22 Of The Best Sex Positions You’ll Want To Try ASAP

Have you ever heard the saying, “Sex is like pizza. Even when it’s bad it’s still pretty good”? Well with these sex positions, you can always get a gourmet slice. Sex is more than about reaching the big O. It’s about intimacy, adventure, and having fun. Between the corkscrew and the flatiron, you’ll achieve all of those things.

So to be safe and avoid any embarrassing cramping, stretch a bit before trying these positions. Some positions stimulate you longer and can give you stronger orgasms. Everyone’s body is different and sometimes missionary just doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to get off. But using these positions can give you your new go-to or a titillating combination for amazing nights. If you’re looking for some new fresh moves to put on your boo, we have a fantastic list of positions that aren’t too acrobatic but unique and doable.

Have you and your partner gotten into a sex rut? Have you figured out what works best for you — or at least is most comfortable — and never stray from one or two go-to positions? Are positions that once worked no longer cutting it for you? Have you started dating someone new and want to learn some fresh positions? If you’ve answered “yes” to any (or all) of the questions above, you might be in need of a sex positions refresher course. Not sure where to start? Here are the best sex positions that you’ll turn to again and again.

Looking for more ways to sauce up your sex life. Check out our pages on best sex songs, sex poems, sexting examples, and more.

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1. Doggy Style

This one is a classic for a reason: It offers a few different ways to get you off. In case you need a refresher, this position puts you on all-fours with your partner kneeling behind you. Your partner can then hold onto your hips as they thrust with the object of their/your choosing (a vibrator, a penis, a few fingers). You then have the option of either staying still or pushing your hips back against your partner, sex therapist Vanessa Marin, a sex therapist, writes for Bustle. Plus, if you want some additional clitoral stimulation (who doesn’t?) this position makes it easily accessible for both you and your partner.

2. Missionary

As long as we’re on the subject of classic positions, we have to throw missionary in too. Yes, it’s sometimes written off as being “too vanilla,” but just because a lot of people like something doesn’t mean it’s not as good. Anyway, missionary is also more versatile than you probably thought. Sex educator Lisa Finn explains the appeal to Shape: “General contact is really nice and deep, and you can talk, kiss, bite, and make eye contact.” Some people wish that there was more clitoral stimulation with missionary, but Finn says that it’s totally possible if the person on the bottom grinds their pelvis against their partner. “That will make the position feel even better,” she adds.

3. Spooning Sex

If you’ve been saving spooning until after having sex, you’re missing out. Spooning sex is great for lazy mornings, or times when you just got into bed to cuddle…but both ended up wanting more. It’s also a fantastic position for pregnant women, especially in the third trimester when you can no longer lay on your back for prolonged periods of time. Start by assuming your usual spooning position and get just a little bit closer (if that’s physically possible). To get things going, have the penetrating partner (who is the big spoon in this scenario) slowly enter the receiving partner (with plenty of lube!). It’s pretty customizable, because the penetration can happen with fingers, a dildo, or a penis, and the partner on the receiving end can do so vaginally or anally. Once you’ve gotten into the groove, let your hands wander over your body and your partner’s.

4. Life on the Edge

If you want to try something a little different but not too much of a stretch from your normal positions, Life on the Edge may be for you. To do it, “Lie down on your back at the edge of the bed, with your thighs and legs dangling off,” Clare Cavanah and Rachel Venning, founders of sex toy boutique and educational hub Babeland tell Refinery29. “Bend your knees and put your feet on the ground. Your partner stands or kneels between your legs and enters you. Your partner gets a great view and control of a deep thrust. You get to kick back and enjoy.

5. The Chair

Chair sex isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you get it right, it can be pretty amazing. All you need to do is find a basic chair without armrests (like the ones you’d find at a dining room table) and have the penetrating partner (if there is one) sit on the chair as you normally would (but naked). The other partner then straddles the seated person, so they’re facing each other. From here, there can be some penetration with a penis or strap-on, or use this as a chance to go back to your high school roots and dry hump the hell out of each other. Pelvis-to-pelvis contact (well, grinding) is key — especially for someone with a clitoris.

6. Bonus Cowgirl

Sure, you could opt for the traditional cowgirl position, which starts with the person with the vulva on top, straddling their partner who is laying down flat on their back. From here, there’s typically some type of penetration, with the person riding on top controlling everything. This is a great option for people who excel at clitoral orgasms because even if the penetration isn’t doing anything for you, you can always rub or grind one out on your own. The “bonus” aspect of this is adding a clit-suction toy to the mix. You’ll thank us later.

