If you’ve paid even the briefest of visits to a brick-and-mortar sex shop, you’ve no doubt seen them: rubber, metal, leather (or other material) rings in an equally wide arrange of colors and sizes. But what exactly are cock rings, and more importantly, what do they do and how can you use them?
To get this rolling, cock rings—or something very much like them—have been around for thousands of years, but they’ve gained greater momentum in recent decades with the advent of superior materials. Those early interactions were more than likely just a lanyard of string, rope, or leather, but even way back then how they operate remains the same as their state-of-the-art descendants you’ve probably scratched your head over while patronizing your nearby adult entertainment establishment. On top of that, cock rings have also been known to appear in more than a few BDSM adult films, such as the great (and admittedly intimidating for beginners) Electric Cock Milking.
In a nutshell, which is admittedly a rather apt phrase to begin, cock rings slightly constrict the shaft of the penis, thus limiting blood flow to and from that part of certain people’s anatomy. No matter the style, construction, size, and—of course—color, they all have this in one basic thing in common.
So how do you use one of these nifty little things? Before getting to that, let’s get into a bit more detail of how they work and what they might be able to do for you—or someone you know who is penis-equipped.
The Mechanics of Cock Rings
Just saying that cock rings constrict doesn’t really provide the entire picture. To get this rolling, let’s chat biology: particularly that to achieve an erection, the penis first relaxes two key parts of itself.
In a non-aroused state, the twin cylindrical chambers known as the corpora cavernosa, which runs the length of the penis, are fed by a pair of wide-open arteries. When arousal begins, those previously wide-open arteries narrow, raising blood pressure and causing the corpora cavernosa to swell—and so Mr. Happy gets erect.
This can be seen very well in more than a few videos here at HotMovies, like the steamy Cock Teasers In Charge.
Cock rings enter this picture by further increasing raising blood pressure. This is a good thing because this artificially boosted blood pressure can result in the penis becoming firmer than usual, with erections lasting much longer. These are both quite fun to experience, but cock rings also give the extra-added bonuses of decreased penis sensitivity, and—though their constriction—also limiting ejaculation: both many who’ve struggled with premature ejaculation have found to be an effective solution.
So cock rings can be great if you want to last longer, be harder, and want to decrease sensitivity. It’s a win-win all around!
Different Types of Cock Rings
Because I have a guilty pleasure in, shall we say, jerking you around rather than immediately getting to the point how to use a cock ring, let’s take another detour to discuss their myriad designs, materials, and colors.
While there are some varieties that mix things up a bit, like designs that wrap around the testicles as well as the shaft of the penis, or include devices that make the ring vibrate, the design is pretty much a standard ring. The real variety begins with what cock rings can be made of. Rubber (or a synthetic equivalent) is the type you’ll probably find the most common, though there are other types made of anything from leather, to solid steel, to others constructed of jelly-like stuff that’s extremely stretchy.
As for what kind to buy to begin your exploration of cock-ring play, that choice is really up to you and your personal preferences. However, being an old… hand at this kind of toy, I highly recommend beginning with the simplest of designs rather than leaping directly into the more complex variety. At least, that is, until you get more familiar with how a cock ring feels.
In regards to materials and size, here I suggest that you pick the largest ring you can find to start out with—again you can always go smaller as you get more and more familiar with the sensation—or, better yet, the type that isn’t a solid loop but rather is latex, leather, or another construction that snaps into a loop. The benefit of this is that these kinds of cock rings are often adjustable, so if your ring is too tight (or not tight enough) you can quickly change it. It also means that if things get uncomfortable, for any reason, you can get it off immediately.
Though they may look really cool, if you’re a newbie to cock rings, do try and resist the urge to try the metal ones. Getting them on is easy enough, but it’s getting them off where they can get problematic as, unlike the more elastic models, you’ll have to wait until your erection diminishes before you can comfortably extract yourself from it.
How To Use A Cock Ring
Okay, so you have the cock ring you want to try—or better still, a range of them to sample, as many types are easily affordable—and you’re rarin’ to go.
