Left Field

[rbi99]

Quick recap of my attempts at girth gains. Started off doing the usual, then changed it up when I started doing UJ's, followed by UV's. Then I added uli's and horse squeezes to the equation, while maintaining the same number of UJ's and UV's. Then I cut back on the number of UJ's and UV's, and upped the number of uli's and horse squeezes. In other words, I have mixed my routine up, while also thinking outside the box. Which leads to the purpose of this thread.

I made initial girth gains, similar to many here with newbie gains. When things slowed down, that is when I came up with the idea for UJ's, later followed by UV's. It upped my intensity level without getting exotic (weights, pumps, etc.). I started to make new gains, especially in the size of my CS. Once more things slowed down, that is when I added the squeezes. When I did that my CS started to explode. I saw my share of porn clips, and quite frankly my CS was hanging right in there with the big boys!!. Hit that damn wall again, and that is when I lightened up on the number of jelqs and increased my squeezes. CS took off again, then things slowed to a crawl. At this point I decided to cut way back and go into a maintenance program that only included a limited number of UJ's and UV's, a couple times a week. However, because my routine wasn't taking up much time at all I found my self doing them more frequently. In the past I always moved slowly regarding number of routines, if I worked it one day, I always took two days off, sometimes three.

Two things happened quite quickly when I added the squeezes, especially when I upped the number of them I was doing: 1) my CS as I mentioned previously started to really expand. Even when fully flaccid I could feel my CS; 2) I developed a very pronounced right hand curve in the middle of my shaft. It was most evident when semi erect, less so when fully erect. This was occurring even though I always alternated hands between each squeeze.

Two things happened quite quickly when I quit doing squeezes (within two weeks time): 1) I lost all of the gains I had made in my CS, other than the original ones I made through UJ's; and 2) the curve on my shaft disappeared. For the curve, the only possible explanations I can come up with (and this is only a guess on my part because I definitely was not aware of it if it was happening), is that I was more erect when squeezing with one hand over the other, or because I am left handed, I was unknowingly squeezing harder with it.

Now for the title of my thread, because this is coming right out from left field. Regarding the sudden loss of CS size after stopping the squeezes, I am pondering this theory: could squeezes cause to the smooth muscle the same thing that a sprain causes to skeletal muscle? By this, could my CS have been "sprained/swollen" by squeezes, and the fact it quickly loss size when I stopped doing them is similar to a muscle recovering from a sprain when you rest it? My CS felt fine, I experienced nothing negative with it while it was enlarged at all, and having sex when fully erect was great because the damn thing stood out so much it really was quite erotic. However, the loss in size so quickly (just at the initial gain in size coming so quickly), might not be due to enlarged cells in the good sense, but from being injured (minus the pain or discomfort).

The difference between UJ's (which increased my CS substantially, and those gains remain), is that you are moving blood through the cells of your CS (isotonic), while squeezes (just like pumping), increase cell size but in a stationary condition (isometric). A summary of a study I read sort of substantiates my theory I think:

NASA studies:
NASA has researched the use of isometrics in preventing muscle atrophy experienced by astronauts as a result of living in a zero gravity environment. Isometrics, muscle lengthening and muscle shortening exercises were studied and compared. The outcome showed that while all three exercise types did indeed promote muscle growth, isometrics failed to prevent a decrease in the amount of contractile proteins found in the muscle tissue. The result was muscle degradation at a molecular level. As contractile princess proteins are what cause muscles to contract and give them their physical strength, NASA has concluded that isometrics may not be the best way for astronauts to maintain muscle tissue.[8]
[8] ^ Barry, PL; Phillips, T (2004-10-12). "Why do Workouts Work?". NASA. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
Here is the article: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/liv...c_muscles.html .

I hope people will respond to this thread and it doesn't get buried too quickly. Anyways, I am going to continue to do UJ's and UV's, but I am done with trying to do anything more substantial. I am fortunate in that my original stats are above average, and that I have always been comfortable with my size. I really was only into this to see if I could get anything out of it more from a challenge perspective then a need perspective.

[Closed039]

So you are saying that the reason for your newly pronounced CS was because it was actually swollen as though injured, and once "recovered" it returned to normal size? Too bad, because when I go for girth I'm definitely going to target my CS, and its a shame to hear about something that "almost" worked.

Nice post.

[rbi99]

Yes, but the loss I experienced was from the gains I got from squeezes. This is the "injured" part of the equation. The gains I made from UJ's is still there. That's why I am theorizing that isotonic movements from jelqing (blood forced in, then out, in then out, etc.) is more permanent then the isometric gains from squeezes (and probably why most guys who pump don't feel the gains are permanent), is less permanent (blood forced in, then left there until finished).

[Closed039]

Do you think squeezing or pumping could be used in some way to supplement isotonic movements?

[rbi99]

Not sure anymore. The speed at which I lost the gains I made from squeezes was startling to say the least. Maybe I am the exception to the rule here, and others who did uli's and horses kept their gains long after stopping. Maybe a pump that pumps you up and then automatically releases, then keeps repeating this would do the trick. For me though, I have no desire whatsoever to pump or hang.

