Prone Masturbation: Everything You Need to Know

This masturbation style consists of stimulating yourself whilst lying on your stomach, typically applying pressure onto a surface like the mattress, a cushion or your sheets. This method can be particularly stimulating for some people.

Before you start getting worried or drawing your own conclusions, let’s try to understand the practice, how it works and what effects it may have on your sex life.

Prone masturbation, as mentioned, is a technique performed when lying on the stomach. Stimulation is provided through putting pressure on, and rubbing against a surface, instead of using your hand .

For those with a penis, this may mean rubbing your member against a mattress or a cushion whilst contracting the pelvic muscles. For those with a vulva, stimulation is achieved through rubbing the pubis or the clitoris against the bed or another object.

Contrary to more classic forms of masturbation where stimulation is controlled manually (using your hands), prone masturbation relies on body weight and the amount of pressure you apply. This particularity produces more distinct sensations, sometimes more subtle or more intense, depending on the person.

Many people discover this practice in childhood or adolescence, often by chance, simply by exploring their bodies.

Those who enjoy prone masturbation tend to enjoy it purely because it generates unique sensations.

The first reason being the pressure applied to the erogenous zones. Constant contact with a mattress or a cushion can cause continuous, enveloping stimulation, that’s completely different from using your hand .

It may also seem a more natural and intuitive approach to masturbation. Some people adopted this method very early on in their lives, and over the years a habit developed.

For others, prone masturbation can be comforting or discreet. You don’t have to move much in order for tension to mount.

In most cases, prone masturbation is nothing problematic, it simply makes up one of many different ways to enjoy pleasure.

However, when this technique becomes the only way for you to achieve orgasm, it may cause your sex life to suffer. Some people may find it difficult to experience the same sensations during sexual intercourse or with other forms of stimulation.

This is easy to explain. The pressure of your body against the mattress is often stronger and more constant than that produced by a partner or your hand. Over time, the body becomes too used to this specific type of stimulation, sometimes making orgasms more difficult to achieve in other contexts.

This doesn’t mean you have a problem, simply that your body has adapted to precise forms of stimulation.

If you’re a regular prone masturbator, it may be a good idea to explore other forms of stimulation so as to diversify sensations.

Changing positions can already make a big difference. Trying manual stimulation will help you to regain control over rhythm, pressure and movements.

Using sex toys can open up a world of possibilities. Some masturbators specially for penises closely recreate sensations akin to sexual encounters, whilst clit stimulators can provide people with very varied forms of stimulation.

The goal isn’t to completely abandon a practice that gives you pleasure, but simply diversify the ways you stimulate yourself.

There’s nothing bizarre or dangerous about prone masturbation. As with any sexual practice, it’s all part of self exploration. It only really becomes problematic if it stops you from enjoying other forms of pleasure.

In this case, it may be useful to try stimulating yourself in other ways. Don’t rush and don’t put pressure on yourself. Sexuality isn’t fixed, the body is a quick learner, willing to evolve and discover new sensations at any moment.

Prone masturbation is an intimate practice that is practiced by many but known by few. For some people, it’s simply a natural, efficient way of experiencing pleasure. Understanding how your body works is often the key to a fulfilling sex life. Exploring different forms of stimulation will help to not only broaden your pleasure horizons, but also make the most of your intimate life, whether alone or with a partner.