By: C. Michael Smith

In the history of sex writing, there has probably been more written about sexual positions and more interest expressed in them than any other single topic. Entire books have been dedicated to the subject of sexual positions featuring hundreds and hundreds of them. The Kama Sutra, a 4th-century Hindu sex manual, details 529 positions by itself. Given the average frequency of sexual intercourse, the typical couple would spend over four years trying out every one of the Kama Sutra positions. Whew!

With so many sexual positions, it would be very easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of them all. Don’t be. You don’t have to memorize all of them or even try all of them to be a great lover. In spite of the hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of sexual positions out there, there are essentially only 6 basic positions with all the rest being a variation on the basic 6.

It would take more time, energy, and space than I have to list every possible position for you in this article. Instead, let’s take a look at the basic 6 positions. We will discuss the benefits and drawbacks, and maybe even take a look at a few of my favorite variations of each position. At the article’s end, I will include some resources for you so you can do your own investigating into the many variations available. As for now, let’s take a closer look at the basic 6. They are: Man on Top, Woman on Top, Side by Side, Rear Entry, Standing, and Sitting/Kneeling.

MAN ON TOP:

This is the most common sexual position for a reason. It's tried and true. This position offers a lot of intimacy, close body contact, and oneness. You can talk, hug, kiss, look each other in the eyes, and watch each other's facial expressions as you experience pleasure. This position also allows for easy manual stimulation of the clitoris and conception occurs most easily in this position due to the angle and depth of penetration.

You should avoid this position after the 6th or 7th month of pregnancy. Also, if the man is really heavy, this position could pose some problems for the lady. “Man on Top” offers limited touching potential for the man as he usually has to use his arms to support himself, and limited movement for the lady, as she is under the man. Because the man spends a lot of energy in this position, prolonged lovemaking may be more difficult.

Deeper penetration can be achieved easily if the lady raises her legs and bends her knees. If the lady wraps her legs tightly around the man, it will hold him closer, making clitoral contact more probable. Put a pillow under her butt to change the angle of penetration and allow for some deep thrusting. For increased clitoral contact, place a pillow under her lower back to tilt her pelvis forward. Then the man should raise himself up high on her as he penetrates and thrusts. Try placing the man's legs outside the lady's legs and have her close her legs tight. This can also help stimulate her clitoris and give him a more snug feeling.

Flying Missionary Technique:
Begin intercourse in the standard missionary position. She wraps her legs and arms around his body and pulls herself up to him so her body is completely off of the mattress and touching only him and nothing else. How long you can maintain this position depends on his strength and her size and weight. She can feel like she’s flying.

Headboard Leverage Technique:
Sometimes, she might want good, hard, deep, vigorous thrusting penetration. Here's a technique to help you do this a little easier. Lie down on the bed in the missionary position, but turn 180 degrees so your feet are facing the head of the bed. Scoot down to where his feet are right up against the headboard. Pushing against the headboard with his feet will give him the extra leverage he needs for some forceful thrusting from the missionary position. Be sure she stays relaxed. Don't let her get into a tensed body mode.

WOMAN ON TOP:

This position is very popular due to the fact that it places the lady in control of the depth, speed, rhythm, and angle of intercourse and allows her greater body motion. She is more likely to orgasm when she is in control of these factors. This position is also great for those partners of different heights, who may experience difficulty with other positions or for women whose men are too heavy for comfortable man-on-top lovemaking. Because she controls the depth, this position works very well for ladies who find deep penetration painful. This position is also great for lots of touching. She will like the fact that both partners' hands are free to stimulate her breasts or clitoris. He can also easily suck on her breasts during intercourse. She can grind her clitoris against his pelvis for orgasm-inducing stimulation. Men will like the eye-candy that this position offers. Watching her breasts bounce as she grinds on him can be very erotic. He will also appreciate being able to relax while she does the work.

This position can be tiring for the lady since she is the one doing most of the moving. This position is best executed when the man's penis is very hard. A semi-erect penis could be bent in a very uncomfortable manner. Also, his penis could be damaged if it slips out of her vagina and she sits on it the wrong way. Ladies who are uncomfortable with their bodies may not like the exposure that this position offers. If you are uncomfortable, ladies, you could just lean forward a bit.

Ladies, try playing with your breasts or clitoris in this position to really give your man a good show. If you like G-Spot stimulation, just lean back in this position to aim the penis toward the G-Spot. Also, try facing his toes instead of his head to stimulate different vaginal walls. Be sure to try lying flat on top of him, too.