7. Yab Yum

If you’ve always wanted to try tantric sex but thought it sounded too complicated, this position is the perfect entry to the practice (penis pun intended). Yab Yum starts out as an exceptionally intimate lotus position, with the penetrating partner sitting cross-legged while the receiving partner straddles their partner’s lap, then wraps their legs around their lower back. “As your partner penetrates you and you’re embracing each other, add tantra practices like eye-gazing and in-sync breathing,” Carol Queen, Ph.D., a sexologist tells Shape. Now that you’re ready to roll, rock back and forth with your partner, giving each person the chance to find the most pleasurable angle possible. This can include super-deep penetration (if that’s on the menu).

8. Lift That Butt

Want to get some exercise while having sex? In addition to the usual cardio, this position also adds some stretching into the mix. “Put your ankles on your partner’s shoulders. This will lift your butt in the air,” Vacanah and Venning tell Refinery29. “Your partner can hold your butt or your legs, and can kiss and massage your feet. Your partner has total control over the thrusting.” As always, the thrusting can involve fingers, a dildo, or a penis. This isn’t the best position for clitoral stimulation, so the receiving partner may want to take matters into their own hands.

9. The Howdy

This is basically a fancier version of 69ing. One person lies on their back, while their partner straddles them up-side-down (with their feet by their partner’s head). Now that you’re in position, you can perform oral sex and/or finger away. You can take turns giving and receiving, or do everything at once — whatever feels right in the moment.

10. The Candle

It’s always handy to have a standing position in your repertoire, and this one’s a doozy. As Zoe Ligon writes at Refinery29, “The Candle is essentially spooning, or getting fucked from behind, while standing. In this position, the receiver can tighten or loosen how tightly they’re keeping their thighs together in order to control the sensation.” The receiving partner can also lean into the wall for extra pressure and/or support. This might be the perfect position to try during shower sex, but make sure you get a grip on something so you don’t slip.

11. The Bend-Over

There’s just something so urgent and passionate about being bent over and taken. It’s a position that works for just about any kind of sex. That scene from Girls where Marnie’s lover was nose-deep in her hind-end? She was bent over the sink. Whether you are working with mouths, a penis (or two), or toys, being bent over has its advantages.

First, if you’re bent over something sturdy and unmovable, it gives you leverage to “lean into” your partner’s thrusts. It also gives you both chances to try slightly different angles. The feeling changes quite a bit depending on how deeply you’re bent. Whether you’re just resting your elbows on a counter or bent in half can completely change the game. As an added bonus: Learning how to get it on while (basically) standing up drastically widens the range of places you can have sex. We’re not saying you should sneak into the bar bathroom and pound one out in the stall. But, ya know what? We’re not telling you that you shouldn’t, either. Get some, Mama.

12. Scissoring

While generally associated as a position two people with vulvas can enjoy, this position can actually describe any type of grinding during sex. This genital-to-genital position can immensely increase arousal and intimacy of the engaging partners. The gist of it is this: Two partners face each other while intertwining their legs like, well, two open scissors, until their genitals touch. They further stimulate each other by grinding and rotating their hips.

13. The Flatiron

Want an even, ahem, snugger fit? You need the Flatiron in your life. To do it, one of you should lie facedown on the bed with your legs straight and your hips slightly raised (you can even put a pillow beneath you if it helps). Your partner will crawl on top of you, straddling your legs with theirs. Once in position, they can enter you from behind. Because your legs are together, this sex position makes your partner’s strap-on or penis seem even bigger to you — and if your partner does have a penis, they’ll enjoy the extra snug slide.

14. The Corkscrew

So the corkscrew can be just as poppin’ as champagne. Lie across the bed on your side but make sure you’re close to the edge. Then your partner will stand close to the bed and place their member inside of you. You will not only make the most supercharged plus sign, but your partner has a full view of your body as he enters you. Make sure you keep your legs closed so he has a tighter grip. You can also take control by thrusting your behind backward onto his member.

15. Stand and Deliver

You and your partner will both start out standing upright. But once you bend over, let him enter you from behind. While you’re bent over, let your partner use your raised arms for support as he thrusts into you. Part of what makes this position so great is that your stance makes your vaginal walls tighter, making the whole experience way more intense.

