Masanobu Sato, now 43, the Malaysia-based CEO of TENGA Healthcare, masturbated for a record nine hours and 58 minutes at the 2009 US Masturbate-a-thon in San Francisco. He had previously won the endurance category in 2008 with a time of nine hours and 33 minutes, securing the title two years in a row.
Sato said he joined the event, hosted by The Center for Sex & Culture, to ‘challenge the shame and taboo surrounding masturbation and encouraging people to talk more openly about sexuality’. He added: ‘Even though the event itself was unusual and fun, the idea that masturbation should not be something people have to feel ashamed of was something I genuinely believed in. That was a big part of why I wanted to participate.’
Physical toll of prolonged masturbation
Seventeen years on, the act is known as ‘gooning’, an internet slang term for a prolonged form of masturbation focusing on edging—coming close to climax but pulling back to achieve a trance-like pleasure state. It was predicted to be one of the hottest sex trends of this year.
Sato told sex site Erobella about the immediate physical effects: ‘That part of my body was under a lot of stress. I remember that the surface of my penis looked dark and worn, almost like it had been through a battle. It felt a little like a wounded soldier.’ He was also completely exhausted, adding: ‘My concentration and physical energy were also used up. If you keep giving the same kind of stimulation for a very long time, it can put stress on the skin, nerves, and muscles.’
Expert warnings on extended sessions
Sarah Mulindwa, Lovehoney sexual health expert and practicing senior sexual health nurse, said 10 hours is an extremely long time for any part of the body to undergo repeated friction and pressure. She noted: ‘The most likely effects on a penis would be soreness, chafing, redness, swelling and temporary reduced sensitivity or numbness. Vigorous stimulation could also irritate the urethra or cause small abrasions to the skin. If you have foreskin, repeated pulling may make it particularly sore or swollen.’
Mulindwa added that prolonged masturbation likely won’t cause serious long-lasting injuries, but technique, force, lubrication, toys, existing skin conditions and breaks all contribute to pain. She advised: ‘Most mild irritation should improve after resting for a day or two. Seek medical advice if there’s severe or persistent pain, extensive swelling or bruising, difficulty urinating, significant bleeding, discharge, loss of sensation that does not settle, or signs of infection. Masturbation itself is not harmful, but ignoring what your body is telling you can be!’
Training and reflection
Ness Cooper, psychotherapist and clinical sexologist, said gooning can lead to fissures over a long period, and genitals can become very sensitive, requiring breaks. She suggested changing position may help, as some muscles in the glutes and pelvic floor can tense up when held in one position for an extended time. She noted prolonged arousal is a good way to relieve stress, as hormones released before, during and after orgasm can reduce stress.
Sato recalled no long-lasting side effects but said the event made him more aware of his difficulty with ejaculation. He explained: ‘I already had a problem with taking a long time to ejaculate. When I was 20, I had circumcision surgery. After that, my sexual sensitivity changed a lot. I started to suffer from delayed ejaculation and difficulty ejaculating during sex. Many people may think, “lasting long is amazing.” But for me, it wasn’t only something to be proud of. Taking too long to ejaculate can be a serious concern.’
To prepare, Sato trained by masturbating while watching comedy shows, saying: ‘Normally, people use sexual or erotic images to get aroused, but I tried to train myself to stay hard even when I was watching something completely unrelated to sex.’ He also participated in an ‘Air Sex’ competition, a performance activity originating in Japan where fully clothed people simulate sexual activity with an invisible partner, to build confidence in front of a crowd.
Sato treated the event ‘almost like a sport’, explaining: ‘After about six hours, it became very hard physically and mentally. If your mind gives up, you cannot continue. For me, I also felt “I’ve come this far, and people are supporting me, so I should continue until the end”. At the end, it felt less like sexual pleasure and more like sport, or even training.’ He added: ‘Being able to spend a whole day facing your own pleasure is a special experience. Looking back, it makes me laugh a little, but at that time I was very serious.’
Mulindwa warned that pleasure shouldn’t be a sport, and Sato agreed, saying: ‘I want to be clear: this was preparation for a very special event. I do not recommend this to ordinary people. It’s very different from healthy self-care masturbation in normal life.’
