Bathmate Routines for Beginners

For beginners who just bought their first Bathmate (or Hydromax), it is better to stick to a well-designed and tested routine. The initial 90 days are crucial for conditioning before embarking on more advanced training methods in the next months or years.

If you are still contemplating about purchasing the pump, read our Bathmate and Hydromax reviews page that includes: model overviews, proper usage tips, user length and girth results, and sexual benefits from pumping.

Note: although we refer to the pump as “Bathmate”, however the same routine applies to Hydromax, Penomet, or any other water-based penile pump.

Bathmate-Only Routine

Here is a sample beginner’s routine for the first 60 days. It is safe, effective, and only needs basic knowledge of pumping with a Bathmate.

To learn the basics and how to warm-up properly – read our guide on how to use Bathmate.

Monday, Tuesday Wednesday Thursday, Friday Saturday, Sunday
Week 1 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 5-7 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 5-7 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 2 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 3 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 4 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 5 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 8 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 6 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 10-11 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 10-11 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 7 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 12-15 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 12-15 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 8 Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 14-18 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Use Bathmate for 14-18 minutes on an erect penis. Cooldown. Rest.

Alternatively, you can schedule the workout and rest every other day. The thing to remember here is that, like any bodybuilding exercises, you must give your penis ample time to recover and grow.

Routine with Manual Exercises

After 60 days, your penis is now accustomed to penile training. You can start doing multiple pumping sets that last up to 20 minutes.

While Bathmate/Hydromax works well on its own, if you aim for better results and maximum gains, you should now consider including manual exercises to your routine. Here is a sample routine that combines jelqing and Bathmate stretching. (We’ll discuss how to do a Bathmate stretch in the next section, and how to jelq correctly on this page).

Monday, Tuesday Wednesday Thursday, Friday Saturday, Sunday
Week 9 Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 5 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 5 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 10 Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 8 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 8 minutes on a flaccid penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 11 Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 8 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 8 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest.
Week 12 Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 10 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest. Warm-up. Jelq for 5 minutes. Do full-pressure stretching for 10 minutes on a semi-erect (50-60% hard) penis. Cooldown. Rest.

Again, as an alternative, you can schedule the workout and rest every other day.

How to do Bathmate Stretches

Stretching is useful for gaining penis length (regular pumping is better for girth). It is an integral part of more advanced routines, but newbies can start integrating stretches early on. A Bathmate stretch pulls the so-called internal penis — the part of your penis hidden inside your body.

To do stretching, prepare the same way as you will be doing a regular pumping. Wait for 1 minute then follow these steps:

  1. Pull the Bathmate forward while holding your penis’ base so your balls won’t get sucked. Hold for 30 seconds.
  2. Pull the Bathmate to the left. Again, hold your penis’ base. Hold for another 30 seconds.
  3. Pull the Bathmate to the right while holding your base. Hold for another 30 seconds.
  4. Pull the Bathmate downward while holding your base. Hold for another 30 seconds.
  5. Repeat steps 1-4 two or three more times. Once in a while, pump out excess water.

Remember to maintain a nice balance between doing a stretch that is strong enough to pull the internal penis and keeping a stable suction to prevent loss of pressure. But don’t pull so hard as it may cause harm to your testicles. Also, you may incorporate some Kegel exercises to increase blood flow.

Stretching is harmless but can be unpleasant too. If it’s your first time to do stretching, just get used to it without causing undue stress to your sex organs.

Flaccid vs Erect Pumping

Entering Bathmate flaccid will cause more stretching and pulling of your penis – more at the top half of the shaft. This will result in better length gains.

Entering Bathmate erect will put more stress on the girth and overall expansion of your penis. You will also feel more pull from the base (rather than the upper half) of the shaft.

Overall, pumping works better when your penis is erect. However, it is good to alternate the two states as we outlined in our routine.

Advanced technique: pump for 15 minutes at around 75% compression. Then do a 100% pump when you think you are fully erect – and hold it for 2 minutes. More time in one set will usually end in edema.

Safety and Other Tips

  • Read the instruction manual thoroughly before starting.
  • Observe proper rest and recovery.
  • Don’t pump too hard. Watch out for red spots (from burst blood vessels), swelling or other symptoms of excessive expansion. Also, check out our guide to avoid fluid retention.
  • Don’t do more than 20 minutes of pumping at a time.
  • Don’t get overzealous with jelqing or stretching. Any recklessness will bring you injury and will just delay your progress.
  • Shave or trim your pubic hair for better sealing. Hairs let air enter the tube and would cause loss of pressure.
  • Consider using oil or lotion for better sealing.
  • Consult your doctor to discuss your body’s limitations when doing penile training.
  • Always listen to your body. Only do exercises which your body can take.

Can I use Bathmate every day?

