18 Missionary Sex Positions – How to Have Missionary Style Sex

By Emily Lemon On Jan 19, 2023

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In the classic version of the missionary sex position, a couple lies face to face with the penetrating partner on top and the receiving partner on their back. Sure, it’s “traditional”—but if you and your partner want to “make love,” missionary can take your intimacy to the next level.

“Many people love missionary because they enjoy the visuals and the eye contact,” says sex educator Luna Matatas. Missionary also allows you to make out while thrusting, and the receiving partner might appreciate having their lover’s weight on top of them—either from a power play perspective…or, you know, an anxiety-reducing, gravity-blanket-wearing perspective. Plus, since missionary isn’t the most complicated sex move, you probably won’t pull a muscle.

That being said, the missionary position won’t knock every couple’s socks off. “Some people don’t like the added intimacy, because it can feel too intense or distracting,” Matatas says. “The angle and depth might feel uncomfortable for some anuses or vaginas and cause unintended pain, and missionary sometimes feels like a challenge for body shapes with fuller bellies.” In that case, some minor adjustments might be all you need in order to make missionary more pleasurable.

Speaking of making adjustments, any sex position gets boring if you do it over and over again, missionary included—even if it’s your favorite way to get off. Fortunately, there are so many ah-maaazing configurations that put the penetrating partner on top and the receiving partner on their back. Here are 18 of our all-time favorites. (And once you’ve exhausted the options on this list, the receiving partner can climb up top and try out some of these cowgirl sex positions.)

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How to do it: In the classic version of missionary, the bottom (receptive partner) lies on their back. The top (insertive partner) lies on top. The bottom partner’s legs are placed beside the top partner’s shins.

Pros and cons: See the intro!

Classic Missionary With a Vibrating Cock Ring

How to do it: It’s the same as classic missionary (see above), but the insertive partner wears a vibrating cock ring—like this one from Lovehoney—to give a receiving partner with a vulva some extra stimulation.

Pros and cons: Not only can cock rings boost the size and strength of an erection, but the vibrations can also feel good on the receiver’s clit. “Adding a vibrating cock ring can feel great against the external clitoral parts while the internal parts are being stimulated through penetration,” Matatas says.

That said, if the top wants to thrust rather than grind, the bottom might not get consistent clit stimulation from the toy (but if they like being teased, then everybody wins).

How to do it: It’s like regular missionary, only the top is elevated on their hands in a plank position.

Pros and cons: The top can really thrust all the way in and out in this position. It’s great for hard sex, but you have to have a strong core and shoulders. “It isn’t a great position for the stamina of the person on top,” Matatas says. “It can also feel like too much uncoordinated powerful thrusting for the person receiving, as it’s harder to get good angles for the G-spot in this position.”

How to do it: In the spread eagle sex position, the receiving partner lies on their back, legs up and spread in a V. The penetrating partner mounts them by putting their hands on either side of the receiving partner’s shoulders.

Pros and cons: The spread eagle is great for couples who enjoy deep penetration. Plus, it works well for vaginal and anal penetration. “This might be a hard position on the hips and thighs to hold for a long period of time,” Matatas says, so make sure you stretch first!

How to do it: This position is similar to the Spread Eagle, only the insertive partner is more upright (so it’s less “mounting.”) The top also holds their partner’s legs in the V-position for stability and to keep their partner’s legs spread.

Pros and cons: This is actually a tantric sex position that allows for great eye contact and deep vaginal or anal penetration. This one might not be sustainable for the top, since it can be tough on the knees and inner thighs.

How to do it: From a regular missionary position, the bottom wraps one of their legs around the top’s back.

Pros and cons: This allows for deeper vaginal or anal penetration, and the receiver can position themself so the penetrating partner’s penis or dildo really hits their G-spot or P-spot. This one comes with the same cons as the classic missionary position—the depth of penetration might be too intense for the receiver, and for some bodies, bellies might get in the way.

How to do it: From regular missionary, the bottom wraps both of their legs around the top’s back.

Pros and cons: This variation allows for even deeper penetration than the Jackknife (but if that’s not what the bottom is into, then this position won’t be comfortable). If the bottom wants extra deep penetration in this position, try placing a pillow under the bottom’s lower back. This position is particularly great if the top isn’t well-endowed.

How to do it: You have to be in a car for this one! Go ahead and place the back seats of your car down so they’re laid flat. From there, you have the space for missionary, and if necessary, you or your partner’s legs can dangle between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

Pros and cons: Car sex can add an element of risk, which makes sex feel more exciting! But if you want to actually be comfortable and have space to move around, keep your sex life in the bedroom, or at least on the living room couch.

How to do it: In this missionary variation, the top is standing next to the bed to penetrate their partner. Note that there are variations of the Stand and Deliver, and the person being penetrated can choose to put either zero, one, or both of their feet atop the insertive partner’s shoulders.

