WHILE AN ORGASM isn’t necessarily as essential as overall pleasure during sex, most women will tell you that climaxing enhances the experience. And let’s be honest: helping your partner to the finish line makes you feel pretty good, too. The good news? Although porn may lead you to believe otherwise, you don’t need to be hung like a horse or need to plow like a jackhammer in order for your partner to reach climax. Instead, if your partner has a vulva, just focus on specific positions that target those highly sensitive erogenous zones: the clitoris and the G-spot.
Of course, everyone's anatomy is slightly unique, meaning what makes one person moan with pleasure might just not work for another. For example, Nicole Schafer, a sex and relationship coach and licensed professional counselor, notes that some cisgender women find that clitoral contact is actually too intense during sex, while 37% of others simply can’t orgasm without it. That’s why communication is key when trying out new positions. Don’t be afraid to ask your partner, “Does that feel good?” “Did you like when I leaned forward more?” or “Want me to go slower or faster?”
“The first third of the vaginal canal is most pleasure-prone as it is enmeshed in the clitoral structures, so interspersing slow shallow strokes with deeper strokes are bound for their pleasure,” says Ian Kerner, LMFT, sex therapist, and author of She Comes First. “Additionally, some pressure against the cervix also lights up the somatosensory cortex in the brain, along with clitoral and nipple stimulation.”
This means an ideal sex position to help your partner orgasm would include clitoral consistency, breast stimulation, and intermittent cervical contact. In simpler terms, make sure you can stimulate their clitoris (using your fingers or a sex toy works too), have access to caress their breasts and pinch their nipples, and lastly, throw in some deep strokes for good measure.
With all that in mind, we’ve rounded up 17 sex positions that check all those boxes for some earth-shattering orgasms.
1. All Access
How it works: Kneel and straddle their left leg while they’re lying on their left side. From here, they should bend their right leg around the right side of your waist—allowing full access to their vagina.
This position is an upgrade from standard missionary because this sets you up for deeper penetration and allows you to slow your roll.
Kerner says, “With your partner on their side, the girth of your penis will be hitting and emphasizing their g-spot in unique ways, while also allowing you to maintain a clitoral connection, which is often sacrificed in positions that emphasize g-spot stimulation.”
Spend some time exploring their body. This setup gives you complete access to their clitoris for manual stimulation. But don’t feel limited to solely hands-on fun.
Try withdrawing your penis and, while holding the shaft with your left hand, rub the head against their clitoris. Start out soft and slow, then as you increase speed and pressure, reinsert once you’ve brought them to the brink of an orgasm.
2. Stand and Deliver
How it works: Stand at the edge of a bed while your partner lies back and raises their legs to their chest. Their knees are bent as if they’re doing a "bicycling" exercise. Grab their ankles and enter them. You’ll want to start by thrusting slowly, as the deep penetration may be initially painful.
Pro tip: Have them place their heels on your shoulders, which will open their hips so their labia press against you. This position is also great for manual clitoral stimulation.
3. Spooning
How it works: You both lie on your sides facing the same direction with you behind your partner. Your partner bends their knees and pushes their rear back toward you for easier access to their vagina. Adjusting the lean of your bodies will vary the angle of entry and help with rocking and thrusting.
Pro tip: From here you can reach around and play with their breasts. Depending on the angle, you can potentially stimulate their clitoris manually. This position allows for deep penetration and body contact.
4. Legs on Shoulders
How it works: While they’re on their back, have them drape their legs on your shoulders. The angle of their body should be roughly 90 degrees.
This legs on shoulders move should be considered a staple, as it allows for deep vaginal penetration. If the standard G-Whiz isn’t doing anything for them, try grabbing their butt and tilting their pelvis upward, slightly toward you. As always, ask them what feels best; a small tweak can be the difference between them not orgasming and orgasming within minutes.
“A great position for both clitoral and cervical stimulation as well as eye-to-eye lovemaking and attunement,” Kerner adds.
Pro tip: Wrap your arms behind their neck and upper back, lifting them up gently. This not only helps them receive deeper penetration, but also feels more intense, since it forces you both to look into each other’s eyes.
5. Cowgirl
For extra stimulation: Use a clitoris sucker or vibrator on their clit.
How it works: You’re lying down on your back. They straddle you with one leg on each side of your torso.
There are numerous variations to cowgirl, and it’s worth figuring out with your partner which one works best for them. They may prefer to have their feet planted on both sides of you, so they’re squatting on you as opposed to downright riding. They may like it when they lean back because it allows for deeper penetration. They may like when you do all the thrusting—but typically, what facilitates quicker orgasms is when they’re in control. They’re the one setting the pace, how deeply you penetrate, and which angles you hit. When they’re in control, they can give themselves everything they need to orgasm.
“It’s also great for guys who come first, as you can still grind your penis against your partner as you're losing your tumescence (erection),” Kerner says.
For more on the woman-on-top sex position, check this out:
6. Happy Baby Pose
How it works: They lie on their back with their legs bent and up in the air. Their legs are slightly past shoulder-length apart, and they’re gripping the soles of their feet with their hands.
If your partner is a yogi, they’re going to appreciate bringing their yoga practice into the bedroom. And even if they’re not into yoga, they’ll appreciate the orgasm you help give them. Happy Baby Pose allows you to hit all their angles while they’re on their back. It’s also an ideal position if you want to engage their clitoris too. With one hand you can stimulate their clitoris, and with your other free hand, you can hold onto them for support.