[rbi99]

Started reading about penile edema, and wondered if that was what my problem was, as it is a water like retention that is painless and causes swelling. However, that can't be it since most pictures I have seen of it show a penis that is swollen around its circumference and is unnatural looking. My question for myself was how my CS went from looking great, to loosing much of its gains in only a week or two after I stopped doing squeezes and cutting back on my jelqing.

Well I tried still another approach and suddenly my gains are coming back and with much less time involved then previously. I have always done PE in the same manner as my lifting routines, breaking everything down into sets. My jelqing was broken down into three or more sets of 50 UJ's and UV's, along with each set adding X number of ulis and horse squeezes. I have decided to not go back into PE full time (my definition of full time is a lot less than many here), and to continue to stay away from squeezes. What I changed, and what seems to be working for me right now, is that I am doing 100 consecutive UJ's, followed by 100 consecutive UV's, then finishing up with maybe 25 or so additional UJ's. Whole thing takes less than 15 minutes, and I have been doing that about three times a week. I doubt that my gains will get me to my goal of 6 1/2" MEG, and I don't care about that as it was only a number to me, like benching X number of pounds. But my CS again stands out the way I like it, and the total time it takes is less than an hour a week. I still can't explain how my CS changed so quickly, but I have it back again and that is a good thing.

[GTO]

I think you are certainly on to something there rbi, and that's part of the reason I maintain somewhat of strong jelq routine wth my pumping. I've found that a combo of pulsing (steadily increasing and decreasing vacuum) as well as long term, low pressure pumping has worked very well. My gains have been solid and steady over the last year.
Minus pumping, I think the routine you outlined is killer and I'm sure would lead to more permanent gains if maintained.

[rbi99]

The reason I have cut back is that I got tired of working this thing and not gaining. I know I am larger than most with my girth and I really did this just to see if I could add a little, but I have remained at the same 6.15" mark for so long I don't feel like trying any longer. I will keep up this modified routine because it is quick, easy and feels good. But I am not doing it any longer thinking gains are right around the corner. I once said I couldn't add length if I used a come-along tied to a tree for my stretching, so I quit stretching ages ago. I feel the same way about my girth now, so I will do it with no expectations other than maintenance and health (which are two good things).

[rbi99]

From DemOne on another post:
Aside from warming up making the area more pliable, it also increases blood flow to the area, which as we know is a good thing. The tissue isn't like it's going to be made extremely pliable and have to be stretched by a larger margin to accomplish the same results. Jelqing, stretching, or pumping as one normally would will still be enough pressure to accomplish their goals with or without warming up. With warming up, all of the tissue will be easier to expand making the workout more effective. For extra elasticity in the tissue, we're only talking about fractions of a millimeter for tissue. The big area of caution for not warming up properly are blood vessels and ligaments, which are best worked when warmed properly.

Smooth muscle doesn't work like skeletal muscle. The energy of contracting and consuming calories our skeletal muscles release when worked is transformed into heat, which warms the surrounding muscles, tissue, and ligaments as well as gets the blood flowing. This is why exercises involving skeletal muscle are best warmed up for by doing the same exercises or activities at a lighter pace. That way the muscles, tissue, and ligaments that could be worked get the warm-up.

We physically cannot control our smooth muscle to replicate how it normally works. Since we cannot do this, we're not increasing the work being done by smooth muscle even when stretching or jelqing and thus cannot increase what little energy it does consume, producing heat. Just like cardiac and other smooth muscle throughout the body, it gains it's heat from blood flow and heat put off by skeletal muscle (this is why squats actually are good for the male reproductive system).

Yes, doing some light jelqing can and will put some heat into the penile tissue, but really no more than just getting a boner would, and probably less than that. You'd be better off doing squats and running to warm up the penile tissue than to do light stretches, jelqs, or other PE exercises.


I think he is dead on. I am now doing 150 consecutive UJ's, followed by the same number of UV's, and the difference has been more than gratifying to me. My post girth routine size is larger than before, and though I am not measuring yet, all of the gains I lost previously after stopping squeezes have come back. I think DemOne is correct in what he says, and by doing more consecutive jelqs targeting one area predominantly, you are maintaining warmth to that area. By switching back and forth that warmth was lost, and each next set just recreated the warmth you originally had. By doing more consecutive jelqs you are definitely hitting those areas better than doing the same number of strokes but in smaller sets. I think that he might be slightly off when he says we add very little heat to the smooth muscle through jelqing. Perhaps he is right when talking about doing a few, but jelq after jelq of filling smooth muscle cells with excessive blood then driving that blood out must be causing some energy creation. Thus, the more jelqs you do, the more energy (heat) created. I have been doing PE for a while now, and I haven't been this excited by it in a very long time!!

[bxitachi]

Interesting theory and a good read.
Did you ever tinker with the order? Im no doctor or PE expert, but if you do gain from both, you can still use them both to achieve something great. The only thing i can say is maybe doing your squeezes first or before you jelq, to reap benefits of both isotonic and isometric.