Fixed routine or going with the feeling?

[Elias Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Elias]

Hey guys,

I read a lot of threads and I also answer quite a few. Now I would like to have your idea about something that I have been thinking for a long time. The reason is that many guys ask about their programmes or report that gains have slowed down or even stopped. Then they ask the others if we think the programme is okay or not. So I started thinking that are we too robotic with our programmes? Should we be more relaxed?

So the question is - which is better?

A fixed routine where you have a programme with a list of exercises (with number of reps, sets, pulls, tugs, stretches etc. - everything with a rep number that you follow) what you do every time like a machine,

or

'go with the feeling' exercising where you really don't follow any programme but you just decide the exercises you do as you go.

I remember reading here at the Gym about a guy who used this 'keep your penis guessing' -method and gained a lot. Personally I followed quite a strict routine during my first three month period and it was good - it kept me from over-training. But now on my fifth month, I feel that 'keep it guessing' and mixing it up every time is much more efficient. And refreshing psychologically too as I don't get bored with PE!

I am sure both schools have supporters. It would be nice to hear your thoughts guys.

Cheers,

Elias - goes with the feeling

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Al and others, have reported that beginers without routines, tend to have few gains.
I think freestyle programs ,have value for advanced trainers.

[RockofFox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RockofFox]

I agree with Pegasus, a firm routine helps build discipline, technique and conditioning. All those things are vital.

I've barely changed my routine at all in 6 months, just a few tweeks here and there, and I'm going ok

[Elias Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Elias]

Yeah sure! I also did my first months following a strict routine but now I have changed it. It just feels a bit more free and keeps me focused when in the beginning of a PE session I don't know how I will do it - I decide as I go.

For example if I am happy after 10 minutes of jelqing, then I stop. But sometimes I might be satisfied only after 10 minutes of jelqing+10 minutes of V-jelqing+10 minutes of erect kegel jelqing. It doesn't feel like I am 'forced' to do a step-by-step list when I let my cock set the pace.

Anyways, enough about me. Are there other guys like me who go freestyle?

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

I have seen others in my travels and some advanced trainers have done well with it.
Will be interesting to see how many are out there.

[Gator Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Gator]

I think mandatory routine and rest days are key for beginners. It teaches them discipline and consistency.

However, once you gain enough knowledge of your own penis and how it reacts to certain exercises/frequencies/intensities, you should probably go more "with the flow" with regards to days on versus days off. But I do think sticking to a consistent routine is key, even as an advanced trainer.

I know I am currently struggling with rest days. Because I don't personally get negative P.I.s, I never know whether or not I should take a rest day. I'd like to think that as long as my penis can take it, I should give it to him. Haha, but then again, because I don't get negative P.I.s, my penis might not have a noticable way of telling me "stop, please leave me alone."

Confusing...and frustrating. Good topic Elias.

[redbear52 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close redbear52]

I do what feels good or seems right. I only take rest days if there is something else I want to do more, or if I feel some soreness, or think I have overtrained.

I try to do a good amount of stretching, Fowfers, and jelquing each day but no fixed time or number of reps. I sometimes do dry jelqs and sometimes not. I occasionally do some hanging when time permits.

So far the results have been good.

[millia Senior Member;PEGym Editor Find all posts View Profile Close millia]

Hey Elias, just reviving this thread somewhat because of your post in another one.
In any case, I started out with a "free routine" when I first started out, which helped me achieve newbie gains, and was great. Then I came up with my own and had to modify it because I broke my foot. So for the last 2-3 weeks I have been doing something in between a "free" routine and a "set" routine.
I have my basic exercises laid out for me that I do. My arsenal of PE exercises in my routine consist of

1. A heavy manual stretching routine
2. Manual Jelqing
3. Uber Jelqing (my own exercise with a device)
4. Power Jelqing
5. Clamping
6. Hanging
7. Edging
8. Base hanging

Now one thing that I do stick to on my routines is clamping and hanging. Why? Because for me it works, and I derive pleasure from both activities. Now then, one some days I might just clamp, and let my penis get soft after the set, others I'll jelq after, others I'll edge, and other times I'll combine them. Depends on my mood.
I also go by feeling for amount of reps that I do in my routine for rep based exercises (jelqing), because clamping does effect EQ I just try my best to finish the routine by feel of my EQ and so on.

[Elias Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Elias]

Hola Millia!

Sounds perfect what you do mate! The reason why I do a free routine is because it keeps me motivated. To have a to do -list, which to follow is so boring and restricting. And I feel you are motivated because like you said, the exercises give you pleasure. Exactly like that! If you cannot enjoy PE but it feels like a job that you have to do, then really there is something wrong.

I am sure you will keep on growing. You are experienced enough to have a good knowledge about PE and how to do exercises so you can go by the feeling when it comes to amount of reps.

Keep it up buddy!

[larrypinball Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close larrypinball]

Elias, very interesting thread!

Personally I stick to a very tight routine schedule. The reason is not only because I believe that it works, because I also believe that a "go with the flow" attitude/routine works. Mainly I do it because it keeps me motivated! I like to be able and see what works and what might not work. I like being able to follow a strict routine because I don't have to think and configure it while doing it; I can come home from work exhausted, knowing that it's PE time and knowing exactly what to do and being able to free my mind and focus on my exercises.

When it comes to PE I'm mainly goal oriented, although the process is an enjoyable part of it, and keeping my strict routine in combination with a log keeps me in the know. If you don't feel the need for that and gains still keep coming... GO man!

If my approach doesn't work I'll definitely try different approaches, but I think I'll give this at least a year (I've been doing PE for five months and four of those with strict routines).

Oh, and I think having a strict routine doesn't stop you from going with the flow... I think that has more to do with the approach you have during your workouts - meaning I don't consider the approaches you describe are mutually exclusive and incorporating them both into a routine might just be very beneficial.

Good gains everyone!

[rbi99 Retired Moderator Member of the Month Nov 2017PEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close rbi99]

It's easy for me to keep to a routine, because it makes me more conscious of when to add reps. On the other hand, there are days you start off and you know it just isn't working, or other days where things are going great and you add more than usual. I would never lift using a routine that wasn't disciplined, and I think that has carried over into PE. Granted, nothing is written in stone every single time, but way more often than not I follow a routine. For guys who hang, stretch, jelq, and other things, just going with the flow would seem to me to be way too confusing. Experimenting with new things is not the same thing as going with the flow. But once I find something new and incorporate it, then it becomes part of a set routine for me.

[Elias Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Elias]

Larry,

yeah I know that you come from the very strict routine side of PE. You have your programme that you follow and it is working mate! Like we discussed last week, you have had some impressive gains so you are a living proof that following a fixed routine does help quite a lot.

I guess like many times in PE, you just need to find your own path, your own way of doing things. That's why I started this thread in the past to see if there are more guys like me who just don't follow a routine but do a range of exercises according to their feelings at the moment.