Jelqing: Results, Safety, Side-Effects, Techniques, and Alternatives


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Updated on April 26, 2020


Table of Contents


Wondering if jelqing works?

So you've heard about it (it's one of the many penis exercises) because it can lead to increasing size and treating erectile dysfunction.

In this article, we're going to cover:

  • What it is.

  • Does it work or not.

  • What doctors say about it.

  • How to do it.

What is Jelqing?

Jelqing is a shaft-stroking penis exercise that men do with the intention to increase size.

It involves applying pressure and pulling the shaft in a milking-like motion to enlarge and increase blood flow.

It is typically done with lubricants to make it easier and effective.

Check out our step-by-step tutorial to learn how to jelq (and the best jelqing routine).


Why would I want to do Jelqing?

To increase size and girth.

According to Cosmopolitan, they found that 9 in 10 women asked what their ideal penis size was and the average girth they found was 6 inches.

Other sources say the average girth is 5.8 inches.

That's mean's there's so much room for improvement to be "above average" and in the preferred zone of women.

However, when guys hear that, they try to learn it as fast as possible and start doing it with no rhyme or reason.

Believe it or not, there is a proper technique to jelqing.

So it's absolutely crucial that you do it properly so that you don't waste countless hours with zero results to show for it.

Does jelqing work?

Most experts say that jelqing doesn't work.

However, we let the actual data guide us to a final verdict.

Here are the jelqing results from our 7 male subject study who our doctors measured and collected size data on in 2018:

Is Jelqing Safe?

According to most doctor opinions on jelqing, for the most part, yes - it is safe.

However, just with any type of exercise, overdoing it can be harmful.

As Dr. Jennifer Wider, M.D., puts it:

"(Jelqing) can lead to pain, irritation, scar formation, and blood vessel tears."

Damage can happen to the skin - especially if one does "dry jelqing" (using no lubricant).

However, if you're looking for a safe medical device to train the penis for length safely, the PhalloGauge Extender may be exactly what you're looking for instead.

Does jelqing cause ED?

No it does not.

In fact, jelqers have reported stronger, harder erections instead.

There are no other negative side-effects, either.

But is it effective for size?

To quote from the 2018 clinical study:

"There does seem to be a very weak positive natural trend in size."

See the before and after pictures from this clinical study.



Jelqing Results

Or click here to just skip to the results of the study.

7 Male Subject Jelqing Exercise Study 2018

Size study completed September 30, 2018

We were able to sign-up 8 male subjects who were willing to help us discover whether jelqing exercises are, in fact, an effective enlargement technique.

The amount of size gained was quite revealing.

The Experimental Setup (How)

  • 8 men between the ages of 25 and 40.

  • To keep it simple, each man was required to enlarge and do a 200 jelq stroke exercise jelqing session every day for 3 months.

  • Each subject was required to tally each jelq stroke on paper to make sure that the stroke count was as accuate as possible. These jelq tallies were returned back to me.

  • Each male used the same water-based lubricant that I administered.

  • One subject dropped out in the middle of the study - so I have only reported the jelqing results of the 7 men that completed the study and completely ignored the drop out's data.

  • Each subject came to my office for a measurement every two weeks.

  • Each measurement appointment consisted of only erect length and erect girth.

How Each Jelq Measurement was Taken

You might be wondering how I personally took each jelqing result measurement.

I did not ever.

The reason being was because I know that the process of "getting it up" could affect the jelqing exercise enlargement results measurement, so I thought it would be best for each man to take his measurement.

Therefore, I did not want to corrupt the jelqing results because I wanted to make sure that each man was at a maximum enlarge erection level.

So when one subject came to the office, they went into a seperate room which had a camera setup.

Each subject was instructed to enlarge to their maximum erection hardness size.

My reasoning is that every guy knows how big they can fully get, so I left it to their discretion.

Each subject was trained on how to measure their size using the measuring technique described here.

The camera was aimed down and filmed each subject doing both an erect length and erect girth measurement.

The camera was only zoomed in on the penis so their identity was perfectly concealed.

I would then take the recorded video data and watch it to see if they did the jelqing results measurement correctly.

If so, I would add that measurement to the master data set.

