Gay Gooning: What It Is And How to Do It Safely

Here’s a riddle for you: What requires a liter of lube, a wrist compression strap, and a day’s sick leave? According to Redditors and fapping enthusiasts, these are the keys to connecting your third eye via your second head (i.e., your cock). You might want to come up with a different explanation for HR when you make that sick leave request.

So, how exactly do you reach enlightenment through your penis? The answer is gooning, a mind-over-matter technique to extend sexual stimulation for hours on end. Eventually, your mind, body, and genitals align like the Holy Trinity, sending you into an orgasmic trance that lasts longer than a Real Housewives reunion special.

Before you cancel all your plans, let us prepare you with Grindr’s guide to gay gooning.

What is gooning? 

Gooning is a kink that involves edging repeatedly until you or your partner reach a state of all-consuming arousal. Gooners bring themselves right up to the point of no return, stop all stimulation, and start over again in a loop. Gradually, they get closer and closer to the edge until they can continue stimulation without ejaculating, prolonging the orgasm sensation. 

Gooners call this orgasmic enlightenment the “goon state.” It’s a sexual trance where your thoughts and external stimuli disappear. All those worries about the economy and Katya losing All Stars dissolve as you’re wholly overcome by the pleasure of beating your meat.

This is where the phrase comes from. Gooning turns you into a goon (aka “a stupid person,” according to Mother Merriam-Webster). Gooners become so focused that they enter a state of stupefaction, losing track of time and control over their body and facial expressions. Imagine your favorite prostate orgasm compilation on PornHub, except it’s your penis in a continuous loop of cumming.

Many gooners block off several hours on their calendar to worship their members. And you’ll hear claims of half a day’s worth of orgasming on Reddit and Discord communities.

With so much time to go gaga, there are infinite options for gooning. You can practice solo masturbation or buddy up with a sex partner. You can stick to your hand, rotate through all of your sex toys, or practice every wild sex position in the Kama Sutra. Whatever makes you see the light.

Gooning vs. edging

Gooning requires you to master your edging skills. To get to the goon state, you have to edge yourself to orgasm over and over and over again.

But edging is a technique to make sex or masturbation last longer. Each time you delay your orgasm, the sexual tension builds until you burst like Mount Vesuvius. Although an edged orgasm is stronger than your run-of-the-mill bean flicking, edging is still focused on reaching the finish line.  

Gooning, on the other hand, is the Yellowstone Supervolcano of orgasms. You bring your body so close to climax that you feel the orgasm but don’t actually cum, allowing your body and mind to get stuck in an extended state of bliss. Instead of passing the finish line, you crawl along it on all fours with a butt plug up your ass.

Why do people goon? 

Did you miss the part about orgasming for 12 hours straight? For many, the intense pleasure and heightened sensations are enough justification to silence their cell phone and engage in an eternal handy. 

Gooning is also popular in BDSM circles. Whether you’re a sadist or masochist who craves orgasm denial or a Dom/sub role-play enthusiast, entering the goon state means giving up total control. For a Dom, putting their partner into such a state of pleasure that they drool, moan, and tremor uncontrollably is a massive sexual trip that reinforces the power dynamic. Likewise, for subs who give themselves up to the goon, it’s a moment to entirely absolve yourself of your inhibitions and explore your most animalistic sexual desires.

Plus, couples that goon together swoon together. Gooning as a couple requires solid communication and high levels of trust, which strengthens intimacy, connection, and romance. All that enlightenment will likely reverberate outside the bedroom and improve the overall quality of your relationship.

Gooning for begooners: How to get started

Like every other valuable skill, learning how to goon takes practice. The good news is that it won’t be hard to hit that 10,000-hour mark. Follow these steps to masturbate your way to nirvana.

1. Build a goon cave

You might already have a dedicated craft space, home office, or sex dungeon. A goon cave is no different. It’s a space designed to help you focus on the task at hand: masturbating or fucking for hours on end. 

You don’t have to purchase four porno monitors, a surround sound system, and blackout curtains if you’re just experimenting. But you should create an ambiance that helps you tune out your neighbors and tune into pornography, toys, and your own sexual pleasure.

Pick a comfortable spot you feel comfortable losing control, load up on lube and sex gear, and queue up your computer with your favorite porn. If you live with roommates, it’s probably a good idea to schedule your cumming around their going.

2. Take it slow and steady

Like any meditative practice, achieving the goon state can take time. Don’t beat yourself up if you splooge faster than you want. Your body is acclimated to certain sexual habits; it may take several practice sessions before you successfully delay your orgasm and enter the goon state.

To build up your stamina, gradually set longer time goals. Likewise, experiment with different levels of stimulation. You may last longer listening to guided masturbation podcasts rather than watching pornography. Try prolonging the good sensations with non-penetrative sex acts. Don’t stop experimenting until the Hole-y Spirit has you speaking in tongues. 

3. Pay attention to your body

Most of us have been masturbating since we learned about the birds and the bees. Although you have a lot of practice under your belt, you may not be in tune with your body. Pay close attention to how your body reacts just before orgasm, whether it’s a tingling sensation in your penis, muscle spasms, or feeling a heat wave. Knowing your physical signs will make it a lot easier to cut off stimulation at the right time.

4. Have fun

Gooning is all about giving in to sexual pleasure. It’s an excellent way to release yourself from your inhibitions and embrace your slutty self.

If you’re playing with a partner, set boundaries and expectations beforehand. Likewise, if you’re incorporating more “extreme” kinks and fetishes like golden showers, humiliation, or cock and ball torture, it’s worthwhile to test the waters before you go full goon.

What does gooning mean for your sexual health? 

Gooning often revolves around porn consumption. There’s nothing wrong with watching two men ram each other — as long as you remember that porn is an exaggerated pantomime of real sex. Constantly exposing yourself to porn can twist your perceptions of healthy sex and body image, chipping away at your sexual health. Likewise, a porn addiction can make it challenging to have a satisfying sex life in the real world.

Gooning is all about self-pleasure. Be intentional in creating habits that contribute to your sexual discovery rather than form or exacerbate unhealthy sexual hangups.