More and more men today are taking greater care in attending to their penis health, and that’s excellent news. A healthy penis is a key factor when a man is working on improving his sexual health; and when talking sexual health, the issue of premature ejaculation comes up frequently. Taking steps to control ejaculatory issues is an important part of the discussion.

Hard to define

In some ways, the definition of premature ejaculation is a bit hard to pin down. According to the Mayo clinic, the "time limit" associated with premature ejaculation is one minute (or less) after penetration. Various studies have attempted to determine what the average amount of time between vaginal entrance and ejaculation is for a man. One study found that 5.4 minutes was the norm; another determined it was 7 minutes.

However, for many men (and couples), premature ejaculation is not based on one specific set time; rather, it is defined as a man ejaculating at any time prior to his partner achieving satisfaction. Under this definition, it’s possible for a man to vigorously engage in sex for, say, an hour and still ejaculate "prematurely" if his partner remains unsatisfied.

In general, it may be better to state that a man whose ejaculatory control is simply less than he would like it to be believes he is having premature ejaculation issues.

Exercises

While there is no guarantee that a man can alter the speed of ejaculation, there are some exercises in which many men engage which are associated with enhanced ejaculatory control.

- Kegels. Performing kegel exercises is recommended by many not just for ejaculatory control but also for general penis health. The pubococcygeus muscle extends along the pelvic "floor," from the pubic bone to the tailbone. If a man is urinating and needs to stop before he is finished, he naturally tightens the pubococcygeus in order to cut off urinal flow. Contracting and releasing this muscle is calling performing a "kegel." Doing two or three sets of 10 kegels every day is thought to give a man greater control during sex.

- Edging while masturbating. Many men also recommend "edging" as a way of gaining control over the ejaculation. Edging simply means masturbating to the point where a man almost ejaculates, stopping, and then resuming masturbation again until the same thing happens a second time, and repeating this for as long as possible. Some men can edge for an hour or more while masturbating and report that this helps them extend themselves during sex.

- Edging during intercourse. Also called "stop and start," this is essentially employing edging while having partner sex. The man thrusts until he is nearing ejaculation, then withdraws, waits a few moments, and begins thrusting again.

- Squeezing. As a variation on edging during intercourse, the male withdraws as ejaculation draws closer and squeezes the base of the penis very tightly until the desire to ejaculate diminishes. He then resumes thrusting. Some men find this more effective than simple edging.

For some men, premature ejaculation is based on psychological concerns; seeing a mental health therapist can help them identify issues which might result in premature ejaculation challenges.

Other ways to improve sexual health

Men who wish to improve their sexual health through premature ejaculation exercises should be aware that edging and squeezing may result in a sore (if happy) penis. Regularly using a superior penis health crème ( health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) can help alleviate that soreness. Choose a crème that is going to moisturize the raw, tender skin; one with Shea butter (a high end emollient) and vitamin E (an excellent hydrator) is best. The crème also needs to repair damage, so be sure it contains vitamins and nutrients associated with enhanced skin health, such as alpha lipoic acid and vitamins B5, C and D.