Length Results (BPEL)

Jelqing Length Results: Length Gained From Start (Inches)

Line plot of length results from jelqing study
Erect Length Jelq Exercise Results.

The Average Enlarge Length (BPEL) Gained Was: 0.13 Inches

Girth Results

Jelqing Girth Results: Girth Gained From Start (Inches)

Line plot of girth results from jelqing study

The Average Enlarge Girth Gained Was: 0.30 Inches (large)

Study Conclusion and Discussion

The clear conclusion is that jelqing exercise does not have a significant effect on erect penis size enlargement.

There were little to none increase in length gains.

There were minor girth gains in most subjects, but nothing big.

There does seem to be a very weak positive natural trend in size, however, due to the timeframe of the study, we cannot conclude if it is linear or asymptotic.

What we did not explore was the post 3 month (13 week) period.

Additionally, the variance in of all the subject's results does not provide a positive trendline to suggest that jelqing exercise results are conclusive.

Additionally for subjects who did experience a small increase in size, it would be hard to justify and prescribe the jelqing method as a worthwhile therapy for enlargement, given the time and energy it required.

Our study only looked at the "Jelqing" exercise technique, so our conclusions are based on it.

I look forward to any fellow doctor who can reproduce results.

So is jelqing the best penis enlargement technique?

Unfortunately no.

According to many independent clinical studies and medical reports, the best technique has always consistently been the penis extender device.

Fortunately, our lab has invented the perfect solution: this extender device.

You can check out clinical extender results here:






Before and After Pictures

(We now require you sign-up for our mailing list for the images - apologies for the inconvenience.)


Most men who truly want enlargement, will jelq.

Here are the commonly claimed jelqing results:

  1. Jelqing primarily targets are girth size gains (not length). Women prefer girth for over length.

  2. Minor jelqing result length gains can be observed due to the pulling-nature of the exercise.

  3. It provides stronger, fuller, healthier erections.

  4. It promotes delivery of nutrient-rich blood to all of your penile tissues, which is also directly responsible for cell hyperplasia growth and penis traction.

What to Expect

So there's good news and bad news.

The bad news:

One can typcially expect to gain:

  • Up to 0.5 inches in girth (that's decent)

  • 0.2 inch in length (that's little)

This is over the course of 4 to 6 months, with one 10-20 minute jelqing session each day.


Other notable universities, like University of California, Santa Barbara, have also reported on jelqing.

Alternative Methods

And length gains? Not so great...

But the good news: There's much better options out there than jelqing for size.

If you really want to gain length (and much faster), then you should consider devices that utilize penis traction (highly recommended).

Why? Well these results have already been documented and proven in clinical studies..

Or you could do all the different exercises.

Looking for the best girth gains?

And if you're willing to spend some money for a much better girth result - you should consider using a pump instead.

In fact, pumps were a device used in the clinical study by the Journal of S. Medicine.

But I want an easy way to train automatically!

Nobody has time to do jelqing for an hour each day.

But there's a special device that can train (stretch) your member automatically.

It's our 100%-safe, clinically-approved device we designed for easy penile lengthening.

Check out our affordable, award-winning device here:





How to Jelq

  1. Lubricate your shaft with water-based lubricants.

  2. Make an OK sign using your index finger and thumb.

  3. With a light pressure, slowly slide your index and thumb up the shaft.

  4. Release your fingers when you reach the tip.

  5. Repeat.

Go here, for more in-depth details on how to jelq.

Follow this Routine to Maximize Size Gains

The way most men typically jelq is in a sitting position.

Here is the exact routine men should follow:

  • Do no more than 1 sesion per day.

  • Do at least 1 session per day.

  • Do 100 to 200 jelq strokes (reps) per session.

  • Expert jelqers can increase their stroke count to 500 or 700.

Does this routine work?

Can you be sure that this jelqing routine provides results?

Check before and after photos (studies) here:






Other Tips

Use a Lubricant!

Men should rub a lubricant on the erect member with your finger when jelqing.

"Dry jelqing", a exercise technique which is doing it without a lubricant is highly discouraged.

Why not?

  • It's harsh on the skin (rashes)

  • You don't get an even sliding motion.


Lubricants You Should Use

  • Olive Oil

  • Coconut Oil

  • Water-Based Lubricant


olive oil coconut oil

Here are three possible ideas for lubricants.