Pro tip: Happy Baby Pose is also an ideal position for anal sex, during which you can digitally penetrate their vagina and/or play with their clitoris.
7. Child's Pose
How it works: They sit on their heels and then lean forward. While remaining on their haunches, they extend their hands forward; all the while, their back remains straight.
Since we’re already incorporating yoga into our sexual repertoire, let’s talk about child’s pose. First off, if they have a bad back, this position is great since it elongates their back muscles. Even if they don’t have back pain, this position is really relaxing. That’s why it’s often the neutral pose during yoga, when you need a break from doing other, more strenuous poses.
When they’re relaxed during sex, they’re more likely to have an orgasm. That’s not to say you can’t go hard in this position, you can and should if that’s what they like, but this position is ideal for both relaxation and deep penetration.
Pro tip: Have them grip the bed frame for stability, so you can penetrate harder and deeper.
8. The Standing Dragon
How it works: Position them on the edge of the bed, posing on all fours. As you stand behind them, have them arch their back so it lifts their butt upward.
With your legs outside of theirs, use your thighs to squeeze their knees together, which tightens their vagina around your penis. “It's the squeeze of the knees together that will provide pleasurable friction against your penis and stimulation of the vestibular bulbs that are part of the clitoris and press against the vagina at the entrance,” Kerner says. This position is ideal for G-spot stimulation and also gives you a great view of their curves.
9. Flatiron
How it works: Have them lie face down on the bed with their knees slightly bent and hips slightly raised. For comfort, and to increase the angle of their hips, you can suggest placing a pillow under their lower abs.
From here, enter them from behind and keep your weight off of them by propping yourself up with your arms. This position creates a snug fit—which intensifies their pleasure by making you feel larger to them. “This is a great position for increasing your friction, achieving full penetration, while also stimulating their g-spot,” Kerner says.
Pro tip: You’ll last longer in this position if you switch to shallower thrusts and deeper breaths.
10. Double the Pleasure
How it works: Lie on your back and bend one of your legs, keeping the other outstretched. Have them straddle the raised leg with a thigh on either side and then lower themselves onto your member so that their back is facing you.
From here, they should hold your knee and use it for support as they rock up and down.
“This position is great because it's a lot like the reverse cowgirl, but with a twist,” says Jen Landa, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of BodyLogicMD and author of The Sex Drive Solution for Women. Showing that you care about their pleasure is itself a turn-on. Raising your knee allows them to rub against your thigh—which produces optimal clitoral stimulation, she adds.
11. The Amazon
How it works: You lie on your back, with your feet elevated and knees bent. From here, your partner squats on top of you, with one leg in between your thighs and one resting on the outside of you. Then, they can ride you while holding onto your legs for support.
Schafer notes that this position makes it easier for your partner to get off because it gives them full control over the pace, depth, and even clitoral stimulation during sex.
12. The Seesaw
How it works: You sit upright with your legs extended out straight, while your partner sits between your legs and rests their feet on the bed outside your legs. After guiding your penis inside them, they can raise and lower themselves onto you.
Pro tip: Schafer notes that if your partner leans back, they’ll get additional G-spot stimulation.
13. Reverse Cowgirl
How it works: Think cowgirl, but with your partner turned around. While you’re lying down, they’ll climb on top of you backwards so that they’re looking at your feet. Then they can ride you at whatever pace or angle feels best.
According to Dr. Lori Beth Bisbey, a registered psychologist, sex and intimacy coach, and host of The A to Z of Sex podcast, this position targets the G-spot like no other. But it also allows your partner the opportunity to touch their own clitoris and breasts—and as an added bonus, it gives you a pretty phenomenal view of their backside, too.
14. Flatiron
How it works: Your partner lies down flat on their stomach, while you get down on your knees and enter them behind, resting your hands on the bed.
If your partner likes doggy style, this twist is guaranteed to blow their mind. Bisbey notes that not only does the flatiron position offer ultra-deep penetration, but it also allows your partner to get clitoral stimulation via friction against the bed.
15. Corkscrew
How it works: Have your partner lie on their side, either resting on their forearm or with their head on the bed. Meanwhile, you’ll kneel and slide between their legs, so that their bottom leg is underneath you and you’re holding onto their top thigh for leverage as you thrust.
Certified sex addiction therapist Joni Ogle recommends this position because it leaves both your partner’s hands—and at least one of your hands—free to caress their breasts or rub their clitoris.
16. Lapdance
How it works: This one is pretty simple and straightforward to execute: basically, you sit in a chair while your partner straddles you and grinds on top of you.
Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for the pleasure product brand Biird, recommends this position because your partner can control the depth and speed as needed. Plus, it’s a little easier on their knees and quads than cowgirl—so they can focus solely on getting off rather than straining to hold themselves up. And don’t be surprised if your partner can squirt in this position, either—or at the very least, achieve an intense G-spot orgasm.
“The lapdance position allows for a back-and-forth grinding motion, which a lot of women say is more pleasurable than the in-and-out motion,” Weiss adds.
17. Coital Alignment Technique (CAT)
How it works: Coital alignment technique (CAT) looks a lot like missionary—with a slight adjustment. When you position yourself on top of your partner, just shift several inches upward so your partner is at eye level with your chest.
This position is perfect for anyone who can’t finish from penetration alone, says Weiss. Instead of the traditional in-and-out thrusting, CAT allows for a unique rocking motion that entails grinding your pubic bone into your partner’s vulva, thus continually stimulating their clitoris.
