February Position of the Month: Straddle Up

Written by Katie Mitchell, M.A., NCC, LPC, CST
Certified Sex Therapist

February’s highlighted position of the month is the Straddle Up.  With COVID still being spread fairly rapidly, remember that if you or your partner are not feeling well, you might consider delaying sexual engagement.  As a healthy sex practice, please continue to wash your hands before and after a sexual experience.  Plus, if it helps you both to feel more comfortable, start your shared sexual experience by taking a shower together!  Also, in the midst of a quarantine, remember that a sexual experience will release Oxytocin and other beneficial endorphins that will help you both feel bonded to one another and release stress/tension.  Start this experience by doing some light stretching together to help avoid injuries and/or muscle cramps that might arise during a sexual experience (the most common sexual injury). 

Ideally, you and your partner would try out the Straddle Up on a soft surface, like a bed or wide sofa.  The penetrating partner will kneel on their knees and then lean back on the soft, supportive surface until they are supporting their upper body with their elbows.  This partner needs to be cautious of how flexible they are and what feels good for their knees (since they will be folded underneath one another like a “M” shape).  The partner that is being penetrated will straddle their partner, facing towards one another.  The partner being penetrated can help to support themselves by grabbing the hips/stomach of their partner.  The penetrating partner can also increase their support by holding onto their partner’s thighs or knees.  This position gives both partners the opportunity to look at each other during the shared sexual experience while also being able to caress one another, if desired - increasing connection between the two. 

Once penetration has occurred, the partner being penetrated has the thrust control (since they are on top), creating a pace that is pleasurable for both.  Start out slowly and then increase movement as you both feel and express comfortability.  For the penetrating partner, this position will work their deltoids, core, hip flexors, glutes, and quads.  For the partner being penetrated (straddling on top), this position will work their core and glutes.  Be mindful that this position will require a bit more flexibility of the penetrating partner, than the partner being penetrated. 

Since this position focuses more on the stretching side of things, it is recommended to try out for 5 to 10 minutes.  I would also highly recommend being conscious of foreplay and be sure to have lubrication on hand.  Lubrication is always important for trying out a new position that is not routine for you both; plus, it’s a benefit to have it be a grab away, versus realizing you are out!

Here’s to trying out something new this February, and maybe even holding out for some Valentine’s Day fun!  More information for this specific position (including a visual image) can be found on page 116 of The Kama Sutra Workout, and this book can be purchased from Amazon here.

SERVICES KATIE OFFERS AT HEIGHTS COUNSELING

Katie offers a variety of mental health services for teens, adults, and couples at our Houston Heights Therapy Clinic. Her mental health services include: adult therapy, Tween and Teen Counseling, life transitions, couples therapy, work burnout, LGBTQ Friendly Therapy, depression treatment, Alternative Relationships, Sex Therapy, and anxiety treatment. She also offers online therapy in Texas to meet your mental health needs when you can’t make it to our therapy clinic. To learn more, please contact our counseling office or visit Katie Mitchell.