Warning: Never use soap as a lubricant.

If the soap gets inside your opening then it will be painful.

Erection Levels

Generally, men want to maintain a hardness level between 70% and 80% when jelqing.

For most men, as they do their routine, they will naturally get harder and harder.

That's not surprising - it actually feels really good.

Maintaining a 70% hardness level is challenging because it requires you pay attention to your penis.

Also, never jelq with 100% hardness - it actually reduces gains.

Jelq devices provide more angles that you can jelq with.

This is because some may find it hard to use a simple OK-grip. This device solves that problem.

At the same time, you don't want to be jelqing too lightly.

Remember to make sure that your jelq stroke is going the full length.

Forget to do this, and you're just wasting your time.

Conclusions from Medical Studies:

But a question our medical team gets hundreds of emails from men each week is:

"Hey PG Medical, does jelqing really work?"

You may be surprised with PhalloGauge Medical's study's jelqing results with 7 male subjects.

Data from study plotted on a line graph.
Data graph from PG Medical Lab's 3-Month Clinical Study.



The short answer?

It's complicated.

I can say for 100% certain it is not the best size enlargement technique.

However, Even Universities recognize that it may work.

Here is a screenshot quote from Cornell's medical school:

Description by Cornell University
This exercise has even received the attention of medical communities, like Cornell University's medical school.

In addition to certain medical communities recognizing jelqing, there have also been thousands of testimonial enlargement results by men on online forums.

Research

Jelqing works because it uses the positive pressure from your OK-grip to increase flow into your Corpora Cavernosa in your penis.

It's utilizes hypertrophic principles with the pressure from your fingers.

Think about what happens when you squeeze a semi-inflated tissue mass.

If you squeeze one side, this will cause all the blood will be pushed into the other side.

Now when you apply this natural pumping force over many hours and repetitions, the penis adapts and size is improved.

This is how jelqing works at a fundamental level.

One famous study done in 2018 found that after 12 weeks, the average length increase was 0.13 inches.

The same study also found that the average girth increase was 0.30 inches in the same time period.

What the doctors found

According to a 2016 study, the doctors found that the erect girth increased by 7% after 16 weeks of jelqing.

A 2015 study reported girth gains ranging between 3% and 9%.

Doctors suggest that there appears to be two critical principles that explain the "science" behind it.

According to Dr. Paul Turek, proposed the theory of "tissue remodeling", which is a hypothesis that can be described as simply moving existing penile tissue to other areas of the shaft, providing the increased penile girth.

Given that the average male engages in jelqing for 30 minutes each day for around 3 months (some men, even longer), the physics of pressure plus time can lead to a change in nearly everything in the universe.

However, Turek's theory is still under scrutiny by the medical community and some have even set out to try and debunk it with their own clinical studies.

Some skeptics in the medical community flat out reject Turek's theory and favor Dr. Ferrara's theory simply because his theory is backed by data from the most comprehensive study ever done to date on jelqing, which was completed back in September 2018.

As more clinical data is released to the medical community, more men in the general public have reported to have tried it.

In fact, a 2015 British survey found that out of all the men that have attempted natural enlargement, 45% of them are have actually tried it at one point.

Benefits

Any man can start doing it right away.

You do not need a doctor to do jelqs.

Or if you want you could spend about $30 on a jelqing device - (not required, though).

It's an exercise that primarily targets girth.

Majority of women prefer girth as it creates the physical pressure that they can actually feel.

So if you're targeting girth, studies show jelqing is preferred over stretching exercises.

It's Safe (Not harmful or dangerous).

Most of you men already know how I feel about surgery and it's complications.

Because there is no harm, I'll recommend these exercises over surgery any day.

It requires about 20 minutes of exercise effort every day.

jelqing routine
Not everybody has enlargement exercise discipline. Do you?

If you can't keep to a regular exercise routine, you're probably going to find it hard to stay disciplined.

Unfortunately, jelqing results don't just come in one or two sessions - it takes many months.

Your ability to multitask is severely limited.

You can do pretty much anything that doesn't require your hands while jelqing.

That's why it's limited multitasking.

There are other methods that do not require your hands - like this one.

It requires 100% privacy.

