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This article is about the sex position. For the book by sexual activity, the missionary position allows the man to
Christopher Hitchens, see The Missionary Position.
take charge of the rhythm and depth of pelvic thrusting.
The missionary position or man-on-top position is It is also possible for the woman to thrust against him by
moving her hips or pushing her feet against the bed, or
squeeze him closer with her arms or legs. The position
is less suitable for late stages of pregnancy, or when it is
desired for the woman to have greater control over rhythm
and depth of penetration.
2 VARIATIONS
From then on, the story of the names origin may have
been retold until it became largely accepted, with its connection to Kinsey and Malinowski having faded. Writers began using the expression for sexual intercourse in
the late 1960s, and as Alex Comfort's bestseller The Joy
of Sex (1972) and the Oxford English Dictionary (1976)
spread the term missionary position, it gradually replaced
older names.[11] By the 1990s, it had spread to other
languages: Missionarsstellung (German), postura del misionero (Spanish), missionarishouding (Dutch) and position du missionaire (French).[9]
In William Shakespeare's Othello (Act 1, Scene 1), the During sexual intercourse, most women experience inmissionary position was euphemistically called the beast voluntary vaginal contractions,[14] leading in turn to the
with two backs.[12]
man increasing the pace and force of thrusts as his arousal
and sexual frenzy increases as he approaches orgasm; this
in turn further increases the womans vaginal contraction.
After a man has achieved orgasm, he will normally col2 Variations
lapse onto the woman and will normally not be capable
of further thrusting. Some men try to control their orgasm until their female partner also orgasms, but this is
not always achieved. At times, a woman can achieve orgasm after the man has ceased thrusting by contracting
her vaginal muscles and with pelvic movements, or the
couple may change to another position that enables the
woman to continue thrusting until she has reached orgasm, such as a woman on top position.
During sexual intercourse in the missionary position, the
penis is in preferential contact with the anterior wall of
the vagina and the tip of the penis reaches the anterior
fornix, while in the rear-entry position it is in preferential
contact with the posterior wall of the vagina and probably
reaches the posterior fornix.[15]
Basic position involves ventral-ventral contact
2.1
Basic position
2.4
Buttery position
Buttery position
In one variant, the woman may lift and slightly bend her
legs, resting her feet at on the mattress. This shortens
the distance between the vagina and cervix, and may apply more friction to the area termed the G-Spot. The
woman may nd this more comfortable than the standard
position,[22] and it can allow her to push against the mans
thrust, giving her some control over the rhythm.[23]
A woman in the buttery position
Placing the womans legs on or over the mans shoulders
provides the deepest possible penetration. This variant The woman can lie on her back with her hips on the edge
is sometimes called the anvil.[24] This position aims the of a platform such as a bed, table, kitchen bench, desk
[26]
head of the penis at the vaginal fornix (posterior fornix). etc. while the man penetrates her while standing. The
When the legs are held mid-level in this way, the penis can woman can move her body freely. She can dangle her legs
achieve signicant depth while attempting to stimulate the over the edge or raise them to any height or manner menG-Spot and achieving more friction on the top of its shaft. tioned above. The woman can rest her legs on the man
or he can hold them or separate them. The woman has
a greater ability to move her pelvis and to arch her back,
and the man can raise, support or restrict the movement
2.3 Viennese oyster position
of her pelvis. The woman is not weighed down by the
The Viennese oyster position requires great exibility mans weight. This position, sometimes called the butterfrom the woman to perform. The female lies on her back y position, adds variety to the angle and depth of penand moves her legs behind her head, with the groin area etration and generally enables the man to withdraw and
being completely exposed. The male partner penetrates then fully thrust the penis, with faster and more forceful
the vagina from the top. This is a deep penetrating po- thrusts. The downside of this position is that the angle
sition and may not be suitable for men with larger than of penetration results in reduced clitoral stimulation, and
average penis size. However, in most cases, the female the woman may need direct clitoral ngering, either by
will not be exible enough to achieve this position fully, herself or by the man, to achieve orgasm. Alternatively,
and will need to stop well before the legs are behind the the woman may either arch her back or raise her torso
head. If that is the case, the male partner can help hold onto her elbows or arms to reduce the angle and enhance
clitoral stimulation. Also, prior to and after the mans thrusts, in the most sexually sensitive part of her body.
orgasm, the man may need to lie down on the woman.
