LONDON – Given their druthers, more than 35 percent of adults in the U.S. and U.K. would take doggy style over any other sexual position. That’s according to a new survey by the folks at online pharmacy DrEd, who asked 2,000 people about their sex-position preferences.
The survey also indicated the old standby, missionary position, struck a chord with nearly 23 percent of respondents. Cowgirl came out on top with 19.4 percent of respondents, while 69, reverse cowgirl, spooning, oral, anal and tabletop each received props from fewer than 5 percent.
The DrEd staff offered a plausible explanation for doggy style’s popularity: “Doggy style allows for deeper penetration, which means a better chance of reaching the coveted G-spot.”
Cowgirl, the site noted, “also offers deeper penetration [and] gives women a little more control over speed, depth and rhythm of motion.”
While respondents of both genders picked doggy style as their preferred position, more men than women picked cowgirl. Women picked missionary position as their second-favorite position.
“Both positions allow for partners to watch each other during intercourse, which can help create a deeper, more emotional connection during sex,” the site noted.
Some sexual positions held equal, or nearly equal, attraction for both genders. Oral came in at No. 7 for men and women, for example. Other positions, like anal, varied vastly in popularity among the genders. Anal occupied the No. 9 spot on men’s lists and didn’t make women’s lists at all.
Sexual orientation, as it turned out, had very little effect on position preferences, with the exception of gay men, who — not surprisingly — indicated a preference for anal sex. Respondents who identified as gay or lesbian exhibited a slightly higher enjoyment of 69 and oral than heterosexual respondents.
While tabletop came in as the least preferred position among respondents across the board, almost 20 percent indicated it’s the position they’d most like to try. Respondents also mentioned a desire to attempt standing 69, kneeling wheelbarrow and anal sex.
The survey also asked respondents to share their inspiration for trying new things.
“Unsurprisingly, when we asked men where they learned about new sex positions, over 53 percent cited porn as their inspiration,” the DrEd staff noted. “A majority of female survey takers told us they learned new positions from a partner.”
As for actually trying something new? More than 75 percent of men said they initiate experimentation; nearly 59 percent of women indicated they follow their partner’s lead.
Fear of injury kept many survey respondents from attempting new positions. Nearly 38 percent of men said they fear hurting their partners. Women were a bit less likely to worry about hurting themselves (23 percent said injury is a concern) and more likely to worry about whether they are flexible enough to handle some of the more acrobatic maneuvers. Thirty-one percent listed the latter as a significant concern.
Research has shown that a robust sex life can have health benefits including improved immunity and heart health. Sexual activity also can contribute to better stress management. The staff at DrEd said they encourage couples to remember it’s supposed to be fun, too. New positions can relieve monotony and add a new perspective to intimacy, and almost everyone is in favor of that.