You can only do jelqing at home.

Just don't get caught or others will think you're weird.

I bring this point up, because there are methods, like using a penis extender, that you can secretly and safely use in public - all without anyone noticing.

It requires some clean-up.

Because you're using a water-based lubricant, you're going to have to wash it off when you're done.

I personally cannot stand the stickiness, so I have to wash my area after every time I do jelqing.

jelqing session
When I jelq, I always drop lubricant which I have to clean-up.

Jelqing Safety

If you’re still interested in trying these exercises out, taking a few safety precautions will reduce the likelihood of discomfort:

  • Don’t get fully hard. Instead, get about 70% of your maximum hardness. Jelqing requires you to gently massage throughout your shaft tissues. If you’re 100% hard, fluid is already flowing through the spongy penile tissue at maximum, so it would be ineffective.

  • Always use lubricant. Use a water-based lubricant to make it slippery and wet so that you don’t generate friction that can cause skin chafing. Vaseline and lubricants can suffice. Other options like unscented lotion, olive oil, baby oil, or coconut oil work just as well.

  • Do not exceed more than two jelqing exercise sessions per day, so that you don’t succumb yourself from fatigue.

  • Immediately stop performing the exercise if experiencing discomfort.

  • Lean back or sit down against a table or chair while doing the exercises.

  • Talk to your doctor if you aim to do these exercises for longer sessions of time each day, more frequently, or over the long term.

Don't do each jelq stroke TOO fast.

For the majority of your jelqing you do not want to do all your jelq strokes fast.

However, there is a variation called fast jelqing that is best used once in a while.

But generally, jelqing is meant to be a slow exercise.

Think quality first, then quantity.

We highly recommend timing each stroke with your stopwatch on your smartphone so that you can get a feel for how long it should be.

Once you have the muscle memory down for this timing, then proceed to copy that motion for the rest of your strokes.

It doesn't hurt to use the timer in for the first few strokes in each session just to be safe.

Make sure your jelqing session is long enough.

Guys think that you only need to do it a few times and you'll be good.

That couldn't be farther from the truth.

The general consensus in the enlargement community is:

Each session should last for 20 minutes.

It's like regular fitness training - you should run for 30 minutes, not just 10.

Any fitness trainer will tell you that.

In that case, you're training your heart, and the heart needs that total time to do its cardiovascular workout.

It needs time to ramp up and sufficient time after that start-up period to work hard and do the training.

The hardness level is totally wrong.

More often than not, the hardness level is too low.

The problem is that guys will hear about other guys who have reported that they actually decreased in size over time from jelqing when using a full, 100% hardness.

Regardless, this is the rule that you should follow:

Aim for a 90% level.

You don't want to be too flaccid such that your copora cavernosa is not filled enought to strain and train those spongy tissues.

But you also don't want 100% hardness such that the pressure is too much for too long (due to the added pressure from jelqing).

Tips

The Corpora Cavernosa

First, you must understand the anatomy.

Quite frankly, you don't need to understand every single part, though.

If there's one part that you must learn about it is the Corpora Cavernosa.

So what is it?

It's the two, thick spongy tubes running parallel to each other down the penile shaft.

As you get hard, nitric oxide is released from the body to trigger an increase in blood flow to the penis by widening the arteries that lead there (vasodilation).

When the corpora cavernosa expands, it press against the veins to prevent hardness loss.

This is how your body maintains hardness.

So if you can master manipulating the copora cavernosa via jelqing - you will be well on your way to improve your jelqing for girth.

Try to maximize the time at the start of the stroke.

This one seems like a random tip, but there's a logical reason to do this.

Imagine what were to happen if you were to just squeeze the base near the pelvis - without sliding it up.

The fluid inside would increase in pressure and expand.

Kind of like if you squeezed one end of a water ballon, the other end would bulge out.

This expansion would cause the surrouding tissues - to expand outwards as well!

And that's exactly what we want!

Remember, we're straining the tissues of the copora cavernosa so that it adapts to the expansive training to achieve our desired result:

More girth.

Basically, if you completely understand what I just said, you'll significantly increase your chances of getting more results from every single jelqing session.

That's because you'll try to adjust your jelqing so that it satisfies this "expansion" principle.

