Just about everyone learns to ride a bike, swim … and the same applies to jelqing. Are you using lube? If not, wet jelqs are easier to get the hang of than dry jelqs for a newbie. If that’s not the issue, then you may just be jelqing too firmly. Focus on creating just a little bit of pressure in you penis and maintaining it through the stroke. You may not need much pressure at all at this point.
PE works (at least for most guys), but don’t tell yourself it’s necessarily easy and passive. I haven’t tried hanging - yet - but don’t recall any of the real oracles on this board ever advocating it for newbies. Try manual first because it usually works and conditions you for more things down the road (such as firmer jelqs for you).
11/20/2011: BPEL: 6", MEG: 4.75" (goal BPEL: ~7", MEG: 5.25")
5/9/12: BPEL: 6.5", MEG 5" (goal BPEL: 7.25", MEG: 5.5")
3/5/13: BPEL: 6.875", MEG 5 5" (max goal BPEL: 7.5", MEG: 5.75")