27 Anal Sex Positions Both Beginners and Seasoned Pros Will Love
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If you're looking to try anal sex for the first time and aren’t quite sure what to do, we’re here for you with all the Butt-Related Wisdom you’ll need to open up a w(hole) new area of pleasure. “If your current sexual practices have become routine, exploring anal can be a great way to spice things up,” says Twanna A. Hines, M.S, award-winning sexual health educator. “Think outside of the box—or hole, as it were. The body contains too many delicious holes to limit pleasure to a couple of openings.”
Why go ‘round back? “The sensations that both the giving and receiving partner experience can be unique, extremely pleasurable, and very erotic,” says sex educator Searah Deysach, owner of online sex toy retailer Early to Bed. Anal works for people all across the gender and sexual orientations spectrums, she says. Plus, it can feel edgy and transgressive, which can boost arousal for some people.
Ultimately, anal should feel good for everyone involved, and shouldn’t feel painful, says Jess O’Reilly, PhD, resident sexologist at Astroglide. If it doesn’t feel good, she suggests you stop and regroup. “You may want to get more aroused, add more lube, play on the outside and spend more time getting to know your body, or start with a smaller object,” says O’Reilly. “Whatever you do, tune into pleasure as opposed to trying to engage in a specific goal-oriented act.”
The more aroused you are, the better anal sex will feel. O’Reilly suggests having an orgasm first the way you usually finish, or at least get aroused in any way that works for you before you explore something new. “You may find that you’re more relaxed after orgasm, and this can help to ease you into new explorations including anal play,” she says.
Before you dive in, here are some expert tips to optimize your experience.
Enthusiastic consent is a must. Talk with your partner before, during and after. “If you’re interested in being the receiving partner of anal penetration, be sure that you are communicating with your partner, starting very slowly (like with a finger or small toy) and using lots of body-safe lube,” says Deysach. “Avoid any numbing lube or gel, as pain is your body’s way of saying stop (or slow down).”
Lube=everything. “Your anus is a magical and beautiful place that can do some fantastic things, however, lubricating itself is not one of them,” says sex expert and relationship coach Niki Davis-Fainbloom. Keep smearing on the lube when penetrating someone with a finger, penis, or toy.
Stay safe. Play it smart. Remember, only five bodily fluids transmit HIV. Four can be commonly exchanged during anal sex: blood, anal fluids, cum, and pre-cum. Wear a condom to keep butt play safe and sexy, says Hines. "No double dipping! If a penis, finger, toy, or other object has entered your anus, wash it before putting it inside your vagina. If you don't, you can increase your chances of contracting a UTI, yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, or other infection."
Once you’re lubed up, aroused, and ready, here are the anal sex position we stand by. (And if you don’t want to go straight to penetration with a penis or strap-on, you can experiment with rimming, these almost-anal test positions, or even make your butt a no-go zone. Your body, your choice!)
Jill Hamilton is a contributor for Cosmopolitan.com and writes the blog In Bed With Married Women.
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