Just keep it in mind at the beginning of each stroke and try to copy it.

Do slow, steady strokes.

So now you gave your unit a good, long squeeze before starting.

Now, you have to make sure that the actual stroke is quality.

To do this, just make sure that the speed and duration of the stroke is constant and slow.

Really try to get an expansive tension going on every section of your shaft from start to finish.

The idea is to let the flow pressure work for you.

Again, remember not to jelq your glans (mushroom tip).

That part does not contain any part of the corpora cavernosa, so it's pointless to jelq there.

Thus, the glans is a good marker to help you know where to end your jelq stroke.

Do these two tips above and you'll defnitely optimize your jelqing for girth.

Jelq in multiple directions

To get the most out of your jelqing, adding a stretching routine will help you maximize your results, especially in terms of length.

If you choose stretching, make sure you switch between the two.

Pull up and stretch it out for about 10 seconds.

Press the area around the base at the same time.

Repeat these steps with the shaft pulled to the left and apply pressure to the pelvic base on the right side.

Repeat these steps by pulling your shaft to the right and applying pressure to the pelvic base on the left.

How to Jelq for Length

First, we're assuming you already know got the basics down.

Now change your jelqing technique in the following ways:

  1. At the end of each stroke, "pull" more.

  2. Jelq in as many angles as possible.

  3. Do penis exercises instead.

Now I'll talk about these 3 points in detail.

1. Add more pulling to your jelq.

How do you do this?

At the end of the stroke, when your fingers reach the base of the glans, squeeze your fingers to grip it tighter and pull.

You should feel a stretch at the pelvic base of your shaft.

You should even feel the stretch in your pelvis in the shaft that is located inside your body, beneath your pelvis.

2. Jelq in multiple angles.

If you're used to jelqing in direction, time to shake things up.

How?

Do this by stroking in different angles.

Why?

By doing a jelq stroke at a different angle, you're targeting a different part ligament in the male organ.

For example, if I jelq to the left, then the right side gets a stronger stretch.

If I jelq to the right, then the left side gets more of the stretch instead.

3. Using a penis extender instead.

Did you know that extenders are clinically certified to work?

Go here to see the before and after photos of popular extender devices:




Or go here if you want to browse extenders and deals:




4. Doing Stretching Exercises Instead

But I thought you can just jelq for length?

Why should I do stretching exercises instead?

Because it's simply more appropriate to do so.

Think about it.

Jelqing is more of a stroking exercise.

But now we're modifying it to add more of a pulling motion to it.

Why not actually do the existing exercises that specifically utilize pulling motions?

Here, are the stretching exercises you really want to do, especially if you're looking for length gains.

5. Another technique: V-Jelqing

Why should you do this size exercise?

V-Jelqing exercises are great because it provides a nice enlargement variation for penile tissues that you may not get as easily as regular jelqing.

The main point is to make sure you exercise your whole organ to ensure a balanced size growth.

How to Do V-Jelqing Exercise Technique

There are a couple ways to do it (70% erection).

  1. First make a v-sign with your middle and ring fingers.

  2. Next, curl those fingers slightly to make a claw.

  3. Reach around in front and grip the base of your shaft with these two fingers.

  4. Apply some pressure and evenly and slowly jelq upwards to the base of the tip.


Like the regular jelqing exercise stroke, make sure to take at least 3 seconds to do each rep.

As you can see, the V in V-Jelqing comes from the V shape that you make with your index and middle finger.

You can even combine the alternate technique and V-Jelqing technique that you just learned to save time.

The Biggest Exercise Mistake Most Men Do

This mistake is none other than NOT doing each jelq for the full 5 seconds.


These are bad exercise reps.

Don't get in the bad habit / technique of doing quick jelq reps (bad) because you get impatient.

This leads to poor blood flow in the arteries and veins.

You have to develop good technique when you're first starting jelqing exercises.

To improve, time each jelq rep using a stopwatch.

This will allow you to commit the full 5 seconds to muscle memory.

Jelqing Devices

A jelqing device usually consists of a padded clamp with handles. The clamp contains a silicone surface that is soft when squeezed onto your unit.

You can change the amount of pressure that is applied by changing the force with which you squeeze on the handle part.

