The Penis, Erections, and Ejaculation: A Spicy Road Map

John, dong, dick, cock. In 1772, they took to calling it a Shaft of Delight. Whether you’ve seen one, a hundred, or none- I can promise you they’re all different even though they all pretty much work the same. We won’t spend too much time on the inner workings; the focus of this guide will be on how the penis works during sex and masturbation.

The Inner Workings

Bladder: This is self explanatory. After your body *gestures vaguely* does whatever it does with what you consume, the leftover liquid gets put here. It fills, you feel some pressure, and then you urinate.

Urethra: The tube that connects from your bladder down through your penis where urine exits.

Seminal Vesicle: This is a pair of glands that produce about 70% of the liquid that makes up semen. The liquid empties into the vas deferens where it meets the sperm that will eventually be expelled from the penis during ejaculation.

Prostate: This funny little walnut-shaped gland is inside your rectum and assists in the seminal fluid-making process. But it can also play an important role in sex and arousal. If you want to know more about the male G-Spot (commonly called the P-Spot,) check out: The Male P-Spot - A Spicy Road Map To Prostate Stimulation and Beginner's Buying Guide- Anal Plugs Trust me, it's a great read.

The Penis

Shaft: This is the long-ish stretch of tissue that makes up the majority of the penis. It protrudes from the body, with the head of the penis on the other end. This is the part of the penis that swells and gets hard with sexual arousal. Inside the shaft are two cylinders on either side, called corpora cavernosa, that swell with blood causing an erection. Underneath the corpora cavernosa is the urethra, where urine and semen travel along to exit the body.

Head: The head is also called the glans. For most men, this is the most sensitive part of the penis. And with (arguably) 8,000 nerve endings, most people agree. The foreskin covers the head of the penis, unless you are circumsized. In this case, the head of the penis is mostly exposed. People cite cultural/ religious or medical reasons for circumcision. At the tip of the head is the opening to your urethra, hilariously called the meatus.

The Scrotum and Testicles

Scrotum: This is the skin that houses the testes (plural for testicle). Commonly nicknamed the ballsack, it’s typically wrinkly and grows hair. It varies in size and shape, much like everything else in and on your body. It’s completely normal for one side to be larger and “hang” lower than the other side. It’s also very sensitive which is why the thought of a swift kick in the balls is enough to make any male cringe a bit. On the other hand, that sensitivity also aides in arousal and sex/ masturbation. Most men like to have their balls touched during sex and masturbation.

Testes/ Testicles: These are two ball-shaped glands that produce sperm and hormones, like testosterone. They’re inside the scrotum.

Erections

An erection is when a penis swells with blood (remember the corpora cavernosa inside the shaft.) It may sound like a stereotype, but men typically become aroused a lot faster and with less stimulation than women. Arousal can occur with touch, sights, sounds, erotic memories, fantasies, and sometimes even less. I remember a less than stellar experience during gym class when I first hit puberty of an ill-timed erection. I’m fairly certain the only reason my mile run was under 12 minutes was pure embarrassment. I’d never been so happy to get back to the locker room in my life. It happens to the best of us.

During an erection, the penis becomes hard and rigid. It tends to stand up and at attention. This is helpful with intercourse. Imagine trying to have sex and put your penis in a vagina while it’s soft (flaccid.)

Some men have issues with becoming erect and/or maintaining an erection. This is called erectile dysfunction. We hear a lot about it happening in older men, but it can happen to anyone for seemingly innocuous reasons. If you think this applies to you, seek the advice of your healthcare professional and always be wary of internet “quick fixes” with pumps and pills.

Ejaculation

Ejaculation is the expulsion of semen from your penis. This most often occurs during orgasm but the two are not mutually exclusive. You can ejaculate without an orgasm and you can orgasm without ejaculation (dry orgasm.) If either happens to you, you’re not alone and it’s 100% normal. When the times cums your brain signals the production of noradrenaline. Then the corpora cavernosa inside the shaft will contract. This allows the blood to flow out of your penis and your penis becomes soft again.

Five Fast Facts about Your Frank & Beans

You can break your penis.

If your penis is erect and is violently bent, the corpora cavernosa can burst. As imagined, there is swelling and it’s incredibly painful. Two-thirds of the times this is reported to healthcare professionals, it’s because his partner was on top and slipped out. You can imagine how the rest happens.

Night-time erections are normal.

And they’re even indicative that everything is working as it should. Scientists aren’t 100% sure why but most agree it happens during REM sleep when dreams are most intense. Your morning wood is usually the leftovers of your night-time erections.

Penis size does not equal foot size.

Contrary to what you heard from 12-year olds in middle school, the size of your feet has no scientific correlation to the size of your penis. Researchers at University College London studied males from adolescent age to senior age and found absolutely no link there.

Small penises, statistically, make for larger erect penises.

Who would have thought? A study by the Journal of Sex Research back in the 1980s found that smaller penises increased by 86% when erect, nearly twice that of longer penises (47%). The ladies might think you’re a bit more fun if you’re a grower and not a shower.

The penis is NOT a muscle.

It’s more like a sponge with the corpora cavernosa swelling and filling with blood during erections. That’s why there’s no (valid) penis workouts to make it bigger. 

Footnotes and Related Articles:

If you’re looking for more info on the male prostate (P-Spot), how to stimulate it, and anal play in general- check out:

The Male P-Spot - A Spicy Road Map To Prostate Stimulation and

Beginner's Buying Guide- Butt Plugs

If you’re on the “giving” end of a penis, we have a great article with tips for giving great oral sex:

How To Blow Like A Pro