Since we detailed the different types of orgasms women could experience back in September, we figured it was time to send the guys back to school at Pleasure U! The male orgasm is not as straightforward as you may think, and there are definitely different kinds and several ways to reach each one. Now sharpen those pencils, grab some lube, and prepare to take notes on the many possibilities for male orgasm!
In our previous Adult Sex Ed lesson, we learned about the many different types of orgasms vulva owners can experience and how to make each one happen. Helpful information, right? Many may assume, however, that we don’t need a matching post for penis owners. After all, guys can only experience that one basic orgasm we all know and love, right? Wrong! Just like those with a vagina have multiple in-roads to pleasure town, so do those with a penis; those beyond the basic one just don’t get talked about very often!
Most doctors and sex researchers agree that there are about seven kinds of orgasms that males can enjoy. Before we get into those, though, let’s have a quick look at what an orgasm is, and what happens in the body during an orgasm.
An orgasm is just part of the sexual response cycle (the physiological changes that make sex feel good), which occurs in both men and women in these 4 main phases:
Excitement:
This phase kicks off the sexual response cycle. This is when you begin to become aroused by something. It can be set in motion by thoughts, imagery, touch, or other stimuli depending on what turns you on. During this phase, your heart rate & breathing speed up, your blood pressure increases, and blood flow to your genitals increases, which causes an erection if you have a penis.
Plateau:
This phase occurs as the excitement phase becomes more intense. Penis owners experience their penis and testicles continuing to swell in size due to greater blood flow as they continue to enjoy the exciting sexual or masturbatory input.
Orgasm:
The orgasm phase is when the pleasure peaks (hence also being known as a climax) and the body releases all that pent-up energy and tension it has been preparing for this moment. An orgasm, regardless of how it is achieved, can last for a few seconds to a few minutes, the latter being more common in women. If you’re going to ejaculate (which is not always a requirement of an orgasm), this phase is usually when it happens.
Resolution & Refraction:
The resolution phase of the sexual response cycle is when everything in the body starts to return to an unaroused state. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure return to normal, your muscles relax, and swollen or erect body parts begin to return to normal. You are also likely to feel an increased sense of intimacy, relaxation, calmness, and even fatigue.
Some people, those with penises especially (though not exclusively), go through a noticeable refractory period after orgasm. This is a period during which they cannot become aroused, get another erection, or have another orgasm. Further stimulation of sensitive erogenous zones during this period may even feel painful. Every body is different and has a different length of time their refractory period lasts. In vagina owners it may only be a few seconds, while those with a penis can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hours to many hours to “recharge” and become able to get in the mood again.
Types of Male Orgasms:
1. Ejaculatory Orgasm:
This is the standard, run-of-the-mill male orgasm everyone is familiar with. It can be brought on with pretty much any type of sexual stimulation, whether through having sex or masturbating. Pleasure peaks, and the male ejaculates, cums, or “finishes”. While many assume, at least in those with a penis, that ejaculation and orgasm are the same thing, they are actually two separate physiological events. Ejaculation happens when semen, which is comprised of 5% sperm and 95% fluid, is forced into the urethra by a series of pelvic floor contractions and from the prostate gland, and then released.
2. Blended Orgasm:
Also known as a whole body orgasm, a blended orgasm is simply when you climax due to multiple areas of your body being stimulated at the same time. For guys, it’s usually done by stimulating the penis and the prostate simultaneously, but other erogenous zones may do the trick, too. Stimulating the nipples, the taint, or the anus during penile stimulation via sex or masturbation can be a powerful trick to bring on a blended orgasm. A trigasm is just one type of blended orgasm to try. Having a blended orgasm takes a little more practice and effort, but the full & intense release can be worth it.
3. Multiple Orgasms:
Due to that longer refractory period mentioned above, it can be difficult for some penis owners to orgasm over and over again. When they can, though, the effects can be intensely pleasurable. If you’re up for a challenge and wish to become a multi-orgasmic man, you can attempt to get there by practicing edging. Bringing yourself to the brink of release without actually coming, then trying again and going all the way, may allow you to skip that pesky refractory period and have more than one O in a row…even if they’re a half hour or so apart. It can be tricky, and the science on its feasibility is lacking at best, but it may be fun to try anyways, right?
4. Wet Dream:
Yes, that one you learned about during health class in 5th grade…but it’s a myth that only adolescent and teenage boys going through puberty can have “wet dreams”, known more scientifically as nocturnal emissions. While it’s much more common in younger guys, they can happen later in life, too. Remember, sexual arousal and orgasm can be brought about by physical or psychological stimuli, so the intense imagery occurring in a wet dream can be enough to cause men (and women, too!) of all ages to have an orgasm and ejaculate in their sleep. The dream doesn’t even necessarily have to be erotic, either (only 8% of dreams that cause an orgasm are reported to be sexual in nature), so don’t be alarmed if you wake up in a puddle of semen after dreaming about Spider-Man rescuing you and your pet Komodo dragon from a flash flood at Disney World.
5. Pelvic Orgasm:
A pelvic orgasm is basically just a much stronger, more intense standard orgasm. When you have one, you can feel all of your pelvic floor muscles getting involved in the release, making it that much more pleasurable. While some men may never be able to achieve one (which is normal and fine), if you have never had one and want to try, Edging is the way to go. Controlling your orgasms by working to build them up enough to create a pelvic one is often part of tantric sex practices or when fulfilling an orgasm denial kink.
6. Prostate Orgasm:
The prostate gland, accessed through the anus, is often known as the “P-spot” due to its similarities to the female G-spot in providing sexual pleasure. When the prostate is stimulated, directly or indirectly, and pressure is applied either by a finger or a sex toy meant for this purpose, it can be enough to cause an orgasm even without penile stimulation.
7. Dry Orgasm:
Remember when we said that orgasm and ejaculation are two separate things? They may not always occur together; it is indeed possible for a man to climax without ejaculating. In a small percentage of men, or a small percentage of the time, the seminal fluid makes its way back into the bladder instead of being forced out of the penis. This can be frustrating, but it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you or the sex you’re having…an orgasm is an orgasm, after all! If you are one of those men lucky enough to be able to pull off multiple orgasms in a relatively short time span, or if you masturbate frequently, it’s a safe bet that you will have dry ones in the mix more frequently. Having an occasional dry orgasm is not necessarily painful or abnormal, but if it happens a lot or if you’re trying to conceive, you should see your doctor about it, as there may be a deeper type of sexual dysfunction involved.
