6 Sex Positions For Newbies

Publish date: 2024-06-18

When it comes to exploring your sexuality, we all have to start somewhere. No one is born "good" at sex — practice makes perfect, and only by experimenting and getting comfortable with our own bodies can we truly learn how to have, awesome, mutually satisfying sex with a partner. That said, there's nothing to be ashamed of if you're just getting started and want to know some good sex positions for beginners.

As with anything sexual, it takes time to learn what works for you and what doesn't. Kinks, fetishes, and turn-ons can develop super quickly or more gradually, and since our bodies are all built slightly differently, certain things might work better than others in terms of getting us aroused. The best part of being a sexual newbie is that you're experiencing a lot of awesome things for the first time — don't take that fun opportunity for granted! The most important thing to remember is that the more you explore your body on your own and the more open and honest you are about communicating your desires to your partner, the quicker you'll be on your way to having a great, healthy sex life.

Here are six positions to try out if you're just starting to explore your sexuality or if you're simply getting tired of all the ~fancy~ positions and want to take a break and get back to basics. (And keep in mind that these positions work with two women as well!)

1. Missionary

Predictably, missionary tops the list of "easy" positions for beginners to try out, simply because it's such a no-frills way to have sex. Particularly if your partner is more experienced than you, this will probably be the position you feel most comfortable in at first, and there's nothing wrong with that. Liking missionary doesn't mean you're boring; in fact, long after you're sexually active, it's still a fun, exciting, intimate position. When you're first starting out, it's the natural choice to help you get more comfortable with sex — and if you're feeling adventurous, you can even mix it up by putting your legs on your partner's shoulders or wrapping your legs around their waist.

2. Modified Girl-On-Top

If you want to ease into a more active role in the bedroom, the best way to get started is with girl-on-top sex — with a twist. Instead of sitting upright on top of your partner, lean down against their chest, placing your hands on either side of their head. This will help you feel a little more secure as you start moving, and will give you more control. Sure, it might take some time to figure out exactly what motions and speeds work for you, but you'll be well on your way to O-town in no time.

3. Modified Doggy

Sex from behind can be incredibly fun, but might seem a bit daunting for someone who's less experienced. Modified doggy-style is a little bit more relaxed and slightly less physical, so if you want to take things a little slower this will work well (since traditional doggy has a reputation for being a good "rough sex" position). And to make things even easier, put a pillow under your stomach so you're slightly raised off of the bed: This will give your partner a better angle at which to enter you, without you having to be on your hands and knees like traditional doggy.

4. The Sofa Brace

If you are interested in trying regular doggy style but still want to keep things slightly less intense, this position is a great compromise. You're bent over the arm of a sofa so you can still be slightly more relaxed while your partner enters you from behind. In this position, your pelvis is slightly more raised than modified doggy, so the angle of penetration is subtly different — try both to decide what feels best for you, as well as which position you feel more comfortable in.

5. The Butterfly

Although it may look slightly like missionary, this position will feel a lot different, because your partner is entering you from a much different angle. Your pelvis is raised much higher as your partner holds you up, and your legs up on his shoulders will allow for deeper penetration. It's easy for beginners because all you have to do is lie there (while still being an active participant, of course) while your partner does the brunt of the work, but it still might take some getting used to, especially if you aren't super flexible. Don't be afraid to tackle learning this position slowly, maybe only a couple minutes at a time, before switching back to something where your legs get a break.

6. In A Chair

This is a slightly different take than girl-on-top, because it involves a super helpful prop — the chair! This intimate position is great for beginners because it will allow you to make eye contact and kiss your partner (which will presumably make you less nervous). Because both your feet are on the ground, you also have a lot more leverage than you would if you were having girl-on-top sex on a bed. You can move as slowly or quickly as you want, and practice bouncing motions that will be made easier with the added stability of the chair.

Want more of Bustle's Sex and Relationships coverage? Check out our video on sex positions for small penises:

Images: Caroline Wurtzel/Bustle (6)

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