Wild Bronco Technique:
For this technique, he sits on the edge of the bed, naked. Then, he lies down with his legs still on the floor. Next, he scoots down so that only his upper back and shoulders are touching the bed. His legs should be tight together. Now, she straddles his legs and mounts his penis. She can now ride him like a wild bronco. He will have a lot of thrusting power in this position because of the freedom of movement that his legs will have.

SIDE-BY-SIDE:

This position is fantastic for relaxed, unhurried lovemaking. It offers near-effortless sex if you are tired, not feeling well, are older, or suffer from arthritis or other disabilities that limit mobility or stamina. It's also great for premature ejaculators, as he can take his time and relax easily. This position offers maximum body contact, so you can engage in a lot of touching and manual stimulation of her clitoris. It is great for larger penises, as penetration is not as deep as other positions. It is also great for the later stages of pregnancy, it offers equal freedom of movement for both partners, and you can fall asleep in exactly the same position you made love in. The fact that there’s not a lot of motion in this position can prolong the pleasure and delay orgasm - kind of like a sexual holding pattern.

Vigorous sex may not be as easy in this position as in some of the other positions and shorter penises may slip out of the vagina frequently. This is not the best position for clitoral stimulation, either, but most side-by-side variations will allow manual clitoral stimulation.

The lady can wrap one leg around the man to allow for deeper penetration and to hold him closer, creating even more intimacy as he thrusts. Also, if the man moves his torso slightly away from hers, he will be able to penetrate deeper.

REAR ENTRY:

This position can seem animalistic and primal. It's great for "butt men", as he gets an up close and personal look at her rear end. He also gets a great view of the penetration in this position. Rear entry can make him feel powerful and dominant and her feel "taken" and submissive. She will like this position if she likes deep penetration. She will also like the fact that the penis hits the front wall of the vagina in this position, making G-Spot stimulation easy. She will also love the sensations she may experience in her breasts, as they hang down in this position and cause blood to flow to the nipples, increasing sensation there. This position is easy on the muscles and doesn't take much energy, yet it’s great for some heavy duty thrusting when the two of you want it fast and nasty. This position allows either partner to set the rhythm and allows complete freedom of movement with your hands, so touching each other and manual stimulation of the breasts and clitoris is possible.

This position can seem impersonal to some, since you can't see your partner's face. Since it allows for quick thrusting and a terrific view of her body, he may be prone to quicker ejaculations in this position. Men with large penises will have to be careful not to hit her cervix in this position, as that can be painful to many ladies. If she is uncomfortable with her butt, she may not like exposing herself for rear entry sex. Also, be careful of carpet burns on your knees, if you make love in this position on the floor.

Men can make this position even better by riding high on the lady and aiming their penis downward toward the G-Spot. Another great variation is for the lady to lie flat and hold her legs tightly together after penetration. This makes the vagina extra tight and cozy around the penis.

Wheelbarrow Technique:
Have your lady get on all fours on the floor. Enter her from behind. Now wrap your arms around her thighs as you stand up. This will put you in the classic wheelbarrow position. You can penetrate your lady deeply this way. If you want to have a few laughs and a little fun, have her walk around on her hands while you chase her, thrusting as you go.

Sash Handle Technique:
You will need a soft, thick sash, such as that from a bathrobe. 6 feet long or so is preferable. Fold the sash in half and knot the ends together. Now enter your lady from behind (doggy style). Place the middle of the sash directly under her stomach and grab the ends in each of your hands to use as handles. Now pull against the handles as you thrust in and out of her. You can thrust pretty vigorously this way, thrusting into her as you pull the handles towards you. This is another great technique for when the two of you want it fast and dirty.

STANDING:

This position is great for naughty, wild, uninhibited, and passionate sex. If you can make love standing up, you can make love anytime, anywhere. There's no need to put off your desires while you look for a bed.

Standing sex can be taxing on the body, especially the knees. Weak knees can be a problem in this position, so be sure if you fall, you have something soft to land on. This position is not good for couples of different heights, if both will be standing. If they are different heights, and both are standing, the man may have to hold the lady up, which could cause possible muscle fatigue or failure. Another variation for different size partners is to have only one partner stand while the other sits or lies down. This position is also not great for clitoral stimulation.

Walking the Wall Technique:
For this variation, she will lie naked on the edge of the bed with her feet initially on the floor. He will stand on the floor and enter her. She will raise her legs and place her feet against his chest. As he begins thrusting, she will “walk the wall”, climbing his chest by putting one foot in front of the other. This will change the angle of penetration. She will climb up and down “the wall” until she finds the angle she likes best.