Pros and cons: This is a position that’s great for manual clitoral stimulation, since the bottom partner can easily place a little vibrator on their clit for extra pleasure. If the bed is too low, the giver will have to bend their knees, which could make this position a little awkward.

How to do it: If you have a sex swing, then you simply must try reclining missionary. To get into this position, the bottom lies back in the swing and grips the straps for support. The top can then position themself close to the bottom to penetrate. (The top can grasp the straps for additional support and to help stabilize the swing so it doesn’t move around as much.)

Pros and cons: For one, you’re using a sex swing, and that’s just awesome. This is a great position for ass-grabbing, and if the partner in the swing has a vulva, the top can easily provide some manual clit stimulation. Plus, they help some couples get creative while staying comfortable. “Swings can allow people to get into sexual positions they aren’t able to otherwise,” Matatas says. That said, some sex swings can’t safely or comfortably hold all bodies, so this position might be too risky for some couples. If you decide to give sex swings a shot, make sure you do your research to ensure that you have the safest option.

How to do it: This is just like Stand and Deliver, only the top holds the bottom’s ankles during penetration.

Pros and cons: This is another very solid position for deep penetration, making it great for givers who are on the smaller side. This position can put strain on the receiver’s back, neck, and legs, so if the receiver isn’t very flexible or if they have a history of back or neck injuries, skip this variation.

How to do it: It’s like classic missionary, only both the top and bottom keep their legs pressed and closed together.

Pros and cons: With your legs together, this position is less about in-and-out penetration and more about the receiving partner wiggling their hips while the giver stays inside. If the receiving partner has a vulva, all that hip-wiggling will naturally stimulate their clitoris.

This position requires the top to put all of their weight on the receptive partner’s body, which can be fun for some—but certainly not all bottoms. “Bottoms might feel claustrophobic in this position even if it also feels good, which might distract from pleasure,” Matatas says.

How to do it: From the classic missionary position, the bottom rests their feet on the top’s chest while the top kneels in front of them.

Pros and cons: This position allows the bottom partner to control the depth of penetration. If the top goes too deep, the bottom partner can simply push their feet against the top’s chest. This variation requires some flexibility, so if the bottom doesn’t have flexible hips or if the top can’t comfortably remain on their knees, this variation won’t be sustainable long-term.

The CAT (Coital Alignment Technique)

How to do it: The CAT (Coital Alignment Technique) may look identical to regular missionary, but it slightly differs in important ways. Instead of thrusting away, the top partner should focus more on grinding their body against the receiving partner’s clitoris.

Pros and cons: That direct clitoral stimulation will increase the likelihood that a vulva-owning bottom (and/or a vulva-owning top who’s wearing a strap-on dildo) will get off! Tops who specifically want to thrust won’t get much out of this, but in a world that often prioritizes the penetrating partner’s pleasure, grinding rather than thrusting is a worthwhile sacrifice.

How to do it: From regular missionary, the bottom leans back and drapes their legs over the top’s shoulders.

Pros and cons: This configuration allows for super-deep penetration and G-spot or prostate stimulation, but if the bottom isn’t flexible enough to comfortably sustain this position, it isn’t going to work—so make sure you both get in a good stretch ahead of time!

How to do it: The receiving partner lies on their side while the top straddles their bottom leg. From there, the bottom bends their upper leg around the top’s waist.

Pros and cons: This one is fun because the top has access to nearly every part of the receiving partner’s body. They can grab the booty, massage the clitoris or perineum—you name it! This variation puts your bodies in awkward positions that might be difficult to sustain—but then again, it’s called “the Pretzel” for a reason.

How to do it: From a classic missionary position, the top gets on their knees and elevates the receptive partner’s hips with a cushion. You can opt for a cushion that’s specifically designed for sex—like the Wedge or Ramp from Liberator—or you can use a firm pillow or couch cushion.

Pros and cons: This variation is ideal for partners with bigger bellies, since it gives the top easier access to vaginal or anal penetration. You might have to experiment with different heights to figure out which angle works best for both partners.

How to do it: If you want to be the top in this position, then you better stick to your weightlifting routine! While standing, the top places their hands under the bottom’s thighs and lifts them up to waist height, pressing the bottom’s back against a wall. The bottom then wraps their legs around the penetrating partner’s hips.

Pros and cons: This position requires the top to support most of the receptive partner’s body weight, so it can get a little exhausting—but it looks hot, so it might be worth a little strain on your biceps.

Jordyn Taylor
Jordyn Taylor is the Executive Digital Editor at Men’s Health.

Zachary Zane
Zachary Zane is a Brooklyn-based writer, speaker, and activist whose work focuses on lifestyle, sexuality, and culture.

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This article was originally posted here.

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