It’s vital to almost every relationship that sex not get boring. It’s a bit of an odd concept in the first place; if you were to tell yourself as a virginal teenager that sex could be boring, your younger self probably wouldn’t believe it. But the truth is, in any long term relationship, it’s easy to get complacent. You know that you’re having issues when sex doesn’t seem as interesting any more or you just aren’t feeling like having sex very often. The truth is, variety is necessary, you have to do things differently to keep sex exciting. So if you find yourself asking your partner, “Position 1 or 2?”, here are a few positions for you to try out. These are written primarily pertaining to straight sex, but if your partner is a man, many of them will translate just as well.

Legs On Shoulders

A bit of a modification on the classic missionary position, legs on shoulders is exactly what it sounds like. You throw her legs onto your shoulders as you penetrate her. This position will allow you to penetrate even deeper and give you higher amounts of control. If your partner is flexible enough, you can really lean into this position, pressing her knees against her torso and flattening her out. From that vantage, you will be 100% in control, and it’s one of the most vulnerable positions for your lady. It’s a particularly good position for smaller guys, too; not only does the deeper penetration allow you to make the most of your shaft, the position also allows for more range of motion than just your typical in and out. Try gyrating around and pressing on her clitoris from this position, and even if you’re undersized, you’ll be able to drive her wild.

Spread Eagle

Another modification on the typical missionary position has her grabbing her ankles and spreading her legs as wide as possible. For obvious reasons, this is a position for more flexible ladies, but it opens her up completely and allows you direct access. For more adventurous couples, you can incorporate a bit of bondage into it as well. Have her grab her ankles and spread, and tie her hands in place. The amount of control and access that this position allows is unparalleled.

Prone Bone

Not all doggy-style positions need to have the woman on all fours. You can have her lie down face forward and enter her from behind, putting your thighs outside of hers, and ride her as hard as you want. It’s a comfortable position that can be easily maintained for both of you, and while it doesn’t offer a lot in terms of deep penetration, you will be creating the best kind of friction for her. It’s a great position for dominance as well, since you can press your weight down on her, grab her wrists to restrain her, hold them behind her back, or even tie her up without making the position any more difficult.

Standing Doggy

The position of choice for exhibitionists and thrill-seekers, the standing doggy can be done just about anywhere, and often partially clothed. You can hide behind a building, in an alley, or off of a nature trail and bend your lady over anywhere. Initial penetration may be difficult, so a significant amount of furtive foreplay is recommended, and this is a position that works best for couples who are within a few inches of each other in height. Extremely tall men with tiny women have other sexual advantages, but standing doggy isn’t one of them.

Spooning Sex

Few positions are more sensual or intimate than sex while spooning. This is another position that can be difficult to manage at first, but is extremely rewarding once you do. You lie on your side, holding your lady in your arms, and penetrating her from behind. You won’t have much ability to thrust or penetrate from this position, but its very easy to reach around and manually stimulate her clitoris while you’re inside her, and she can gyrate as much as she wants. It is such a pleasant position for both of you, it’s more than possible to fall asleep inside of her, although bringing yourself to climax will be less manageable from this position. If you have trouble entering her from the side, try a regular doggy penetration at first and then turn over with her.

Upright Doggy

Another very intimate variation on the basic doggy style position, penetrate her from behind with both of you on your knees like you normally would, and then help her sit up, pulling her upwards towards your chest as you relax onto your knees. From here, you can easily play with her breasts, and allow your partner more control and movement. It isn’t a power thrusting position, but it can be amazing for both of you.

Tabletop Sex

This is going to be probably the most strenuous position on the list. Your partner lies facedown on a table or higher bed, right around your waist level. You penetrate her from behind, and hold both of her legs, supporting most of her weight. From this position, you can thrust into her with all of your might, but many men can’t maintain this position for more than a few minutes, or at all.

Reverse Cowgirl

If your lady likes riding on top of you and you’re a fan of doggy style, or vice versa, give reverse cowgirl a try. She simply faces away from you and lowers herself onto you. The woman has almost all of the control from this position, though you will have some ability to thrust upwards. The reverse cowgirl position also gives her access to the remaining exposed parts of you, so if she likes playing with you while having sex, this is a great position. This can also be a wonderful position for zen sex, as she gently gyrates on top of you instead of hammering away.