Erotic Swing Technique:
If you have a porch swing and some privacy, set your naked lady on the edge of the swing. Have her raise her legs and put them on your shoulders while you stand. She may need some pillows for her back. Now enter her and grab the front of the swing. You may have to adjust the height of the swing to get lined up right. You can now move her back and forth with the swing, so that your penis strokes in and out with each movement. Note: They also make a swing harness that you can buy for your bedroom that provides the same kind of weightless lovemaking sensation. Check your local adult toy store or order one online.

SITTING/KNEELING:

This position offers a lot of closeness and touching. Kissing, and holding come very natural in this position, so it's great for intimacy. This position and it's variations, such as sitting in a chair, are great for making love in the later stages of pregnancy.

This position can be hard work. Vigorous sex is difficult due to the limited thrusting potential and reduced range of motion. This position can take a lot of energy and good knee joints and is usually better suited for slow, passionate lovemaking, rather than raw, animalistic sex.

A Position with A View:
Here is a way to provide him with a view he will not soon forget. Place some pillows against the headboard of the bed and have him sit against the pillows with his legs extended. Now, facing him, she sits on his lap as he enters her. She leans back and puts her hands on the bed about where his knees are, for support. Then, one leg at a time, she lifts her feet onto the headboard just above his shoulders. Now, bracing herself with her hands, she moves up and down on his penis. His view will be an unforgettable one!

The Frog Technique:
Place some pillows against the headboard of the bed and have him sit against the pillows with his legs extended. Now, facing him, she sits on his lap as he enters her. She wraps her arms around his neck for support. Now, she uses her legs to push against the headboard and pump her body back and forth on top of him.

Rockin’ My Baby Technique:
He sits naked on the edge of the bed with his feet on the floor. She sits on top of him as he enters her. She puts her arms around his neck for support. Now, he puts both of his arms under her legs so that his elbows are under her knees. He lifts upwards and rests her calves or ankles on his shoulders. He clasps his hands behind her back and rocks her back and forth. Don’t worry about thrusting in and out. Let the rocking motion do all of the work for you. Have her hang on tight. This position allows for deep penetration and fast body slapping, but you have to be pretty athletic to pull it off. This is a great technique for those who are in good shape and like it fast and dirty.

Conclusion:
Learning new positions can be fun and exciting and can add great spice to your sex life. Just remember that memorizing 1001 different sexual positions is not necessary and it’s also not the be-all and end-all of great sex, as many people might believe. The purpose for trying out new positions is to express your creativity and experiment with the different sensations and vantage-points that new techniques will offer you and your partner. You can have a terrific time adapting new positions to your changing moods, unique body sizes, erogenous preferences, and physical capabilities.

My personal advice is to experiment with many different positions, but become a master of 3-4 that really work for you and your partner. And don’t worry if you end up preferring the missionary position to the latest, greatest position you just read about in some magazine. Join the club. The missionary position is tried and true. That’s what most of us do. In fact, most couples use only 2-5 positions, with missionary being the most common. Only 5% of couples use more than 20 positions regularly.

Caution!
Experiment and have fun, but be sensible. Don’t push your body beyond its physical capabilities. If your body begins to ache, cramp, or experience any discomfort, then stop and try something different. There are many other positions that may be more suited to your body type, flexibility, and athleticism. Over 11,000 people each year are injured while trying out new sexual positions. Please be careful!

A Quick Note to the Men:
Taking great care of our ladies (inside and outside the bedroom) and making them feel special is important to me. Many ladies are self-conscious even in the basic sexual positions, let alone in some of the variations where her body could be scrunched up in the most unflattering ways. She may be worried about how she looks to you. Be sure to pamper her with flattery. Tell her how much you enjoy her body, remind her how hot she looks, and tell her how much you enjoy the fact that she is adventurous enough to try out new positions with you. I think you are a lucky man. Make sure she knows you think so, too.

General Tip:
A terrific tip for experimenting with new positions is to use a beanbag chair during your lovemaking. The beanbag chair will contour to accommodate some very interesting positions for oral sex, anal sex, or intercourse.

Resources:
SexualpostitionsFree.Com : Over 100 Free, Illustrated Sexual Positions

KarmaSutraFree.Com : Kama Sutra online (including complete text from the Kama Sutra) and various illustrated positions.

Secret Sexual Postions : In this well-illustrated, modern-day version of the Kama Sutra, multicultural lovers (both ancient and contemporary) are shown entwined in various positions.

Illustrated KarmSutra : The Kama Sutra, a 2000-year-old "pillow book," is much more than a catalog of positions, as you'll discover in this magnificently-illustrated edition.