I've noticed that guys who are intact seem to have more control of their testicles. I'm an art student, and one of our nude models' balls kept going up towards his body whenever he seemed to strain or flex. it was like the actual balls lifted up and left the scrotum sort of soft and empty looking.

has anyone else noticed this? and does anyone know why? is it maybe because intact guys have more skin overall to work with?


I know that guys' balls move up and down with temperature change, but this was different. it wasn't like from the cold, or stress, or anything, they recoiled and moved right up against the sides of his shaft.



how come mine don't do that?

Of course, I've never been in a situation calling for such a concentrated look at another's scrotum. Perhaps my colleague has an answer for you. I'm aware that temperature changes have an effect, but if he had been heated up by the presence of a stimulator in the audience, you would have witnessed something else in motion.

I'm curious where you are in the world.

Interesting question. Reminds me at the outset, of one of those annoying and truly sad little incidents that happen in life. This was (of course) many years ago, way before video projectors, so it was a 16 mm movie on "human sexual response" that was being shown at "lunchtime" and let me tell you, to a packed lecture theatre. It was dealing with just the sort of thing you describe, when 1/3 of the way through, I was paged by a very demanding ward sister to attend with "urgency" to some paperwork.

Dutiful little intern that I was, I left the theatre and sorted out the matter - it was in the event worthless paperwork, but took a good half hour - way longer than the movie. At the very worst, I really should have just looked at it and gone straight back to the move - I learned much that day about priorities and people, but regrettably, missed most of the important stuff.

Frankly, I cannot see how the presence or otherwise, of a foreskin would affect the cremasteric response which is by the way in respect of your question, hardly under voluntary "control". Jim has mentioned the aspect of temperature - the testicles retract in response to cold, in order to regulate their temperature fairly closely. They also retract as part of the sympathetic nervous system "fight or flight" response to apparent danger or stress - for obvious reason.

And it is said that they also retract toward orgasm, and an urban myth states that ejaculation can be inhibited by holding them down and preventing this retraction. That latter is sheer bunkum.

They may react to to sexual interest - that appeared to be the gist of that much of the documentary that I did see, it certainly noted that they periodically or rhythmically move up and down - perhaps every minute or so, and just as the bowel and other smooth muscle in the body does.

And of course Jim is fairly correct in mentioning that you might expect any sexual interest (not requiring nakedness on the part of the object of interest) to be reflected in some degree of erection, but not necessarily complete by any means.

In short, the rhythmic movement of the testicles is entirely normal - you could quite likely observe yourself and find the same thing. It certainly is influenced by activity, and certainly by noticing something of interest. And I can see no reason that it would be prevented by circumcision.

What I will mention, is that circumcision removes a good half of the penile skin in most cases, perhaps more. Particularly during erection, this is accommodated by part of the scrotum being drawn up onto the penile shaft - to a greater or lesser degree. To this extent, circumcised men would tend to have less mobility of the scrotum on average - but note I say, "average" - there are always (plenty of) exceptions.

Does this answer help you?

yes, that does help me. is there any way one can gain better control of their cremaster muscles? I just want to know why mine don't do that. they do retract, but no where near the height that I've seen, and the scrotum skin doesn't stay loose. call me weird, but I'm just curious as to why his retracted to either side of his shaft, and mine just retract to below my shaft. his wasn't rhythmic at all, it just sort of happened if he like sucked in his stomach or something(???).


I'm from Philadelphia.

Some questions of difference are explanable only in terms of the differences in your genetic makeup. The guys you've observed have a different design, and that's all.

Whilst I must with some amusement consider why you would want to gain such control over your cremasteric muscles, I can only point out that these are essentially "smooth" muscle (more akin to that in your bowel), controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Whilst you might to some extent be able to "train" these responses, it's not all that practical.

As Jim implies, neither you nor the fellow in question are "weird", there is a lot of individual variation in these matters. If your testicles hang low, they may not retract as high as if they were on shorter "cords". Incidentally, the spermatic cord is internally attached well up at the back of the abdomen, so pulling your abdomen in may well - in some people - alter the position of the testicles. And of course, a(n inguinal) hernia operation will often result in damage to the cremaster on that side.

Perhaps you might try and imitate the conditions in which your model sat - including warmth and position - and see just how much difference there really is, using a mirror.

I was really just wondering because I'm currently restoring my foreskin, and was wondering if naturally being intact gives one the ability to move their testes up and down seemingly at will. I was hoping that once I'm fully restored, I would have that ability (just for the sake of having it) and was curious about how it happened.

thank you for the information though.

For whose amusement is the quest of mastering those muscles?

haha my own. it's something that I want to be able to control.

If you start an exercise program now and continue it, you should have no problem in later life dealing with issues older men normally do. However, I think that having sex often is probably all one needs to do. I didn't say indiscriminately, did I?

Well, I am impressed by your dedication in undertaking the "restoration" process. Apart from allowing the scrotum more mobility - by not having it pulled up over the penis due to the missing skin - I cannot however see a mechanism by which being intact would facilitate more movement of the cremaster muscles - but there is essentially no harm in hoping!

As regards "exercises", I would certainly encourage you to do some pelvic floor or "Kegel" exercises.