We recommend that you use the pump 5 times per week. If you use it every day, you will not give your penis tissue enough rest and you may experience negative side effects such as excessive fluid retention or bruising.

Can I pump twice a day?

Similar to the previous question, we recommend that you do not use Bathmate more than once in a single day.

An important part of growth is the recovery. If you do not give your tissue cells enough time to rebuild and recover, your progress may slow down.

Final Advice

When starting with Bathmate, it is best to start with a light routine before ramping up your training. Our recommended 90-day routine will help you start on the right track without causing any harm and will help your penis get adjusted to a more rigorous male enhancement exercises.

Always keep in mind these three keys: repetition, commitment, and consistency.

Leave a Comment:

32 comments
Jeff says September 30, 2023

Hi, I have had the bathmate extreme for a couple of weeks now. Sometimes I find it easy to use, and other times it’s not quite so easy to get along with. Sometimes I find it wants to pull my ball sack tight and wants to suck a ball into it. It will do this even after being in the shower for a long time and with a fully “relaxed” ballsack. I find it can also pull the foreskin taut making it really quite unpleasant.
Other times I can use it absolutely fine and get a really great pump on. Anyone have any idea what I’m doing wrong on my “off” days? It’s bloody frustrating, as on the odd occasion, it’s unusable when it’s like this.
Thanks in advance

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Av8tor says September 23, 2023

Is it ok to masturbate every day and continue to use the Hydromax Extreme? Does the penis have to be lube-free before use?

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Jeremiah says August 11, 2020

Hi, Bathmate recommends we remove the device every 2-3 minutes and message the penis. Your routine hasn’t incorporated this. Is it okay if I use it for 5-7 minutes straight?

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    Lucas Owenby says August 17, 2020

    Yes it should be fine. If you feel any pain or discomfort, make sure you take it off.

    Reply
Joseph says May 23, 2020

Hey, I have a concern and question.

What’s the max time you can leave the Bathmate on without rest? And if you’re saying 15 or 20 mins, should it be done in sets or should it be done all at once 15 mins (advanced)?

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    Lucas Owenby says May 23, 2020

    You can try to leave it on for as long as you can and see how you feel. You may need to re-pump if the pressure declines or if you want to increase the strength. If you feel pain or discomfort, so stop.

    Reply
Jason Wickerstein says January 9, 2020

I have been using the Bathmate Hydromax X30 for about two weeks. When I initially started, I could immediately tell a difference in shaft length, and the tip of my penis was more pronounced.

However, I experience issues with pumping. I don’t pump in the bath due to my height 6’3. Instead, I do it in the shower, more comfortably. When I am pumping, I notice that the black bellows of my pump hardly ever retract to the original position, and I often find myself having to release the valve (not removing the Bathmate) to continue pumping again.

Will this affect my results?

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    Lucas Owenby says January 14, 2020

    The black rubber you mean? it is not retracting to the original position while you have the pump on? It is hard to visualize for me…

    As long as you feel the tension on your penis and it appears more “puffed” at the end, it means that the pump is working well.

    Reply
Loki says October 2, 2018

Hey. Thanks for putting in the time to make this routine and give it out publicly, it’s a godsend and the only one that’s put my mind to ease.

Only thing is, mine didn’t come with a ball attachment pump so I’m having to press it against myself to get the water out – and honestly, it’s a struggle. After a while not much water comes out. Do you think this is due to lack of suction or should I buy the attachment?

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    Lucas Owenby says October 2, 2018

    There is a release valve at the end of the pump. Push that to let the water out.

    I do not think you can ‘upgrade’ a Bathmate pump to include the external ball pump.

    Reply
King john says September 11, 2018

I’m in my 3rd month and have just started using the Bathmate with an erection (90%+) for 15 -19 minutes, 4 days a week. After pumping with an erection, my penis is very red, heavy, and the tip is very puffy (particularly when it returns to its flaccid state) and painless. I have to use, what seems to be high pressure, to get this state. I’m not seeing massive expansion (like half an inch) after use though, maybe a slightly over a tenth of an inch. Is that type of expansion something that has to be worked up to? Is all this normal?

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    Lucas Owenby says September 12, 2018

    Yes, all of this is normal. You are supposed to see such effects after your pumping session. Just keep going and those size increases should become more and more permanent even without pumping.

    Reply
Jeff Ree says September 5, 2018

Is it ok to use the Phallosan Forte (mild to max tension) for a few hours after an 18-minute maximum erection/pressure session?

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    Lucas Owenby says September 6, 2018

    You should give your penis a few hours rest if it feels soar. But there shouldn’t be a problem.

    Reply
Ragga says June 27, 2018

I have got a Bathmate Hercules. Using it about a 1 week but can’t see any results neither in girth nor in length. My size is 5.5 in length and 2.5 in girth. When I use it, the foreskin on the top swells and my penis looks bigger for some period. Is it harmful? How can it get good results? Please help me out; I am feeling depressed after getting no results.
I am using it for 15 min daily for 1 week. Like 5 min of use, 30 sec of rest, 5 min pumping, rest 30 sec, 5 min pumping, rest 30 sec, 5 min pumping, rest 30 sec.

