump with this cylinder that my glans is already maxing out”?

I’m confident I’ll find those gains one way or another. I’m just not sure if this is it. I thought maybe it’s feasible that midshaft could catch up with the glans size somehow.

Judging from your reply, I’m assuming they WILL be limited unless I get a bigger cylinder.

This probably isn’t the case, but you could be using a gauge that isn’t in inches, cm, mm.

Hg is a measurement of how much mercury is pulled or pushed by a discrepancy between air pressures. It can be measured in inches, cm, or maybe some obscure local measurement. In addition, gauges can break or be defective from production.

If your gauge says inHg on it, then it should be in inches, but that is not always the case depending on where the gauge was manufactured.