Hi confused.girl,
If you haven't already done so, I'd check out this article as a starting place. It goes over the basics of masturbation and the different approaches people take to it:
Going Solo: The Basics of Masturbation.
Too, while masturbation can teach us about our bodies, pleasure, and fantasies, there isn't a set kind of masturbation or collection of things to do to "prepare" for sex. Being ready for sex involves not only knowing what we like, but what our partner likes as well. Does that make sense?