22 Missionary Sex Positions That’ll Heat Up the Tried-and-True Classic

How to Do It: "In this variation, the receiving partner lies on their back with their arms and legs fully spread, offering a sense of vulnerability that can feel deeply connective," says Plumb. The giver enters by lying on top and holding themselves up a bit.

Pros: This one's great for deep penetration, and since the penetrating partner is hovering, it allows space for the receiver to slide in their hands or a sex toy for clitoral stimulation.

Cons: If you aren't proactive about clit stim, it won’t happen. The space is there for a reason—don't be afraid to use it!

Switch It Up: For even more space for hands or toys, the giver can sit back on their knees and the receiver can drape their legs over their partner’s thighs.

Make It Hotter: The giver can build anticipation by teasing the receiver for slightly longer than necessary with kisses all over the body, licks up the inner thighs, and sucking on their earlobes until they beg for more.

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How to Do It: In this take on the classic missionary position, it’s regular missionary, but the penetrating partner slows their movements way down. Add some intimate eye-gazing and stroke each other’s bodies as you move.

Pros: Drawing out the experience makes everything feel more vivid and intense.

Cons: The eye contact and the slow movements can be overwhelming for some people. It's totally okay to close your eyes and look at other parts of your partner's face to lessen the intensity. Sensual lip gaze, anyone?

Switch It Up: Take every moment and stretch it out—the moment of anticipation just before penetration when the tip of their penis or strap-on presses against the receiver; the slow slide-in (make it even slower than you think it should be); the moment they’re all in... pause and just feel each other.

Make It Hotter: The receiver can squeeze their vaginal or anal muscles around the giver with each deep thrust.

How to Do It: This is *chef’s kiss* for two people with vulvas. Start in missionary with one person on top of the other, then arrange yourselves so that your vulvas are pressing directly against each other's, or against your partner’s thigh or pubic bone. “The majority of vulva owners don’t climax from penetration, so they can make the missionary position all about clitoral stimulation by grinding against each other’s thighs and pubic bones, one on top of the other, instead of penetrating,” says Alma Ramírez Acosta, a sexual wellness expert.

Pros: This position is all about the clit stim. The grinding movements can feel ah-mazing, especially with a little bit of lube.

Cons: This is scissoring in a different font. If you don’t love that, enhance with more stimulation anally, vaginally, or with toys or hands for your clit.

Switch It Up: Amp up the romance by adding some gentle stimulation—stroking your partner’s chest or holding each other’s face in your hands.

Make It Hotter: If you need/crave more stimulation, add toys and/or vibrators. “Double-ended strap-ons allow both the giver and the receiver to be penetrated at the same time,” she says.

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How to Do It: This position is all about stimulating your senses. Get in missionary and wear a blindfold, turn the lights off, and overload your auditory systems with loud music. Lay down a silk or satin sheet, or place something soft and furry between your bodies.

Pros: “Playing with the senses heightens your response to touch, sound, sight, and more,” says O'Reilly. Plus, it’s a fun and different adventure to have together.

Cons: Some people are nervous about being blindfolded. They can just close their eyes with the option to open them anytime they need to.

Switch It Up: Try different sessions with different intents. Take it romantic, exploratory, or in a more BDSM direction, depending on where your passions lie.

Make It Hotter: If you want to go deeper into sensory play, try temperature play using heating and/or cooling lubes, ice cubes, chilled or warmed dildos, etc…

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How to Do It: The person on top lubes up their partner's thigh, straddles their leg, then humps and grinds away as they please. The person on the bottom humps and rubs against their partner's thigh, which is conveniently right there between their legs.

Pros: This is a great no-penetration option. If you have two humpers in your relationship, you need this.

Cons: No penetration. If someone needs penetration to orgasm, try this, then switch to something else.

Switch It Up: Change places and see what it’s like from the other perspective!

Make It Hotter: If you’re feeling brave, try a heating or cooling lube. Or each person could use a different one. Have a wet cloth nearby in case your skin is too sensitive for the lubes.

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How to Do It: The receiver lies on their back with a pillow or wedge under their butt and bends their knees, spreading their legs apart. The giver kneels between their partner’s legs so they can get in close for grinding.

Pros: The grinding means lots of direct clit stim for anyone with a vulva.

Cons: Grinding feels less great without the proper lubrication. Lube, as always, is your friend here.

Switch It Up: The giver can switch between grinding their pelvis against the receiver with side-to-side, then circular hip motions.

Make It Hotter: The penetrating partner can kneel so they can switch between thrust and grinds, and if that's not quite doing it for y’all, enhance with a hand or a toy.

How to Do It: For a super-charged version of missionary, assume the usual position (giver on top, receiver on their back), but add a wearable vibrator that fits into the vagina during penetration

Pros: If penetration alone isn't quite doing it (remember: so very, very normal!), a wearable vibrator can add hand’s-free stimulation.

Cons: Wearable vibes can fit differently on different bodies. If one doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean the entire category is not for you—try another!

Switch It Up: You can also try a vibrating cock ring, so everyone gets a little boost.

