Here's How to Undertake the Helicopter Sex Position

Posted By Jill Hamilton  
16/09/2022

Try it if you dare.

So you need a little more than the thousands of results you get if you search “sex positions” on Cosmopolitan.com? Fine, here's one more position that we've been keeping here in the back room just for you. It's called the helicopter position. What is it? How do you do it? Should you even try to do it, or should you stick to other wild sex positions when you're looking to try something new?

"The Helicopter position is not for the faint of heart," says Goody Howard, resident sex educator for Royal. It's one of those "do it because you (maybe) can" positions, on the same list as other hard-to-do moves like standing 69 and these possibly impossible maneuvers that are for the very adventurous, athletic and brave.

So, how do you actually do the helicopter position?

The helicopter involves the top partner pretty much hovering in mid-air in a kind of plank position while inserting their penis/strap-on into an available hole in the bottom partner below. "The partner that is going to be penetrated needs to get on their hands and knees like you would in the doggy style position. The penetrating partner then gets on their hands and knees then lift their legs over the partner's back and inserts their penis or dildo into their partner. The partner on top will be in a high plank position supporting themselves either with their hand or elbows," explains Tatyana Dyachenko, sex therapist at Peaches and Screams.

How to make it the helicopter position *actually* good (and safe!)

For one thing, it's important to "go slowly and make sure you have a firm and stable stance before you attempt to thrust," says Dyachenko. "It is not an easy position to attempt and it takes practice to get it right. In order to thrust, the partner on top will need to do mini push-ups, so good arm strength is important for success."

"To make it more steady and enjoyable for all involved, it's best done laying down," adds Howard. "If you or your partner have larger bodies, the added pressure from their body weight on top can add a layer of pressure due to the angle, so don't be afraid to explore using position wedges, pillows, or sturdy ottomans to support and balance with."

And another tip to keep in mind: "It can absolutely be vaginal if the playmates are determined, but this position provides more pleasure as an anal position," says Howard.

But also, some caveats...

  • “It requires a good degree of core strength and flexibility. If you suffer from limited mobility then I'd advise avoiding it and trying another position,” says Dyachenko.
  • “If the top is wearing a strapless strap-on this position could be WILDLY uncomfortable, because of the way the dildo fits inside the wearer, so be prepared for this limitation,” says Howard.
  • “Use lots of lube and don’t do anything that feels uncomfortable,” says Jess O’Reilly, ASTROGLIDE resident sexologist. “Please don’t feel pressure to do every position. Focus on pleasure rather than feeling pressure to check things off of a sex bucket list.”

If you feel ready to take this one on, check out the setups and variations below to find what's best for you.

1 The Classic Helicopter
one partner gets on their hands and knees the other stands over them in a downward dog with their head at the opposite end from their partners as they slide inside they lift their legs into the air so that they're supported on their hands and their hips are against their partners butt
@LUCYMACARONI

Make sure everyone's done their warm-up stretches and such, and get on in there. To do this, “one partner gets on their hands and knees. The other stands over them in a downward dog with their head at the opposite end from their partner’s. As they slide inside, they lift their legs into the air so that they're supported on their hands and their hips are against their partner’s butt,” says O'Reilly.

2 The Lift and Shift
@LUCYMACARONI

Prop up the bottom's pelvis with a positioning wedge and then go slowly to take advantage of the jacked-up angle. “The thruster will be angling their penis (or dildo) downward to stroke into their partner. Think of a lift and shift motion,” says Howard. “My professional philosophy of #ScienceAndHoShit dictates that a slow, downward angled stroke can add sensitivity to the head of the penis because it changes the turgor of the blood flowing into the erection, but take your time and listen to your body.”

3 The Grounded Helicopter
bottom is lying on their stomach top is lying on top to penetrate with head at opposite end
@LUCYMACARONI

If it all seems too dangerous and possibly penis-breaking (a real thing), go ahead and adapt it however the eff you want. “You can modify it so that you’re both lying on your stomachs with heads on opposite ends,” says O'Reilly. “You still have to insert from an awkward angle, but this can be more comfortable if you prop up the lower partner’s hips.” Again, this works way better for anal sex or with a more forgiving dildo.