First, add water-based lubricant. Then you use the device to squeeze onto your semi-erect shaft, and stroke outwards from the base to the glans, similar to a typical jelq stroke.

Does it cause erectile dysfunction?

Erectile Dysfunction is a problem that men have especially when they get older.

Ferrara, in his recent report, had one set of his male subjects do kegels while jelqing while the other did not do the kegels.

What he found was quite interesting.

The men who did kegel exercises while jelqing reported longer and harder erections during the self-reported measurement period while those who did not did not experience any change.

This would suggest that kegels is an effective natural erectile dysfunction treatment.



In conclusion, jelqing is one of the "bread-and-butter" exercises.

Not only that, but it's probably the easiest exercise to get started with, and one that is highly recommended for men who have never done any penis enlargement before.

It primaily targets girth, but can be used to achieve some length gains due to the pulling nature of the exercise.

However there are much better options for size gains.




If you're also interested in gaining length, you may be interested in extender devices, developed by doctors, which thousands of men already use.

Side-Effects

This is the most dangerous of all the techniques mentioned here, because if it is exaggerated, it can seriously damage.

If you feel pain, discomfort, or fatigue, you should rest more and stop immediately.

Other Alternatives

Here are some other exercise options — both are supported with clinical research and testimonial success behind them.

Try these other alternatives to help make your member longer, harder, or more erect:

Pump Devices

To use a pump, you place your penis in a long cylinder chamber filled with water or air, and press the pump mechanism to create a vacuum force.

The effect is that blood to rushes into your shaft and you will most likely get an erection.

The user pumps air out of the tube, causing heavy flow to the shaft.

Some people state that regular use of a vacuum pump increases size, but research does not support this claim.

A 2006 study reported that participants had no significant physical effects after 6 months of use.

Learn more about the different pumps available here.

Traction device

These are used by stretching out your penis over a longer period of time.

To use one, you insert your thing into the first part of the device, then, you secure the glans at the other end of the device to your pelvic area.

Attach the head in the two notches on the opposite end.

Grasp the ends of the silicone tube on the bottom of the device and slowly pull it outwards.

Leave your "thing" in the stretched position for 4 to 6 hours a day.

Lastly you pull the device so that the member is fully stretched out.

Finally, you keep it stretched (make sure there is no pain or discomfort) for about 3 to 4 hours per day, and keep this up for a 3-6 months.

A 2016 report found no significant effects of traction devices on length or girth, and found that more major studies were needed.

Being too aggressive can tear tissue or damage the ligaments at your pelvic area.

In the worst case, this type of damage can permanently affect your ability to become hard or to stay.

Learn more about the different traction devices available here.

What the research says

A 2016 report found no significant effects of traction devices on length or girth, and found that more major studies were needed.

In the worst case, this type of damage can permanently affect your ability to become hard or to stay.

The jelqing exercise exerts pressure and pulls, which should increase the length and girth of the organ.

It is believed to have its roots in the ancient Middle East, which dates back more than 200 years.

Final Verdict

Applying this jelqing technique once a week is unlikely to improve size.

As a preferred method, it is recommended to be consistent and follow a routine.

Proponents of Jelqing advise that intensity and frequency need to be increased if your training program continues.

Therefore, your pressure and time for it should increase over the weeks.

Increasing the length can be worth the time and effort, but there is another approach to improvement that men can explore: increasing the girth.

In order to increase thickness, suitable exercises must be carried out.

Jelqing exercises provide a means by which men can achieve the desired extent.

In the end, jelqing is the most readily-accessible technique to improve your girth.

It does so by milking the copora cavernosa to maximize the expansion of the spongy tissues there.

Only by producing a positive, external force can you hope to increase your maximum girth past your current size.

This stress training is common to all types of physical activity and for jelqing, it is no different.

The main takeaways are to go slow during the jelq stroke and particularly give a good, long squeeze at the base of your member at the start of each stroke.

By simply keeping this mentality in mind, you'll always be on the right track.

By understanding how the copora cavernosa works, you'll never forget how it exactly works and how the results come from it.

While the technique is slightly different, it's still useful to understand what's going on, just like how you now know how it works for girth targeting.

Fact Checked: This research-backed page has been fact-checked and reviewed by a certified medical specialist.

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