#1/8:
Give yourself a hand
In 2014, BuzzFeed conducted a survey that found an estimated at 87 percent of women indulge in masturbation. No big shocker, there — we kinda already knew that most ladies are into the healthy activity, because, well, it’s a damn good time.
And not only is masturbation fun and convenient, it can actually perk up your sex life all around.
“Women who masturbate are more likely to have orgasms during partnered sex, and we believe that this finding is related to an increase in comfort and knowledge with regard to her body,” says Jessica O’Reilly, Ph.D., author of The Little Book of Kink. “By experimenting with different positions, you can discover new pathways to orgasm and stave off the sexual ruts that arise due to repetition and monotony.”
To that we say, “Giddy up.” Here are some ways to get creative with your me time.
Originally published January 2014. Updated April 2017.
Over the Hump
How you do it: Start by lying on the bed on your stomach, using a pillow or two to support your stomach and hips. Use your hands or a toy (or both!) between your body and the pillow to rev things up.
Why it’s awesome: “The pillows angle your hips up, which opens up new sensations. It also uses the tension of your leg muscles, which can feel very different for you,” Katz says.
Opening Up
How you do it: Sit on a chair that doesn’t have arms, like a dining room or folding chair. Tuck your feet and ankles around the chair legs, leaving your legs open.
Why it’s awesome: “It provides much more access to all of the delicious bits between your legs, and when you climax, you can brace your legs against the chair legs. By exposing more parts of your vulva, you will experience some new — and sometimes even more intense — sensations than you usually do,” Katz says.
The Leg Shaver
How you do it: In the shower, place one foot on the side of the tub or shower seat, allowing full open access to your vulva. (If you don’t have anything to prop your foot on, simply lean back against a wall and move one knee to the side.) Use your fingers or use the removable showerhead stream to tease, or pick up your favorite water-resistant vibrator for guaranteed orgasms. Or rotate among all three!
Why it’s awesome: “Masturbating while standing is an awesome position style that too many women ignore,” says Sadie Allison, Ph.D., author of Tickle Your Fancy: A Woman’s Guide to Self-Pleasure. “The Leg Shaver not only gives you great access to your vulva and vagina, but it also lends itself to a little leg and core muscle toning, as you need to work a little harder to keep your body weight vertical. This, in turn, naturally flexes your pelvic floor muscles, offering more sensation to the ‘feel-good’ nerves in your genitals’ erectile tissue.”
Superstar
How you do it: Begin on your knees on the bed, or another soft and comfy surface, with your upper body upright. Gently open your knees to a position that feels comfortable for you. Supporting yourself with one arm, you can lean back or lean forward to hold onto a headboard or the wall.
Why it’s awesome: “Because you can modify this in so many ways — changing angles, using multiple toys for penetration and/or external stimulation — you can discover new spots and new things that get your motor going. Leaning forward and back can provide new sensations, and it allows you to open up the rest of your body for exploration and play with your fingers, toys, even nipple clamps. Experiment and have fun,” Katz says.
The Solo Snake
How you do it: Lie on your stomach and grind your pelvic bone and clitoris against a hand or a vibrating toy beneath you.
Why it’s awesome: “The weight of your body adds extra friction against the hood of your clitoris, and the back-and-forth grinding strokes the shaft of your clitoris as it becomes erect,” O’Reilly says.
On Your Knees
How you do it: Keeping your knees wide open, kneel on the floor or the bed. Use this position to press and ride a firm surface beneath you, like a toy, the mattress, a pillow or your hand.
Why it’s awesome: “You can rock back and forth, slide forward and backward, or roll the hips in a circular fashion according to your own preferences,” O’Reilly says. “In this position, the extra blood flow to your pelvic region can help with both arousal and orgasm.”