12 Sex Positions for Clitoral Stimulation to Make Orgasms So Much Easier
Not to mention stronger.
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If you have a clitoris—congrats! You own the only body part designed exclusively for pleasure. Giving it the attention it needs is the key to better, more reliable orgasms—especially since most people with vaginas don’t easily orgasm from penetration alone. These sex positions for clitoral stimulation are designed to fill that need.
“The clitoris has more nerve endings than the penis,” says Taylor Sparks, founder of Organic Loven and author of An African-American Guide To Ethical Non-Monogamy. Yet in a cruel twist, mainstream TV and movies still skip over this fact, showing sex without the stimulation that many people actually need to orgasm. To that we say: Wtf!
The good news? You have the power to take matters into your own hands (literally) and get your clit more involved. “Clitoral stimulation is the most direct and reliable path to pleasure and orgasm for many folks,” says Jess O’Reilly, PhD, resident sexologist at Astroglide. You can make pretty much any penetrative position instantly more clit-friendly with a hand, a sex toy, or even just tweaking the angle. Remember: The clit isn’t just the outside “button” you can see when you look at your vulva, says O’Reilly. “You can stimulate the inner bulbs and legs of the clitoris through the lips, so positions that allow for rubbing, grinding, pulsing, or creating pressure along the entire vulva can lead to clitoral erections, pleasure, and orgasm.” (The operative word here is “can.” If you need to bust out a toy to feel pleasure, do it! No shame.)
Another hot tip: Instead of going straight to penetration, take your time getting there. “Don't just jump on the clitoris,” says Sparks. “Start with kisses, caresses and whispering sweet nothings or dirty words. Work your way down there.” Slow and intentional foreplay = yes, please.
Most of the positions below include ways to make penetrative sex more clit-friendly, but sex doesn’t have to automatically mean penetration. There are tons of outercourse options you can try to give your clit some love, including oral, dry humping, using toys on each other, or mutual masturbation. All sex can be great sex when it’s consensual and all parties are aligned. Here are a few places to start.
Cowgirl Revised
How To Do It: Your partner lies flat while you straddle them for an enhanced version of cowgirl. “Have your partner put their fingers in a 'V' motion using their middle and third fingers, and slide those fingers on either side of their own penis (dildo). Have them raise their knuckles just a bit so that you may rub against them while on top,” recommends Sparks.
Pros: Fun, new clitoral stimulation, plenty of eye contact, and you get control of the thrusting.
Cons: Penis fractures are rare but an actual thing that can happen. (!) If your partner has a penis, avoid super vigorous thrusting.
Switch It Up: Instead of up and down thrusting, try rocking your hips so you slide down over the top of your partner’s penis/strap-up, then up along the bottom.
Make It Hotter: “If your partner uses a vibrating cock ring, especially the kind with a 'rabbit ear' or extension, you will be able to stimulate your clitoris against it while riding them,” she says.
SHOP NOW FORTO Vibrating Bunny C-Ring, $63.99, Organic Loven
Original Prone Bone
How To Do It: Lie on your stomach with your partner on top. Your partner lies on top of you and enters from behind. “Cup your hand or a flat toy around your vulva to create a ‘pocket’ against which you can rub, pulse and/or grind,” says O’Reilly.
Pros: “The pressure and weight of both of your bodies, combined with the fullness of penetration, can create a more overwhelming sensation,” she says.
Cons: The angle can make penetration tricky, especially with a smaller penis or strap-on. Try tilting your butt up and/or propping a pillow or two under your hips.
Switch It Up: For a non-penetrative option, your partner can slide their penis or strap-on against your vulva.
Make It Hotter: Try an anal version. Lie on top of a sturdy rabbit vibrator and experience stimulation happening everywhere.
SHOP NOW Hither Rechargeable Rocking Rabbit Vibrator, $87, Le Wand
The Lift Off
How To Do It: Your partner kneels, then sits back on their heels. You lie on your back, with your legs draped over your partner’s back.
Pros: You’ll both have your hands free to give your clit whatever it needs.
Cons: Can get uncomfortable for either or both of you. If your partner gets sore, they can switch positions so they’re sitting on their butt. If you get tired, prop a pillow or two under your hips.
Switch It Up: Put your feet on the ground and try thrusting up to take more control of the penetration.
Make It Hotter: Have your partner pop on a cock ring and watch each other’s face as you move.
SHOP NOW VUSH Orb Pleasure Ring, $75, Organic Loven
The Swiss Army
How To Do It: For a non-penetrative option, one of you sits back, leaning against a bed frame or stack of pillows. The other person straddles the person sitting, so that their penis or vulva is near the sitter’s mouth.
Pros: Versatile mutual pleasure. If you’re the sitting person, you can rub yourself or use a toy. If you’re the kneeling person, you’re conveniently located for your partner’s hand, mouth, or toy.
Cons: Not exactly the most romantic position. Make sure you stay connected by giving each other loving glances and affectionate squeezes.
Switch It Up: Trade places!
Make It Hotter: Play with power dynamics by having the kneeling person control their oral experience by pressing their vulva or penis to the sitting partner’s mouth while sitting person stays still.
SHOP NOW Soraya 2, $184, Lelo
The Tunnel of Love
How To Do It: Assume the doggy style position, but instead of a straight-on pounding, have your partner slide their penis or strap-on under you, rubbing it across your clit. Lube up your hand and cup it around the shaft to create sort of a makeshift vag/hand job movement, so that you both get what you crave.