Again, this is a personal preference kind of thing, but I sincerely think that using a good amount of lube on your cock and balls is a great preamble. Speaking of lube, do use one you like and are familiar with. One thing you don’t want is an allergic reaction to something wrapped around your cock. The same is true with what your test-run cock ring is made of: so pick one whose material you know is safe for you to use.
Unless you’re using the non-stretchy kind of cock ring, which, yet again, I do not recommend for beginners, gaining a bit of an erection sets the stage quite well.
So now we come to how to put your cock ring on. The good news is that this is really easy: all you really need to do is slide the ring over the shaft of the penis until you get to the testicles, then stretch the ring as wide as you can, pass it over the testicles, and then relax the ring so that it snuggly fits behind them.
And, really, that’s it: the ring should be placed around the shaft and behind the balls. Pretty much immediately, the penis-equipped person should feel reduced sensation in the shaft and the head, and frequently an increased amount and degree of erection.
Some Words About Safety & Comfort
Honestly, I think that for lots of penis-sporting folx, cock rings can be the bees-knees. I’ve been long enamored of them, and have a bedside drawer chock-full of many different kinds. But, as with anything, things can go wrong, which is why you should be well-aware of what these things are and how to spot them as soon as possible.
Though I have tried to be as comprehensive as possible, this is just one (albeit brilliantly written) article, so before you try out cock rings, do spend a good amount of time learning all you can about their benefits, drawbacks, and even possible hazards from many other resources.
Addressing drawbacks, a common one is that particularly hirsute individuals can experience discomfort when their hair gets caught in the ring, even so much so that they can develop nasty rashes. If this does occur, immediately remove the ring and clean the area as thoroughly as possible. Going forward, a little trim can help, as can selecting rings that aren’t quite so grippy. Jelly-type cock rings, though very flexible and ideal for beginners, are particularly known for their nasty habit of tearing out pubic hair.
The biggest hazard is leaving a cock ring on for too long or wearing one that is far too tight—which has the scary potential of causing irreparable harm to a person’s penis. Remember the corpora cavernosa I talked about above? Well, these structures can be damaged by excessive tension, leading to permanent structural changes to how the penis operates, and even negatively towards a person’s ability to achieve or maintain an erection. Luckily, avoiding this is pretty easy: just be careful getting your cock rings on and off, and always choose a ring that only gently constricts. A good rule of thumb for newbies is to only use ones that are just a bit smaller than the diameter of the shaft. You can also consult the handy sizing guides that are all over the Internet.
Ideally, when wearing one there should be visible veins and a slight blush. If you experience any discomfort, the ring visibly dents into the shaft, or if the penis takes on a bluish tint then get the ring off immediately as it is far too tight.
Newbie or old-hand at them, a cock ring should never be worn for more than 20 minutes at a stretch. Yes, some people go longer than that, but the really bad thing about damaging the penis is that because wearing a ring diminishes sensations, you won’t know the damage has been done until the ring comes off—and even then, not until the penis-equipped person tries to achieve an erection again!
So, in a word, don’t push it past 20 minutes. And I know I’m repeating myself here, but if you experience any kind of irritation or pain—or even if the experience is causing you even a small amount of worry or anxiety—get the ring off as soon as possible. It’s always much better to be cautious than possibly irreparably harming you or someone you care about’s second-favorite organ.
Put A Ring On It
While cock rings can definitely be on the intimidating side of things when it comes to how many different kinds there are, with a little bit of practice and a lot of trial and error until you find the kind and the size that works best for you, cock rings can quickly become a favorite bedroom-play staple for the penis-equipped.
Just remember that though they can be a great toy, like so many other sexual devices, they also bring no small amount of risks and potential dangers.
Just stay as educated as you can about their cons as well as their pros, and pay close attention to what your body’s telling you or isn’t, and cock rings will always be a source of sexual pleasure… and never a pain!
M. Christian is a highly regarded author (if he does say so himself) of kinky books and stories, informative non-fiction articles on sex and futurism, and—when he’s not writing—teaches BDSM classes with his pal, R. Greco Jr. Check him out at mchristian.com and be sure to tune the podcast he also does with Ralph: ‘Licking Non Vanilla.’
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