Wellness

7 Female Masturbation Positions and Tips

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 4 min read

People who masturbate typically stick to a similar routine or position but trying new positions and techniques can help you explore new ways to feel pleasure, reigniting the flames of passionate self-love in your solo sessions.

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7 Female Masturbation Positions

Here are some popular positions you can try during a solo session to experiment with different types of stimulation:

  1. 1. Cowgirl humping: For one of the most active self-pleasure sessions, try dry humping in the cowgirl position, which offers excellent stimulation for the clitoral hood and labia. To perform this position in your next masturbation session, straddle a pillow, blanket, or another object and grind your vulva against it. You can also perform the highly customizable position in reverse, horizontally, and with sex toys.
  2. 2. Doggy style: Doggy style is a sexual position most often associated with penetrative sex, but it can also be a stimulating position for solo play. Situate yourself on your hands and knees, then use one hand to stimulate your clitoris and other parts of your vulva until you achieve orgasm. The doggy-style position also gives you the best access to your anus for anal play or penetration. When performing anal masturbation, you’ll need to use lubrication since the anus doesn’t naturally self-lubricate like the vagina.
  3. 3. Lotus style: If your legs and hips are limber, you can masturbate by sitting upright on a comfortable surface (like your bed), touching your feet together, and opening your legs flat in a position known as the butterfly or lotus. Spreading your legs brings healthy tension to your pelvic floor muscles, which can make a good orgasm feel even better.
  4. 4. On your back: Masturbating on your back with your hand between your legs is a classic position that allows you to relax your muscles and access your pleasure spots with ease—whether you enjoy stimulating your clitoris, vagina, anus, or breasts. When masturbating on your back, experiment with different positions for your legs: plant your feet on the bed and elevate your knees in the air or spread your legs into a butterfly stretch to give your pelvic muscles a better position to clench down during orgasm.
  5. 5. On your stomach: Masturbating flat on your stomach is a great way to give yourself a more active orgasm since it encourages gyrating your hips to hump or grind against your hand (or sex toy). Masturbating on your stomach is an ideal position for those who enjoy clitoral stimulation since you can use the weight of your body to press your clit against the surface you’re lying on.
  6. 6. Reclined: To masturbate while reclined, simply stack up some comfy pillows and lean your back against them for a comfortable, seated position. One advantage of a seated position (as opposed to a lying position) is that your hands can better access your genitals for deeper penetration—making it great for internal stimulation of the vaginal canal and g-spot.
  7. 7. Squatting: For those who feel confident in their leg strength, squatting masturbation is a great way to open up your vaginal canal for deep penetration or activate your muscles for a big orgasm. If you enjoy bouncing up and down, consider adding a suction-cup dildo to ride in this position.

4 Tips for Changing Up Your Masturbation Routine

Getting stuck in a masturbatory routine can dull the joys of the experience, and that’s why it’s important to introduce new elements and positions into your solo play. Here are a few simple tips for changing up your routine:

  1. 1. Change locations. If you always masturbate on your bed, consider performing your next session in a new spot to keep it fresh and exciting. For instance, masturbating in the bath or shower can help increase your blood flow with warm water and steam (and if you have a detachable showerhead, you can also direct the flow of water toward your clitoris for extra stimulation).
  2. 2. Use a mirror. Body appreciation and self-love are important aspects of good masturbation, so every so often, as you masturbate, set aside time for looking at and appreciating your body. Bringing a mirror into play when you masturbate can be a great way to do this. Admire yourself, and pay attention to how your labia and clitoris change appearance upon arousal. Taking time to get to know your genitalia is an important part of body appreciation and self-care.
  3. 3. Use different tools. Your fingers are a great tool for sexual pleasure, but you can try many other tools and sex toys. If you like penetration (either vaginal or anal), consider using a dildo or butt plug to start (make sure you use lube to reduce friction). Vibrators offer internal and external stimulation—the two main vibration types are rumbly (low, deep vibrations for slow and steady stimulation) or buzzy (higher, more active vibrations for more intense stimulation). Some tools are not designed for direct stimulation but can still enhance your pleasure—things like scented candles, erotica, or curated playlists can all help set the mood for your session.
  4. 4. Explore other erogenous zones. The human body has several erogenous zones—parts of your body covered in nerve endings that are especially sensitive to stimulation. While the vulva is one of the primary erogenous zones, there are many other areas that you can touch to increase your arousal. Exploring areas like the lower abdomen, mouth, neck, breasts, buttocks, and inner thighs can help you discover other sensitive areas during solo play—and it can serve as sexy solo foreplay before you move to your vulva.

Let’s Talk About Sex

Craving a little more intimacy? Grab a MasterClass Annual Membership and learn more about open communication with your partners, experimenting in the bedroom, and being your own best sexual advocate with a little help from Emily Morse (host of the wildly popular podcast Sex With Emily).