Want to show off in the bedroom? If you want to show off all the strength you're building, there's a sex position for that. In fact, there's a lot of them! Once you get a bit creative, there are lots of ways to amp up your bedroom activities to get a sweaty, intense workout in while you're cuddled up with your partner.
Not only do these sex positions provide gravity-defying bragging rights, but they also double as a workout! A study from the University of Quebec at Montreal showed that sex can burn 3.6 calories, on average, per minute. That number is lower than what they saw with a treadmill run, but like every trainer says, "you get out what you put in!", so these challenging positions might have you seeing above average burns. ;)
Safety Considerations for These Calorie-Burning Sex Positions
While safety is important for all sex positions, it needs to become a discussion point to itself when we're talking about these stressful sex positions.
Just like a hard workout, these sex positions are designed to test your strength, balance, and cardio. Unlike a workout, though, most of us tend to shut off our rational, "I'm too tired for another rep" brains while we're in the middle of sex. This can lead to injuries - just like it could in the gym.
To help reduce your risk of injury:
- Make sure you're ready for any sex position you choose. Any sex position can be "achieved" while fully clothed to see if you're ready for it during sex. Some of these sex positions can be broken down even further to screen yourselves and determine if you're ready to try a position. For example, the receiving partner may try to do standard Tricep Dips by themselves to see if they're ready to try the Lofted Drive position below.
- Ensure any surface you're using is weight-bearing and extremely stable. If the only thing stopping you both from toppling to the floor is a dining room chair, you better make sure that chair can support a lot of horizontal movement, two people's bodies, and won't topple sideways.
- Opt for minimal movements. As anyone gets fatigued, they tend to get sloppier in their movements. Full, pull-all-the-way-out thrusts offer more opportunities for the penis to be slammed at the wrong angle, causing a break. Instead, leave the penis fully inside the receiver's body, providing smaller movements that ensure the shaft still stays anchored inside.
- Call it early. Letting your ego get in the way can be dangerous with these sex positions as many require a lover's body to be supported by their partner. Dropping your partner can lead to serious injury, so make sure to quit before you're actually at the point of exhaustion. Achieving the sex position in the first place is already impressive enough!
- Have an "easy" back-up sex position. These cardio sex positions are designed to be a challenge. A lot of people can't focus on having an orgasm when they're trying to do a tricep dip while balanced on a penis. Add that to the fact that most of these sex positions require everyone's hands to be involved, and you have a recipe for sex that doesn't usually end in orgasms. Instead, plan for an "easy" sex position afterwards to let you both fully relish in the challenge you completed and feel calm enough to focus on pleasure.
- If you ever find yourself being tempted into riskier activities, remember that the penis is surprisingly easy to break. A fall while it's inside someone - or a hard, misplaced thrust - can break it. No one wants that - or the resulting trip to the emergency room.
Lofted Drive Position
The Lofted Drive position offers an upper body workout for both partners that just happens to be a really unique sex position. This from-behind position offers a lot of skin-on-skin contact with a unique penetration angle that can really hit the g-spot or p-spot.
What You're Doing:
The penetrating partner is essentially doing a chest press with their partner while the receiving partner is pushing themselves with tricep dips. Of course, they both need to keep their balance and work together to synchronize movements at the same time.
Modify It With:
Resistance bands or a sex swing. If you want the weight lifting challenge of this sex position, wrapping a large resistance band around the receiving partner's waist (attached to a point above them) will lessen how "heavy" the receiving partner feels. This can make things easier for both of you. If you love the look of the position without all of the strain, a sex swing's non-stretchy material can be used the exact same way to support almost all of the receiver's body weight.
Superman Position
While "partner acrobatics" is an entire sport, they don't try to attempt it with penetration involved! The Superman Position takes the careful balance of a partnered acrobatic balance and adds sex to it, providing a photo-worthy sex position that doesn't require a lick of furniture.
What You're Doing:
Both of you are doing a Counter Balance acrobatics position. At the same time, the standing partner's legs must support two people's bodies while the receiver's hamstrings curl tight to provide stability. Finally, the receiver is doing an assisted back extension with help from the partner's thighs.
Modify It With:
There are two easy ways to modify this position to make it more accessible. If the balance portion is causing issues, consider finding a wall that the standing partner can lean their upper back into. If the receiver is finding it difficult to stay in place on the standing partner's body, you can position yourselves in front of any sturdy piece of furniture to allow the receiver to place their arms on it in a "plank"-type position. Finally, if you have access to one, a sex swing could be placed underneath the receiver's stomach to support most of their body weight, drastically reducing the difficulty while still giving you that photo-finish.
Casket Sex Position
While intimate, face-to-face moments are hard to come back in these ninja-like sex positions, the Casket sex position provides one. While kissing might be hard unless the receiver is really flexible, being able to view one another's faces can be a treat all to itself.
What You're Doing:
The receiver does most of the work here by maintaining a Reverse Plank. The penetrating partner helps make that easier with a firm hold on the receiver's leg, providing tension for the receiver's lower body to rest against.
Modify It With:
To make this easier on the receiver's upper body, the receiver can drop onto their forearms as long as the penetrating partner can still find a way to achieve the right angle for penetration. Depending on the lover's height, the the receiving partner may also wish to rest their legs on furniture behind the penetrating partner, changing the angles that their body needs to achieve to pull off this position.
