To help readers who may be starting out on a jelqing program, Aaron Kemmer, author of the book Exercising the Penis, has provided the following basic jelqing routine.

Kemmer warns that the simple jelq exercise is often done incorrectly. "The jelq is the first exercise that most men use to enhance their penis," he cautions. "When done properly, the jelq makes the penis healthier and harder - much harder. But it's easy to get it wrong and so many men overdo it. It's important to take it slowly."

Kemmer, who lectures in sex education at the University of South Florida, says the following routine from his book is safe and effective.

1. Warm Up Before Jelqing

   You'll want to warm up before you begin jelqing. Whatever you do, do not skip this step. As one veteran exerciser says, "Warming up is a lot like foreplay. If you take the time to do it right, you'll get the results you want in a quicker period of time." Warming up involves applying heat to your penis for around five minutes. There are several ways to warm up. The most common ways include:

   1. Getting a warm heating pad and wrapping it around your penis.
   2. Using a wash cloth that's been dipped in hot water and applying it to your penis.
   3. Taking a hot shower and letting the water directly warm your penis.

2. Apply Lubrication

   After you've warmed up, lather your penis with lubrication. Lubrication will allow you to effectively jelq your penis. The most common lubricants are baby oil and Vaseline.

3. Get the Erection Level Right

   Once you've applied lubrication to your penis, it's time to get your blood flowing. You don't want an erection, but your penis should be somewhere between 50 and 75 percent erect. In other words, you want your penis to be semi-tumescent (between semi-soft and semi-hard).
   Whatever you do, don't jelq with a full-blown erection as it is dangerous!

4. Grip Your Penis

   With either hand, use your thumb and pointer finger to create an OK-grip (if done properly, it looks as if you are giving someone the "OK" symbol). Place the jelqing grip at the base of your penis. You want the grip to be as close to your pubic bone as humanly possible.

5. Jelq Away

   After the grip is in place, apply pressure to it and gently move it up your penis. The optimal pressure is light, yet effective at exercising the tissues within your penis. Make sure to stop the jelq directly before you reach the head of your penis (do not jelq the head). The entire jelq should take two to three seconds.

6. Going and Going

   After you've done one jelq, take your other hand and repeat the process. You'll want to switch hands every jelq rep until you reach your desired number of reps. For the first few weeks, do no more than 150 jelqs per workout.

7. Safety First

   Once you have the jelq down, you'll have to do the exercise on a regular basis to cause enlargement. That said, you shouldn't jelq every day - especially in the beginning. One penis exerciser said it best, "your penis needs time and rest to rest to recover from the workouts. If you don't give your penis enough rest, then jelqing stops becoming healthy and starts becoming dangerous." Other ways you can make sure your workouts stay healthy include:

   • Always warming up.
   • Be gentle with your grip and intensity.
   • Never jelq with a full blown erection.
   • Don't jelq the head of your penis.

You can learn more about jelqing safely and effectively along with 30 other penis exercises with pictures and workout routines in a step-by-step format in Kemmer's book, Exercising the Penis.