A Better Wank: 20 Ways to Get Out of Your Rut

Let's be honest about your current routine. It's the same hand, the same position, the same two-minute run to the finish, with the same tabs open. You could do it in your sleep. It works, in the way that a servo sandwich works: it gets you through, and you aren't going to tell anyone about it. You've got a whole body and a whole life to enjoy it in. So here are 20 ways to have a much better time by yourself.

Change how you touch yourself

1. Switch hands. It's clumsy, and it feels like someone else is doing it. It's a very cheap thrill.
2. Change your grip. Palm, fingertips, a looser hold or a different direction. For clits, try circles instead of side to side, or the other way around.
3. Use a lot of lube. If you usually don't, it's like getting a new body. Wet Stuff Touch stays slippery for ages.
4. Start somewhere else. Spend the first 10 minutes on your thighs, your stomach and your nipples. Your genitals can wait.
5. Play with what's nearby. Try your perineum, or your balls, or your inner lips. There's a lot of unexplored country down there.

Change your position

6. Stand up. Try it in front of a mirror, if you're feeling brave.
7. Lie on your stomach. Everything's different. Try grinding against a pillow, as it's a whole-body thing.
8. Do it in the shower or bath. Bring silicone lube for the shower, or a waterproof toy. Our shower head guide tells you where to aim it.
9. Change rooms. Doing it somewhere other than your bed makes your brain pay attention. Blinds closed, please.
10. Do it with your legs straight, then with them apart. Tensing your thighs changes things more than you'd think, and so does keeping them relaxed.

Change the pace

11. Edge. Get close, then stop. Do it four times. Edging makes you come a hell of a lot harder.
12. Take an hour. Set a timer, and don't finish until it goes off. It's what gooning's all about, and it's a very different experience.
13. Don't finish at all. Masturbating without an orgasm is a very good way of staying horny all day.
14. Breathe. Most people hold their breath as they get close. Try breathing slowly and loudly instead, and make some noise. You've got the place to yourself.

Change what's in your head

15. Close the laptop. Try no porn for a week. Use your own imagination, or a really good memory. It can be slow at first, and that's fine.
16. Try audio erotica. You shut your eyes, somebody with a nice voice says filthy things, and your brain does the rest. Or try reading something. Here's a good list.
17. Tell yourself a story. Write down your best fantasy, and then read it back to yourself. It's a little embarrassing, and very effective.

Get a new toy

18. Add vibration. If you've never used a vibrator on yourself, whatever you've got between your legs, this is your day. The Maia Indi is $32.95, and it works on anybody. Our first vibrator guide has more.
19. Add a stroker or sleeve. A new texture feels like a new experience. The Missus is only $15.95, and the Satisfyer Men Vibration is a nice step up. Our guide to first toys for men covers that.
20. Try something inside. A slim dildo if you've got a vagina, or a small plug with a flared base for anybody. If you've got a prostate, try our solo guide. It might change your life.

A couple of things to keep in mind

Wanking's healthy, it's free, and there's nothing wrong with doing it a lot. Sore skin's your cue to take a day off and use more lube next time. If you're using it to avoid life, or you can't seem to stop even though you want to, talk to your GP or a sex therapist. Otherwise, you're just a person with a hobby.

And if you always do it the same way, it can make it harder to come with a partner, which is another good reason to mix it up. Our guide to this problem explains why. Now go on. You've got 20 things to try, and the rest of the week to do it.