Some women enjoy the feeling of sexual submission or
of being trapped.[35] Some women enjoy being passive
and carrying the mans weight.[36] The missionary posi2.5 Riding high
tion may also be appropriate for women who desire the
feeling of being taken by the man and want to feel
See also: Coital alignment technique
overpowered.[37]
In the riding high missionary variant, the man enters the
woman in the normal fashion but then shifts his body up
and forward toward her head. He then rocks back and
forth, stimulating her clitoris with his pelvic bone, or base
of his penis. This results in more consistent clitoral stimulation at the cost of a mans deep thrusting; accordingly,
some men prefer to use it during only part of sex.[27]
2.6
3.2 Physical
The missionary position is commonly used the rst time
a couple has sex. Thomas Stuttaford notes that it may
be more comfortable to do so: The discomfort of early
penetrative sex, if there is any, is usually related to tension in the pelvic or thigh muscles and/or anxiety that
has prevented the usual vaginal lubrication. Muscles of
the pelvic oor are more relaxed if, initially, the missionary position is chosen and a couple of pillows are arranged under the womans bottom so her hips are tilted
upwards.[38] The simplicity of the position makes it
well-suited to the inexperienced.[39] The Lovers Guide
states that missionary lends itself well to sex with a
new partner as it is a romantic yet fairly unadventurous sex position that is non-threatening and loving and
lays neither partner open to strangeness, anxiety and
unfamiliarity.[37]
vantages
3.1
Psychological
5
nant Tips notes the importance of not using too large
a sex pillow while in the missionary position as it can
cause the sperm to pool behind the cervix.[45] Francoeur
states that male-above sex promotes fertility by keeping
the opening of the vagina higher than the seminal pool,
which, in turn, helps sperm get into the womb and nd
the egg.[46] However, according to BabyCenter, There
is no evidence that any particular sexual position is more
likely to lead to conception.[47] Donnica Moore agrees,
stating that while there are no scientic studies regarding
the best sexual positions for reproduction, the missionary
(man on top) position is typically considered optimal for
conception.[48]
4 History
See also: History of human sexuality
POPULARITY
semen.
Francoeur states that the ancient Chinese preferred maleon-top because of their belief that males are born face
down and women face up. Kagaba natives in Colombia preferred missionary because of the stability it offers; they believed that if the woman moved during intercourse, the earth would slip o the shoulders of the four
giants who held it up above the waters.[46] Some Kerala
tribes believe that the male-on-top position is the only
way to conceive warriors.[46]
In Greece, the missionary position was originally an unpopular position. Beds existed, yet not as we know them
today, and men married girls 14 or 15 years of age, which
created a height dierential. These factors made the rearentry standing position more convenient.[69] However,
circa the second century, Artemidos popularized the missionary position among Greco-Roman Stoics, declaring it
the only proper and natural position due to the ow of
5 Popularity
Among humans, the missionary position is the most commonly used sex position.[3][35][76] In his seminal study
Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953), which focused on American women, researcher Alfred Kinsey
stated that 91% of married women surveyed reported using this position most often, whereas 9% reported using
it exclusively.[77] A The Journal of Sexual Medicine study
entitled What Kind of Erotic Film Clips Should We Use
in Female Sex Research? An Exploratory Study selected
18 lm clips out of a sample of 90 that were found by
the women studied to be particularly mentally appealing
and visually arousing. 21% of the original 90 involved
the missionary position, but 33% of the nal 18 involved
missionary.[78] Fewer than 10% of sexually active persons rarely or never use the missionary position.[79] According to Francoeur, the Brazilian Bororo Indians eschew missionary, nding it insulting for either partner
to be above the other during sex.[46] Balinese shun the
man-on-top position in favor of the Oceanic position due
7
to their perception of the former as being impractical [15] A. Faix, J. F. Lapray, O. Callede, A. Maubon, K. Lanfrey
(2002). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Sexual
and clumsy.[46] The Cashinahua people use the missionIntercourse: Second Experience in Missionary Position
ary position to stay stable when they have sex in a forest
[46]
and Initial Experience in Posterior Position (PDF). Jourstream to avoid insect bites.
The inhabitants of Inis
nal of Sex & Marital Therapy. 28(s): 6376.
