is it bad that i masturbated/ejaculated?

yr99,

"after abstraining from masturbating for a week, i started feeling very irritable and grumpy."

I certainly hope you are not straining your abs or anything else for that matter but if you're referring to abstaining from masturbating, you don't need to abstain from that. If you're referring to abstaining from ejaculation then, yeah, I went through that phase as well when I first started practicing temporary abstinence. I now realize this is just my body going through its hormonal cycle of recharge. Instead of getting irritable now, I have reframed that feeling into anticipatory arousal which leads to higher arousal. If you look at this phenomenon from a slightly different perspective it becomes a teasing build-up of arousal energy which starts to enliven your entire body.

"If my goal is to get to the super-o... what should my next move be? Should I continue to end my sessions with ejaculation, or should I quit ejaculation altogether?"

IMHO, you should forget about setting the Super-O as a goal and instead set a goal of learning more about your body and its capabilities. Try going 10 days without ejaculating but masturbate as often as you like, hold off an Anerosession until the 9th day and see how that goes.

"what will be the optimal road to reaching the super-o?"

Nobody here can tell you what the "optimal road" is for you. Every man's path is slightly different, we can all offer suggestions for you to try but it is through your own experimentation that you will find the combination of techniques which will unlock your Super-O capability.

Regarding your thread title "is it bad that i masturbated/ejaculated?" That's a value judgement question that only you can answer for yourself. Everyone has their own personal value system and no two individuals will be alike in that respect, any answer from others has little real meaning except for the meaning you attach to it,
Good Vibes to You !

I do on a regular basis almost daily, and take a day or two off before an aneros session. Haven't reached the super O but have been reaching new milestones along the way.

@yr99: No, it's not bad. We've all done it. Be a little more patient with yourself next time.

Personally, at day 10 here, I might be calm outside but my insides feel really pent up. It's a sort of hollow ache. It goes away if I distract myself with some other activity but returns any time I relax.