Pros: This is a great non-penetrative option.
Cons: This is not completely safe sex if your partner has a penis. Have them wear a condom to be safer.
Switch It Up: Straddle a rounded sex pillow or firm stack of pillows and put your lubed hand or a toy on top.
Make It Hotter: Take charge of the action by being the one who moves while your partner stays still.
SHOP NOW LAYA III Lay-On Vibrator, $109, Lovers
The Lap Dance
How To Do It: Your partner sits in a chair, feet on the ground. Take a seat on their lap facing them, and angle yourself so your clit is exactly where you want it. “Slide them inside and rock back and forth as you grind against them,” says O’Reilly.
Pros: You're in control of clit placement, speed, and depth so it’s easier to get the kind of stimulation you want.
Cons: Might not be enough clit stim despite your sincere angling efforts. If this doesn’t do it for you—again, completely normal—use your hand to rub your clit or bring in a toy to do the job.
Switch It Up: Try it facing the other way for a different sensation plus a free hand.
Make It Hotter: “You can move your hips in a circular motion so that you slide backward at the bottom (as you grind/rub) and thrust slightly forward as you reach the tip,” she says.
Tabletop Service
How To Do It: “Stand next to a table, counter, or bed (at hip height) and bend over so that your upper body rests on the furniture,” suggests O’Reilly. “Your partner slides in from behind and you press your body against the edge of the furniture.”
Pros: Clit stim happens naturally via contact with the furniture with each thrust.
Cons: Direct contact between your vulva and the table, counter, or bed can give some people the ick. You can use a towel or t-shirt as a buffer.
Switch It Up: “You can lean into it for sustained pressure or slide up and down as you slide yourself onto your partner,” she says.
Make It Hotter: If you’d prefer to avoid that kind of intimacy with your furniture, press a flat toy between the table or bed and your vulva.
SHOP NOW Pom, $95, Dame
The Top Up
How To Do It: “Your partner lies on their back. You lie on top of them so that you’re both facing the ceiling,” says O’Reilly. “Guide them inside and squeeze your legs together as they rock against you and you slide slightly up and down. Don’t overthink the movements—just find a rhythm that works for you.”
Pros: Both of you have a free hand to rub your clit. This also works well if your partner has a large penis.
Cons: If your partner is on the smaller side, you might need some adjustments. Sit up a little and lean back on your hands.
Switch It Up: Hold your hand over your partner’s hand and show them the way you want to be touched.
Make It Hotter: “You (or your partner) can use a vibrating toy for extra stimulation,” she says.
SHOP NOW Le Wand Petite Plug-In, $120, Le Wand
The Open Bar
How To Do It: Hop on a bar stool and spread your legs. Your partner stands to enter. Lean back and rub your clit as you please.
Pros: Lots of people have their most reliable orgasms by leaning back and rubbing, circling, or tapping their clit. This allows free rein for whatever you like.
Cons: The heights might not work out. Try a sturdy dresser or a table.
Switch It Up: Get a different sensation by changing the way you touch yourself. If you’re a tapper, try rubbing or vice versa.
Make It Hotter: Add a small clit suction toy that can fit between your bodies.
SHOP NOW Little Sucker, $50, Hello Cake
Riding the Edge
How To Do It: Lie on your back with your partner flat on top of you, then straighten your legs and press them together with their legs on the outside. Roll your hips slowly and take your time. When one or both of you feels close, stop. Kiss, stroke their back, stare into their eyes, whatever stops the momentum. Repeat until you're both dying to finish.
Pros: Edging can be a helpful route to orgasm. The point is to get so turned on that orgasm is beyond inevitable.
Cons: This might not provide an intense-enough stimulation. Go even slower to draw out the edging even further. If that’s doesn’t do the trick, bust out a hand or toy to get to orgasm.
Switch It Up: Try it with a wearable toy for couples.
Make It Hotter: Add an arousal gel for extra intensity.
SHOP NOW Dame Arousal Serum, $30, Dame Products
The Grinder
How To Do It: Your partner lies on their back with their knees bent, feet on the ground. Mount them, facing their feet and pressing your vulva onto their leg while they’re inside you.
Pros: If you're a grinder (think: folded blanket, pillow, etc.), you can recreate the feeling with an actual human. They thrust, you hump their leg, everyone’s happy.
Cons: Leg humping can be…dry. Slather some lube onto their leg.
Switch It Up: This works anally as well.
Make It Hotter: If you want more clit stim, repurpose a wearable vibrator with straps. Wrap the straps around your partner’s legs and it will stay in place.
SHOP NOW Original Venus Butterfly, $22, Good Vibes
Leaning Cowgirl
How To Do It: Your partner lies flat on their back. You straddle them, facing them. Lean down and rub against your partner’s pubic bone, or lean back and have them rub a lubed thumb across your clit.
Pros: Standard cowgirl is great, but if you've tried it and it doesn't do much for you, changing positions can make a big difference.
Cons: If you’re self-conscious, cowgirl can feel like a lot. Turn around for reverse cowgirl if you want to be less perceived.
Switch It Up: Lean back and hand your partner long-handled toy, like a wand vibrator.
Make It Hotter: For more super-charged results, try a vibrating cock ring
SHOP NOW Bed Ringer Rechargeable Double Cock Ring, $40, Lovehoney
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