16. Pretzel Dip

While you lay down on your right side, your partner will kneel and straddle your right leg. Your left leg will be swung around their side while they penetrate you. This is the perfect position for deep penetration (doggy style level). However, you and your partner can still kiss and maintain eye contact. In this position, your partner can also play with your clitoris if you don’t feel like being penetrated.

17. Ballet Dancer

This is a standing sex position. While you stand on one foot facing your partner, they will thrust into you, using your waist for support. If you’re really flexible, try putting your leg on their shoulder. This will make for deeper penetration and eye contact. If your partner needs more support he can lean you up against the wall.

18. The X Factor

Don’t worry — there’s no singing involved. But it does require a bit of skill! This position is sort of like the missionary position with a literal twist. You lie down on the bed with your legs slightly spread. Your partner will lay across you (so that your bodies are almost perpendicular), and slide inside from this slightly diagonal angle. Get it? Your bodies are the “X.” Bonus: This creates an extra snug fit, which translates into lots of yummy orgasmic goodness.

19. The Sofa Grind

Hey, who says the best sex positions have to be a two-person affair? Take it old school all by yourself with a little bump n’ grind. You’ll want to find a stuffed chair or sofa with a sturdy but soft armrest. Place something protective (like a towel) on top, then climb on board. Start slowly moving your hips, building momentum as you go. You can bring yourself to climax solo this way. But if you do want to bring your partner in on the fun, they can either watch you do the sofa grind or enter you from behind while you’re straddling the furniture arm.

20. The Lazy Man

Sex is great, but it can also be a lot of work. If you’re looking for something less Cirque Du Soleil and more “I just worked a 12-hour shift,” this is the position for you. Put a pillow behind your partner’s back and tell them to sit on the bed with their legs out. Then, straddle their waist and make sure your feet are on the bed. After you’ve lowered yourself onto their penis, riding is going to be a breeze. By clenching the balls of your feet, you can ride as slow or fast as you like with minimal effort.

Sex Positions for Clitoral Stimulation

Raise your hand if when you Google “best sex positions,” what you really want to know is the best sex positions for clitoral stimulation. (*Raises hand.*) That’s because stimulating your clit is pretty much a ticket to O-Town. In fact, clitoral stimulation is necessary for most people to have an orgasm. So, in addition to The Chair, Bonus Cowgirl, Scissoring, and Pretzel Dip referenced above, here are a few more tried-and-true positions that’ll make your clit sing/you scream.

21. Downward Doggy Style

With doggy style, you’re on all fours. And that’s all well-and-good, especially if you’re hoping to hit that G-spot. But with this modified version, everything stays the same except you’re actually resting your head and arms on the bed. Your hips are still raised, your partner is still behind you. But from your new, lower vantage point, you have easier access to your clit so that you can bring a little more fun to the party — with your fingers, a vibrator, whatever!

22. Wheelbarrow

This position might call for some arm strength from your partner and some thigh clenching from you but the pleasure you receive far outweigh the work you have to put in. While standing, you bend over until your hands are touching the floor. Then, the penetrating partner stands behind and lifts by the pelvis, at which point you clench your thighs around their hips as they penetrate. This sensual position allows for deeper penetration and stimulation.

Tips for Giving Head

One of the many things that keep it hot in the bedroom is the way you sing on that mic. We’re talking about fellatio, which isn’t a straightforward job. It’s more of an art than a science, so here are a few tips to keep in mind so you don’t blow it.

1. Give special attention to the frenulum. This is the underside of the penis head, which is like their clitoris. It’s super sensitive, so kiss and touch that part with your tongue. It’s also a great place to “rest” and explore while you catch your breath. (Depending on your partner, it can be a marathon instead of a race, so pace yourself.)
2. Pay attention to how his penis reacts. During a blow job, you can tell whether you’re doing well if the penis jumps or pulses. And if there’s pre-cum, you’re doing a stellar job!
3. Switch up your rhythm. Alternate between slow and fast for the ultimate joy ride. It’ll drive him crazy when you hit the brakes, but believe us — he won’t be made that you made his pleasure last even longer.
4. Use your hands, too. Listen, your mouth and tongue may be the MVPs here, but your hands do some pretty invaluable assisting. Stroking the penis with your hand creates blood flow, which heightens pleasure. And many guys go wild over a little ball play — gentle tug them, pull them, or simply grip them.