Beag practice the missionary position exclusively, with
[46]
very limited foreplay. In addition to humans, the mis- [16] Lexikon der Erotik by Lykke Aresin and Kurt Starke.
sionary position is also used by certain other species inDroemer-Knaur, 1996. ISBN 3-426-77174-8, p.597.
cluding bonobos,[80] gorillas,[81] and armadillos.[82]
[17] Viennese Oyster - Sex Position
See also
Beast with two backs
Human sexuality
References
[24] Man-on-top sex positions: enhancing the missionary position. The Lovers Guide. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
[25] BabyMed Viennese Oyster - Sex Position
[26] Nafzawi, Muhammad ibn Muhammad al, and Jim Colville
(trans.). The Perfumed Garden of Sensual Delight. The
Kegan Paul Arabia library, vol. 7. London: Kegan Paul,
1999.
[27] Moore, Kira. Rethink the Missionary Position: Three
Ways to Spice up a Classic. Savvy Miss. Retrieved 200802-02.
[28] Hite, Shere (2004). The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study
of Female Sexuality. New York, NY: Seven Stories Press.
p. 322. ISBN 1583225692. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
[29] Jude Schell (2008). Lesbian Sex: 101 Lovemaking Positions. Random House Digital. pp. 224 pages. ISBN
0-495-60274-4. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
[30] Jerrold S. Greenberg, Clint E. Bruess, Sarah C. Conklin
(2007). Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality.
Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 429. ISBN 0-7637-4148-5.
9780763741488. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
[31] Janell L. Carroll (2009). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Cengage Learning. p. 272. ISBN 0-495-602744. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
[32] The Missionary Sex Position. Best Love Making Positions and Techniques. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
[33] Sexual Positions. Sex Therapy in Philadelphia. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
[34] Strovny, David. Sexual Positions Women Enjoy.
AskMen. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
REFERENCES
[37] Man-on-top sex positions: enhancing the missionary position. The Lovers Guide. Retrieved on January 7, 2008.
[60] Christakos, Caterina. What Is the Best Position for Making Love?. Retrieved on January 7, 2008.
[61] Chung, Emily Queenie (2000-08-29). Sex on Tuesday:
Sex in Berkeley. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
[62] Rerkpattanapipat, P. (February 2001). Sex and the heart:
what is the role of the cardiologist?" (PDF). Oxford Journals. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
[63] Schwarz, E.R. J Rodriguez, J. (2005). Sex and the heart.
International Journal of Impotence Research. Retrieved
2008-02-02.
[64] Katharine Sanderson, Gorillas in the missionary position, Nature, February 14, 2008.
[65] F. Dixson, John Brancoft, Primate Sexuality: Comparative Studies of the Prosimians, Monkeys, Apes, and Human Beings, Oxford University Press, 1998.
[66] Simon Denison, From modern apes to human origins,
British Archaeology, no 8, October 1995.
[67] Sexual Positions. Sex Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 200802-02.
[68] 6 Positions for Sexual Intercourse - In Order of Popularity.
Canongate. Retrieved on January 7, 2008.
[69] Tarkovsky, Sacha. Sex in Ancient Greece Views Towards
Sex Positions.
[70] Priest, 38.
[71] Hardy, Simon (2004).
The Greeks, Eroticism and Ourselves.
Sexualities 7 (2):
201.
doi:10.1177/1363460704042164. ISSN 1363-4607.
[72] Brundage, James A. Law, sex, and Christian society in medieval Europe.
[73] Karras, Ruth Mazo. Sexuality in Medieval Europe: Doing
Unto Others. p. 83.
[74] Trumbach, Randolph. Sex and the Gender Revolution. p.
107.
[75] Priest, 39.
[55] But isn't that kinky?: sex in the animal kingdom. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
[76] Wayne Weiten, Margaret A. Lloyd, Dana S. Dunn, Elizabeth Yost Hammer (2008). Psychology Applied to Modern
Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century. Cengage Learning.
p. 423. ISBN 0495553395. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
[56] Archer, Rebecca (2002). In Praise of the Missionary Position. Nerve. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
[77] Kinsey, Alfred (1953). Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. ISBN 0-253-33411-X.
External links
The How and Why of Coital Alignment Technique
Easier Orgasms for Women in the Missionary Position
10
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