Make It Hotter: Invest in a Transformers-like toy that can be worn as a cock ring/clit vibrator, then can switch to an internal vibe or one used for ball play, nipple stimulation, or whatever else you crave.

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How to Do It: The receiving partner lies on their back. They put one leg straight down alongside their partner’s and bend the other knee up. The giver lies on top to enter, holding onto the receiver’s bent leg if they’d like.

Pros: A slightly new angle of penetration makes everything feel different. The receiver can shift their hips to rub against the partner’s pubic bone or get a different angle going.

Cons: The receiver’s leg might not want to stay bent the whole time. It's totally okay to switch legs, or just put the legs where they feel most comfortable.

Switch It Up: The giver can suck on the receiver’s toes and kiss their foot as they thrust.

Make It Hotter: The giver gets on their knees for deeper thrusting, and so both of you get a better view of the action.

How to Do It: Try a role reversal by having the person who's usually on the bottom get on the top and be the boss of missionary this time around. The person on top holds themselves up with elbows or hands, puts their legs between their partner’s, and thrusts away as they please.

Pros: The role reversal can be super hot, especially for hetero couples who generally go with standard missionary gender roles. And if the person on top has a vulva, they can angle themselves to get more of the stimulation they need.

Cons: If you're really used to your regular roles, it can feel awkward to switch. But if you try it with a sense of play and just let yourself explore, you might discover some new stuff you’re into.

Switch It Up: If both of you have a vulva, use a vibrating strap-on with internal stimulation that can do it for you both.

Make It Hotter: Play up the Dom/sub elements by having the person on top really get in character as the conqueror instead of the conquered. They can talk dirty, like telling the person on the bottom what they’re going to do to them, or how they own them or….

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How to Do It: Go super decadent by grabbing a big bottle of lube and lubing yourselves up—everywhere. Cover your chest and legs with lube, then slide around on each other in slippery debauchery.

Pros: The lube makes your entire body part of the slippery friction that is missionary. Plus, it’s just fun!

Cons: This is not a tidy activity. Put down a ton of towels or invest in a waterproof blanket specially designed to handle lubes, goos, and such.

Switch It Up: Use each other’s lubed bodies as sex toys. The giver can put their thigh between their partner’s legs and the receiver can slide against it, or they could slide their penis up to rub between the receiver's breasts.

Make It Hotter: As long as you have the towels down, it’d be a great time to try squirting.

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How to Do It: The receiver lies on their back and spreads their legs and arms out like an X. The giver holds themselves up on their knees and elbows so that they’re hovering, avoiding most contact except groin to groin.

Pros: This put an ultra-focus the feeling of the penetration.

Cons: It can be tiring for the giver to hold themselves aloft, so it's totally okay if they want to tap out after a bit and lower their body.

Switch It Up: Go completely silent and just look into each other’s each as you move together.

Make It Hotter: Or try the opposite! Close your eyes and just communicate what you’re feeling to each other via moans.

How to Do It: Before getting in missionary, prop a sex pillow or regular old pillow under the receiver’s butt to lift their hips higher on an angle. The giver enters from the top and the receiver wraps their legs around the giver’s hips.

Pros: The subtle shift changes the sensation dramatically and provides extra-deep penetration. It’s also good for givers with smaller penises.

Cons: It might take awhile to find the proper pillow-to-hip ratio. Add pillows or subtract until everything feels just right.

Switch It Up: Keep the pillow in place and you can transition easily to a rear-entry position.

Make It Hotter: Add some bondage easily with a sex wedge that has built-in cuffs. You could cuff the receiver, or switch it up and have the giver assume a submissive role by cuffing them.

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How to Do It: In CAT (aka Coital Alignment Technique), the giver shifts upwards so that their hips are higher than in usual missionary. Once they’re inside, the giver lifts their hips and presses their pubic bone against the receiver’s clit in a slow grind.

Pros: The little shift in position creates more direct stimulation on the clit. For people who don’t usually cum with penetration, this can be the tweak that makes it happen.

Cons: It still might not be enough stimulation to put some people over the edge. If not, try this a bit, then switch to whatever usually works for you.

Switch It Up: The giver can circle their hips, rub up and down, or move from side to side. Switch it up or find the good one that’s gonna take you both to orgasm.

Make It Hotter: Slather unholy amounts of lube all over your chests and slide your bodies against each other as you move.

How to Do It: The receiver lies flat on their back with their legs pressed closely together. The giver lies on top with their leg outside of the receiver’s legs.

Pros: The leg press move makes every stroke feel enhanced. It’s also great for givers with a smaller penis or strap-on because it makes everything feel tighter and fuller.

Cons: The initial insertion can be tricky when the receiver’s legs are closed. Try starting in regular missionary, then switch up your legs.

Switch It Up: If the receiver has a vulva, they can angle themselves so their clit is gliding along their partner’s penis or strap-on.

Make It Hotter: The receiver can take control by rolling their hips around slowly and you’ll get this amazing slide-y friction that will drive you both crazy.