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What is Edging (And Who Can Do It?)
on Sep 3, 2020
Whilst the term edging can be used to describe the practice of keeping clean, crisp lines between your lawn and garden beds, that's not the meaning we plan on discussing today.
Also known as "peaking", "surfing", "orgasm training" or "orgasm denial", edging is a sexual technique designed to intensify your orgasms. To find out more about edging, who can do it and how to edge – read on.
What is edging?
Edging can sometimes be confused with edge play, which broadly refers to BDSM-type activities that are considered risky or on the edge of what might be considered safe.
Edging, however, is an entirely different sexual practice. Edging is all about bringing yourself or a partner to the brink, or the metaphorical 'edge', of an orgasm, but then abruptly backing off before The Big O has time to arrive.
This technique is certainly not some hot, new sexual trend – edging, or the 'stop-start method' as it was called then, was being recommended as a treatment for premature ejaculation since the late 1950s.
Who can do it?
One of the best things about edging is that mostly anyone can try it. If you know how to bring yourself or your partner to orgasm, you'll be able to attempt edging.
You can edge on your own during a solo session or with a partner, and you don't necessarily need to invest in any special equipment to make it happen.
Why edge?
One of the biggest benefits of edging is that, for a lot of people, delaying an orgasm makes the end result more powerful.
Fans of edging say that being repeatedly brought close to orgasm succeeds in ramping up their desire to climax. When they finally allow themselves to succumb to orgasm, the delayed gratification makes everything that much better.
Although they are a huge bonus, better orgasms aren't the only benefit of edging. If you practise edging with your partner, you may find your communication improves. This is because communicating is so crucial to successfully edging – if you don't tell your partner when to stop and start, when you need more stimulation or when you're close to climax, you'll orgasm before you know it!
Edging with a partner will also help you become more familiar with what turns them on. If you plan on bringing your significant other to the brink of orgasm, you'll need to know how to light up their erogenous zones (for the studious lovers out there, you can find All You Need to Know About Your Erogenous Zones (and How to Stimulate Them) here.
How to edge solo
Organise your surroundings so that you'll be able to relax and enjoy yourself. This could mean waiting until you've got the house to yourself, lighting a candle or putting on some mood music – just do what you need to do. Get yourself in the mood.
Whether you like to close your eyes and lets your thoughts run wild, or you prefer to watch some porn to get your blood pumping, it doesn't matter. Whatever gets you aroused is fine by us. Whatever it is that makes you come – now's the time to start doing it.
Reach for your favourite sex toy or if you're a wizard with your hands, then let them work their magic! Here's the important part: when you feel as though you're going to come, stop what you're doing and take your hands away from your body. Take a short break and focus on how you're feeling in the moment. Start masturbating again until you get close to orgasm and stop once again. Repeat this stop-start process 2-3 more times. When you feel like you've toyed with yourself enough, let it happen! Allow yourself to orgasm.
Edging can take some practice (because the temptation to come is always so strong, duh!) but you may find that after a few edging sessions your orgasms start to intensify.
How to edge with a partner
Decide beforehand whether you're going to use verbal or non-verbal cues to let the other person know that you're getting close to climaxing. Launch into your normal, sizzling foreplay routine - if you are looking to shake things up, we've got 5 Foreplay Moves She'll Love and 5 Foreplay Moves He'll Love standing by.
When your partner signs or expresses that they are on the brink of orgasm, stop what you're doing until the feeling subsides. You don't have to completely withdraw from them, just focus your attentions on a different area of their body so that they don't succumb to orgasm too early.
Repeat the stop-start process until they let you know they are ready to give in to the temptation.
After some experimentation you might find that you are all about enjoying some serious edging, or you may feel like isn't really your thing, and that's ok. However, if you don't give edging chance, you'll never know if it's capable of rocking your world or not. Here's to living life on the edge!
Audrey Andrews is a student blogger for Lovehoney. In her spare time she loves to do craft, but would not advise knitting your own condoms.
