Pompoir ( ), also known as the Singapore grip, is an ancient sexual technique in which a woman uses her

pelvic floor The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is an anatomical location in the human body which has an important role in urinary and anal continence, sexual function, and support of the pelvic organs. The pelvic floor includes muscles, both skeletal and ...

muscles, particularly the pubococcygeus muscle of the

Levator ani The levator ani is a broad, thin muscle group, situated on either side of the pelvis. It is formed from three muscle components: the pubococcygeus, the iliococcygeus, and the puborectalis. It is attached to the inner surface of each side of the ...

, to rhythmically stimulate a man’s

penis A penis (; : penises or penes) is a sex organ through which male and hermaphrodite animals expel semen during copulation (zoology), copulation, and through which male placental mammals and marsupials also Urination, urinate. The term ''pen ...

while both partners remain still. The practice emphasizes internal

vaginal In mammals and other animals, the vagina (: vaginas or vaginae) is the elastic, muscular reproductive organ of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vulval vestibule to the cervix (neck of the uterus). The vaginal introit ...

control to massage the penis with subtle, wave-like contractions, usually performed in a woman on top position.Suzie Heumann, Susan M. Campbell, ''The Everything Great Sex Book: From Sensuous to Sizzling, the Hottest Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Spicing Up Your Sex Life'', Everything Books, 2004, , p. 63Bobby Dempsey, ''Tantric Sex'',

David & Charles David & Charles Ltd is an English publishing company. It is the owner of the David & Charles imprint, which specialises in craft and lifestyle publishing. David and Charles Ltd acts as distributor for all David and Charles Ltd books and cont ...

, 2007, , pp. 229-230 The term ''pompoir'' is the French transliteration of the Tamil city name " Pahmpur". Originating over 3,000 years ago in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, the practice was performed by

Devadasis In India, a devadasi is a female artist who is dedicated to the worship and service of a deity or a temple for the rest of her life. The dedication takes place in a ceremony that is somewhat similar to a marriage ceremony. In addition to taki ...

, female temple attendants skilled in dance and sexual techniques. It spread throughout Asia, particularly among elite escort communities, and was refined in regions like

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

and

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Pompoir vs Kegels

A similar exercise, known as " Kegel", was developed in the 1950s by gynecologist Arnold Kegel. In 1952, he created exercises specifically designed for women experiencing

urinary incontinence Urinary incontinence (UI), also known as involuntary urination, is any uncontrolled leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a significant effect on quality of life. Urinary incontinence is common in older women ...

. While Pompoir targets the same muscle group, its primary focus is sexual mastery and pleasure.Suzie Heumann, Susan M. Campbell, ''The Everything Great Sex Book: From Sensuous to Sizzling, the Hottest Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Spicing Up Your Sex Life'', Everything Books, 2004, , p. 63Bobby Dempsey, ''Tantric Sex'',

, 2007, , pp. 229-230 Pompoir involves more specific control than traditional Kegel contractions, incorporating three primary motions: * Pulling ▲ - Performed with the inner pull of the back vaginal wal, the same as a Kegel contraction. * Pushing ▼ - Release of the front vaginal wall to create a downward pressure (unique to Pompoir). * Squeezing )( - Uses the side vaginal walls to tighten around the penis (advanced Pompoir move).

Techniques

The pompoir techniques are a combination of the advanced and basic moves: * ''Sucking'' - literally sucking the penis into the vagina after only the glans has been inserted. * ''Strangulation'' - squeezing the base of the glans penis with one of the three vaginal muscle rings. * ''Expelling'' - to force the shaft of the penis out of the vagina leaving only the glans inside. * ''Milking'' - massaging the penis in a manner reminiscent of milking, always using the vaginal muscle rings. * ''Twisting'' - squeezing and turning the penis with the above mentioned vaginal rings. * ''Locking'' - contract the vaginal muscles in order to prevent and literally block the advancement of the penis into the vagina.

Benefits

* Increased sexual pleasure: Muscle control allows for more intense and varied orgasms, including vaginal, G-spot, cervical, and uterine orgasms (according to anecdotal reports). * Improved pelvic floor health: Can help combat urinary incontinence and facilitate childbirth by strengthening the pubococcygeus muscles. * Sexual empowerment: Gives the woman greater control during intercourse, reversing traditional power dynamics. Although pompoir offers many benefits, it should be practiced under the guidance of a pelvic floor specialist. Overtraining or performing these exercises excessively can increase the risk of incontinence or uterine prolapse, in some women.

Curiosities

There is a variant called Kabzah or "Kabza" (, , Arabic قبضة), originating from

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

, in which the woman also uses

abdominal The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...

muscle Muscle is a soft tissue, one of the four basic types of animal tissue. There are three types of muscle tissue in vertebrates: skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Muscle tissue gives skeletal muscles the ability to muscle contra ...

contractions to stimulate the partner, who must remain completely passive. The term translates as "holder," and the sensation is likened to "milking." Women reportedly spend years training to master this technique, which is considered highly difficult and is associated with tantric practices to prolong and intensify intercourse. The title of '' The Singapore Grip'', a novel by J. G. Farrell, as well as its 2020 television adaptation, refers to pompoir. This technique is said to have been practiced by historical figures such as

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...

and

Wallis Simpson Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer and then Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986) was an American socialite and the wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (former King Edward VIII). Their intentio ...

Pompoir vs Kegels

Techniques

Benefits

Curiosities

References

Further reading