Urm, who is out here naming sex positions after bugs? A predatory, carnivorous bug at that?! While the name might not be the sexiest thing you've ever heard, the Praying Mantis is, thankfully, much more fun than it sounds.
The origin of the name is a bit of a mystery. It might be because you kinda look like one when you get into formation (their little legs stick out all funny), but it could also be because they're super flexible and nimble — which always helps when it comes to sex.
Regardless of where the name comes from, we asked Megan McCormack, sex expert at Ann Summers, how to try it out. Eating your mate afterward is, urm, optional.
How to do the Praying Mantis?
This sex position can be achieved by anyone, but generally, the partner being penetrated is on the bottom and the partner who is penetrating - either with a penis or a strap-on - is on top.
If you're receiving, start off by lying on your back. "Pop a pillow beneath your lower back and have your partner kneel down in front of you with their legs slightly spread," Megan says. Next, put one leg over their shoulder and place the other leg at their side.
This allows for super-deep penetration, and the angle lends itself to G-spot massage making it more likely for you to have a G-spot orgasm. So just "circle your hips and grind your way to orgasm," Megan says. Just be sure to use lots of lube so everything's pleasurable and safe.
"As this position [allows for] deeper penetration you may want to take things slower and can use grinding movements rather than full thrusts," says Kate Moyle, a Psycho-Sexologist and in-house expert at LELO.
Lube recommendations
Benefits of the Praying Mantis position
Katie explains that despite its creepy-sounding name, the Praying Mantis is “great for connection as it's a face-to-face position, which focuses on G-Spot stimulation and being quite adaptable as partners are hands-free, which allows their hands to roam elsewhere on the body offering the chance for blended pleasure and potential orgasm.
Your partner's hands being free means they're able to explore the rest of your body, like playing with your nipples or adding clitoral stimulation. They're in the perfect position to use a small vibrator on you while they thrust.
Combining the deep penetrative G-spot massage and clitoral stimulation will make it more likely for you to have a beautiful blended orgasm, too.
"It's super easy and the ultimate way to achieve G-spot orgasms, clitoral orgasms and is the absolute best position for nipple play, too," Megan explains.
Paisley is the former Sex and Relationships editor at Cosmopolitan UK. She covers everything from sex toys, how to masturbate and sex positions, to all things LGBTQ. She definitely reveals too much about her personal life on the Internet.
Lois Shearing is Cosmoplitan's Former Senior Sex and Relationship Writer. They have been writing about sex, sexuality, gender, politics, and relationships for almost ten years. Their writing on these topics has appeared in Mashable, The Independent, Metro, The Advocate, and Byline Times, among others. In 2021, they published their first book, Bi the Way with JKP. They are currently working on two other books, set to be published in 2024. In a previous life, they worked as a content marketer and content writer for various tech start-ups. They continue to be interested in the tech sector and its impact on our lives, relationships, and work, with particular regard to the ways AI will shape our relationships in the future. Outside of work, they are deeply passionate about queer community organising, and run the only support resource for bisexual survivors of sexual violence in the UK: the Bi Survivors Network. You can find them on Instagram and X.