As always, we can also use our handy-dandy sex swing underneath the receiver's hips to support their weight, making this easier for both partners.
Pair of Tongs Sex Position
If your heights match up, the Pair of Tongs sex position will make you rethink every Side Plank you see in yoga for the rest of your life. This strenuous position sees both partners working together as a team to make this happen - but height will play a big role in this position's success.
(If your heights don't match up, you can "cheat" this one a bit by giving the receiving partner something to rest their arm on to add a bit of height! The receiver can also come onto a forearm to lower the position as well.)
What You're Doing:
The receiving partner has the tougher job here with the need to maintain a side plank without the help of their lower body. This can be a workout on that arm! Of course, the standing partner can help too, and the more the standing partner supports the receiver's weight, the harder the standing partner will be working out.
Modify It With:
If the angles aren't matching up, the receiving partner can place their extended legs on a piece of furniture, turning this into an "officially" elevated side plank to make the position happen. The standing partner may also choose to use a strap underneath the receiver's hips to provide an easy-grip point to reduce lower back strain and make it easier to support the receiver's weight. If your bodies aren't too slippery, the standing partner can also squeeze their thighs around the receiver's thigh, providing a bit of extra skin tension to support a bit of the weight.
Big Dipper Position
The Big Dipper sex position lets you find new uses for two pieces of furniture around your home. This position is one of the few athletic sex positions that offer close, face-to-face contact that's perfect for kissing, but the strain from the penetrating partner might make it hard to focus on that connection.
(Caution! Make sure the two pieces of furniture you choose are very sturdy and well-anchored! The Big Dipper will likely push both pieces of furniture apart, and many lighter objects are known for toppling sideways with horizontal pressure!)
What You're Doing:
The penetrating partner gets the bigger challenge with this one as they must hold a straight-legged Tricep Dip between two pieces of (sturdy!) furniture. The receiving partner isn't entirely left out, though, as their Quads get a workout with the Squat they need to hold.
Modify It With:
Holding a flat Tricep Dip position can be hard, and the penetrating partner can instantly make it a bit easier by placing both of their feet flat on the floor, allowing their feet to take some of their lower body weight. Additionally, use active communication with the receiver as the additional weight of their body adds a (literal!) weight to the exercise. If the receiver supports more of their own weight, the pose will be easier for the penetrating partner to hold. If the receiver is finding it difficult to maintain their squatting position, you both can modify how much of a "squat" is needed by finding taller or shorter furniture to do this sex position on.
If you've got that sex swing handy, it can be used as a "seat" underneath the penetrating partner's hips to instantly reduce how difficult this position is.
Little Dipper Position
Looking for new ways to play on your household furniture? The Little Dipper sex position will make you think twice about your couch and chairs with a position that's going to make the receiver really feel it the next day.
Just make sure you choose a sturdy chair! This is one sex position where it would be easy for the chair supporting the feet to topple.
What You're Doing:
This is the easiest sex position for the penetrating partner; they simply have to lay back and enjoy. For the receiving partner, however, they'll be doing a Tricep Dip to facilitate every thrust. I hope today wasn't arm day!
Modify It With:
If the receiving partner finds it easier to hold the position than move up and down, the receiver can simply stay in place while the penetrating partner lifts their hips up to facilitate thrusting. If the angles still match up, the receiver can also place their feet firmly on the floor instead of using a chair. This lower positioning can make it easier to do the Tricep Dip as the feet will support more of their weight.
Spider Monkey Sex Position
If you've ever fantasized about impromptu sex during a yoga class, the Spider Monkey sex position might be for you! With the receiver in a headstand, their hips may be at the perfect angle to make sex happen with a nearby standing partner!
Just make sure to take this position very, very slowly. The precarious angle of the penis can make this position particularly vulnerable to penis injury - and nobody wants that to happen!
What You're Doing:
With their standing position, the penetrating partner's primary job is to maintain their balance. The difficult job falls to the receiver who is expected to hold a handstand or forearm stand throughout the position.
Modify It With:
To make the receiver's headstand as easy to balance as possible, the receiver should rest as much of their hip's weight onto their penetrating partner. Consider doing this position up against a wall (with both partner's sides up against one wall) to provide another point of stability. If the height still works, a headstand bench can make it easier for the receiver to achieve this inverted position - especially if they're not someone who regularly hangs out upside down. If the back-to-back positioning isn't working for your bodies, consider turning the penetrating partner around to maintain the athletic challenge while removing the intense penile angle.
The Standing Wheelbarrow Position
A sex position to challenge the receiver's upper body strength, the Standing Wheelbarrow doesn't require a single piece of furniture - just your two bodies. The position offers deep penetration, and some receiving partners can enjoy the blood rush that happens from this inverted position.
What You're Doing:
The receiving partner is doing the bulk of the work here, maintaining an inverted plank position that's bordering on a handstand. The penetrating partner doesn't get left out, though, and they'll need to put those biceps to work to help support some of the receiver's weight to make things easier.
Modify It With:
Holding the majority of your body weight in your arms is hard for a lot of people! If that's the case, try to find a low piece of furniture (something like the folded Liberator Flip-Ramp could work!) for the receiving partner to rest their face and chest against. This supportive furniture can support a lot of the receiver's weight, making it easier to maintain the position. If you have a sex swing handy, that swing can also be strategically placed underneath the receiver's hips to help reduce how much weight the penetrating partner needs to support.
