Sex position


A sex position is a positioning of the bodies that people use to engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual activities. Sexual acts are generally described by the positions the participants adopt in order to perform those acts. Though sexual intercourse generally involves penetration of the body of one person by another, sex positions commonly involve non-penetrative sexual activities.
Three broad and overlapping categories of sexual activity are commonly practiced: vaginal sex, anal sex, and oral sex. Sex acts may also be part of a fourth category, manual sex, which is stimulating the genitals or anus by using fingers or hands. Some acts may include stimulation by a device, such as a dildo or vibrator. There are numerous sex positions that participants may adopt in any of these types of sex acts, and some authors have argued that the number of sex positions is essentially limitless.

History

s typically present a guide to sex positions. They have a long history. In the Greco-Roman era, a sex manual was written by
Philaenis of Samos, possibly a hetaira of the Hellenistic period. The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, believed to have been written in the 1st to 6th centuries, has a notorious reputation as a sex manual. Different sex positions result in differences in the depth and angle of sexual penetration. Alfred Kinsey categorized six primary positions. The earliest known European medieval text dedicated to sexual positions is the Speculum al foderi, a 15th-century Catalan text discovered in the 1970s.

Exclusively penetrative

These positions involve the insertion of a phallic object into a vagina, anus or mouth.

Penetrating partner on top with front entry

In the missionary position, the participants face each other. The receiving partner lies on their back with legs apart, while the penetrating partner lies on top. This position and the following variations may be used for vaginal or anal intercourse.
  • The penetrating partner stands in front of the receiving partner, whose legs dangle over the edge of a bed or some other platform like a table.
  • With the receiving partner's legs lifted towards the ceiling and resting against the penetrating partner, this is sometimes called the butterfly position. This can also be done as a kneeling position.
  • The receiving partner lies on their back. The penetrating partner stands and lifts the receiving partner's pelvis for penetration. A variant is for the receiving partner to rest their legs on the penetrating partner's shoulders.
  • The receiving partner lies on their back, legs pulled up straight and knees near to the head. The penetrating partner holds the receiving partner's legs and penetrates from above.
  • Similarly to the previous position, but the receiving partner's legs need not be straight and the penetrating partner wraps their arms around the receiving partner to push the legs as close as possible to the chest. Called the stopperage in Burton's translation of The Perfumed Garden.
  • The coital alignment technique, a position where a woman is vaginally penetrated by a man, and the penetrating partner moves upward along the woman's body until the penis is pointing down, the dorsal side of the penis now rubbing against the clitoris.
  • The receiving partner crosses their feet behind their head, while lying on their back. The penetrating partner then holds the receiving partner tightly around each instep or ankle and lies on the receiving partner full-length. A variation is to have the receiving partner cross their ankles on their stomach, knees to shoulders, and then have the penetrating partner lie on the receiving partner's crossed ankles with their full weight. Called the Viennese oyster by The Joy of Sex.

    Penetrating from behind

Most of these positions can be used for either vaginal or anal penetration. Variants include:
  • The receiving partner is on all fours with their torso horizontal and the penetrating partner inserts either their penis or sex toy into either the vagina or anus from behind.
  • The receiving partner's torso is angled downwards and the penetrating partner raises their own hips above those of the receiving partner for maximum penetration.
  • The penetrating partner places their feet on each side of the receiving partner while keeping their knees bent and effectively raising up as high as possible while maintaining penetration. The penetrating partner's hands usually have to be placed on the receiving partner's back to keep from falling forward.
  • The receiving partner kneels upright while the penetrating partner gently pulls the receiving partner's arms backwards at the wrists towards them.
In the spoons position both partners lie on their side, facing the same direction. Variants of this technique include the following:
  • The receiving partner lies on their side. The penetrating partner kneels and penetrates from behind. Alternatively, the penetrating partner can stand if the receiving partner is on a raised surface.
  • The receiving partner lies facing down in prone position, possibly with their legs spread. The penetrating partner lies on top of them. The placement of a pillow beneath the receiving partner's hips can help increase stimulation in this position.
  • The receiving partner lies face down, knees together. The penetrating partner lies on top with spread legs.
  • The receiving partner lies on their side with their uppermost leg forward. The penetrating partner kneels astride the receiver's lowermost leg.

    Receiving partner on top

Most of these positions can be used for either vaginal or anal penetration.
When the receiving partner is a woman, these positions are sometimes called the woman on top, or cowgirl positions.
A feature of these positions is that the penetrating partner lies on their back with the receiving partner on top:
  • The receiving partner can kneel while straddling the penetrating partner, with the participants facing each other.
  • Alternatively, the receiving partner can face away from the penetrating partner. This position is sometimes called the reverse cowgirl position.
  • The receiving partner can arch back with hands on the ground.
  • The receiving partner can squat facing the penetrating partner.
  • The receiving partner can bring forward their knees against the ground.
  • The penetrating partner lies with their upper back on a low table, couch, chair or edge of bed, keeping their feet flat on the floor and back parallel to floor. The receiving partner straddles them, also keeping their feet on the floor. Receiving partner can assume any of various positions.
  • The lateral coital position was recommended by Masters and Johnson, and was preferred by three quarters of their heterosexual study participants after having tried it. The position involves the male on his back, with the female rolled slightly to the side so that her pelvis is atop his, but her weight is beside his. This position can also be used for anal penetration, and is not limited to heterosexual partners.

    Sitting and kneeling

Most of these positions can be used for either vaginal or anal penetration.
  • The penetrating partner sits on an area surface, legs outstretched. The receiving partner sits on top and wraps their legs around the penetrating partner. Called pounding on the spot in the Burton translation of The Perfumed Garden. If the penetrating partner sits cross-legged, it is called the lotus position or lotus flower. The receiving partner may also sit in reverse, with their back to the penetrating partner. The position can be combined with fondling of erogenous zones.
  • The penetrating partner sits in a chair. The receiving partner straddles penetrating partner and sits, facing the penetrating partner, feet on floor. This is sometimes called a lap dance, which is somewhat erroneous as a lap dance typically does not involve penetration. The receiving partner may also sit in reverse, with their back to the penetrating partner.
  • The penetrating partner sits on a couch or in a chair that has armrests. The receiving partner sits in the penetrating partner's lap, perpendicular to penetrating partner, with their back against the armrest.
  • The penetrating partner kneels while the receiving partner lies on their back, ankles on each side of penetrating partner's shoulders.

    Standing

Most of these positions can be used for either vaginal or anal penetration. In the basic standing position, both partners stand facing each other. The following variations are possible:
  • In the basic standing position, both partners stand facing each other and engage in vaginal sex. In order to match heights, the shorter partner can, for instance, stand on a stair or wear high heels. It may be easier to maintain solid thrusts if the woman has her back to a wall. With such a support, the Kama Sutra calls this position the Suspended Congress. This position is most often used in upright places, such as a wall in a bedroom or a shower.
  • The penetrating partner stands, and the receiving partner wraps their arms around his neck, and their legs around his waist, thereby exposing either the vagina or anus to the man's penis. This position is made easier with the use of a solid object behind the receiver, as above. To assume this position, it can be easier to start with the receiving partner laying on their back on the edge of a bed; the penetrating partner puts his elbows under their knees, enters them, and then lifts them as he rises to a standing position. In Japan, this is colloquially called the Ekiben position, after a specific bento lunch box sold at train stations.
  • Alternatively, the receiving partner can face away from the penetrating partner which allows for anal sex. This position is varied by having the receiving partner assume different semi-standing positions. For instance, they may bend at the waist, resting their hands or elbows on a table.