Reply
    Lucas Owenby says June 29, 2018

    You are on the right track. 1 week is still too short to see permanent results. And the swelling foreskin is fine – it is part of the penile tissue expansion.

    Just keep pumping and use our routine. If you discovered a better routine fit for you, use that one instead.

    Reply
Billy D says June 16, 2018

Starting out as a newbie, how much pressure should be used? That is, If I start pumping flaccid, should I pump until it looks like I’m 100%-110% erect. How much should I pump if I’m 100% erect?

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    Lucas Owenby says June 16, 2018

    As a newbie, start with a pressure level that you feel comfortable. If you feel pain, so stop. If you are erect, hold the pressure as long as you feel some tension. Over time, you will get a better feel for which pressure you need to continue growing.

    Reply
camilo says May 29, 2018

After my 5th day doing as the manufacturer recommends 5x5x5, I am noticing the tissue under the head wholly swollen with water. It looks like a water ball that can explode… is this normal? How can I carry on? Can I pump again or better to stop?

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    Lucas Owenby says May 31, 2018

    What you are experiencing is called ‘fluid retention’. This is more common with Bathmate rather than Penomet. We wrote a full description about this where we mentioned symptoms, cures, and how to prevent it.

    In short, you over-pumped, and you should massage your penis to cure this condition. Take a few days break from pumping, but do not worry too much. This is not dangerous.

    Reply
raymay says May 3, 2018

On week 3 I tried going in semi-hard, and it would immediately go flaccid… If I can’t stay hard in the Bathmate for longer than 2 minutes, is there an alternative?

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    Lucas Owenby says May 3, 2018

    As you are getting more used to pumping, you will be able to achieve an erection by merely increasing the pressure.

    As of now, you can take the pump off and stimulate yourself manually and circulate the blood before you continue so that you get an erection. You can also try Kegels and moved the pump around instead of keeping it passive in one spot.

    Reply
john says April 23, 2018

So after week 12, do I just repeat the whole routine from week 1? or what?

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    Lucas Owenby says April 25, 2018

    By the time you get to week 12 you should already have a good feel as to what exercises give your penis the right balance of stress and growth.

    Reply
EL says January 25, 2018

Would it be wise for someone who has been using an air pump for about a year and a half to try an advanced routine, or start out with a beginning routine?

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    Lucas Owenby says January 27, 2018

    See how you feel after a day or two of the beginner’s routine. If your penis is not getting enough stress – you could try the advanced routine.

    Air pumps do not have nearly as much potential as water pumps, so I would guess you need to start from the bottom.

    Reply
dadf says December 17, 2017

This post is very useful.
Slightly confused here, though. I thought Bathmate recommended 3 sets of 3-5 minutes for beginners for a total of 15 minutes a day.
But if I understood your instructions clearly, you’re advising that we do one set of 5-7 minutes to start off.
Are you suggesting we forgo the manufacturer’s instructions?

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    Lucas Owenby says December 18, 2017

    Note that the manufacturer wants to take extra safety precautions to avoid injury complaints. Injuries include ‘bruising’, which recover after a few days. So even if they do happen, it is nothing dangerous.

    After you are comfortable with 3-5 minutes sessions, we recommend that you hold the pump on for longer to achieve better results faster.

    Always use your own judgment with what your penis is comfortable with at this point.

    Reply
NikkiClause says December 8, 2017

Hey, so for the first 8 weeks, do I need to keep the Bathmate on for the whole 14-18min for example, or do I need to divide that into two sets of 7-9min?

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    Lucas Owenby says December 8, 2017

    Try to do it all in one go. You will see how the effects really amplify if you hold the tension and don’t let go.

    Notice how you have to work your way up to the 14-18 minutes mark. This is because of the intense pressure at that level. You will need to gauge yourself throughout the weeks to find the rate you are comfortable with.

    If you feel like holding the tension for 7 minutes (for example) is too much for you, don’t increase the tension time.

    We actually recommend never to go over 20 minutes due to a risk of injury.

    Reply
Teguh Prabowo says November 28, 2017

First of all, you wrote great instructions. It really helps me a lot as a beginner. I have questions though.
How about the Bathmate routine after week 8? Do the jelqing and stretching start at week 9 or week 9 is the same with Bathmate week 1?
One more thing, I heard about the donut effect. What causes it and what should I do if I have one? Thank you.

Reply
    Lucas Owenby says November 29, 2017

    After week 8, I posted the continuation routine for week 9 – which involves jelqing and stretching.
    We actually explained the donut effect in this article here.

    Reply
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