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Face Down / Position Guide

SupermanSex Position

Face down, hips up, and one pillow doing most of the heavy lifting.

The Superman looks like a lazy position. It is not. The receiving partner lies face down with the hips lifted, usually over a pillow, arms stretched forward. The giving partner lies along their back. That small lift at the hips changes the angle of entry completely, which is the whole point. It is deep without being athletic, and it stays close the entire time.

Gravity does the work here. The receiving partner does not have to hold a pose or brace on tired arms. Both bodies stay flat. Weight settles, and the position holds itself. That makes it a good pick for slow nights when nobody wants to work that hard.

DifficultyDoable
IntensityDeep
TimingSlow and long
Best forFull body contact

WhatThe Superman Is

The receiving partner lies face down on the bed. The hips come up, either over a firm pillow or a folded blanket. Arms stretch forward over the head, which is where the name comes from. The giving partner lies down on top, chest to back, and enters from behind.

It is a close cousin of prone bone, with one big difference. Prone bone works flat. The Superman raises the hips first, and that lift is what changes everything below the waist.

The PillowIs The Trick

Here is the honest version. Without the pillow, this is just lying down. With it, the hips tilt and the angle of entry shifts up. That is where the depth comes from. A firm pillow beats a soft one every time, because a soft pillow flattens under weight and you lose the whole effect.

Stack two if one is not enough. Some people use a folded comforter or a proper wedge. The goal is a stable ramp under the hips that does not collapse. If you already own a wedge for other positions, this is its best day of work.

Try it

How high do the hips go?

Slide it to see how pillow height changes the angle. More lift means more depth and more work for the lower back.

Flat on the bedHips stacked high

GettingInto It

  1. 1

    Set the pillow first

    Put a firm pillow near the middle of the bed before anyone lies down. It should sit under the hip bones, not under the stomach.

  2. 2

    Lie face down

    The receiving partner lies over the pillow with the hips resting on it. Arms go forward, head turned to one side.

  3. 3

    Check the tilt

    The hips should sit clearly higher than the shoulders. If the lower back feels crunched, slide the pillow down toward the thighs.

  4. 4

    Settle in on top

    The giving partner lies along the back and takes some weight on the forearms. Full body weight on the ribs gets old quickly.

  5. 5

    Start slow

    Enter shallow and let the angle do its job before going deeper. Adjust the pillow if the fit feels off rather than pushing through it.

KeepingIt Comfortable

Face down means the neck needs a plan. Turn the head to one side and switch sides now and then, or rest the forehead on stacked arms. Do not let the face press flat into the mattress for long stretches. It gets stuffy fast, and nobody says anything until it is already annoying.

The angle here is steep, so go slower at the start than feels necessary. A little lube smooths the entry, since face-down angles do not leave much room for adjusting on the fly. Ask how it feels once you are settled. One word back is enough.

Small ChangesTo Try

Bring the knees up under the hips a few inches and the angle gets steeper. That is closer to a kneeling version, and it is more work for the receiving partner. Trade the comfort for depth if you want it.

Try it at the edge of the bed with the giving partner standing. The hips still need the pillow. Standing just gives better leverage and a break for the lower back.

Squeeze the legs together and everything tightens up. Spread them wide and it opens instead. Two different feelings from one setup, which is more than most positions offer. If you want the face-to-face version of the same depth, the mating press gets you there.

Pick one

What is your Superman tonight?

Tap the mood.

WhoThis One Suits

This one suits people who like weight on top of them. Full contact from shoulders to ankles, with none of the balancing that harder positions demand. Couples with a size difference often find it easier than the athletic stuff.

It is less good if the receiving partner does not like being pinned or wants to see faces. There is no eye contact here at all. If that matters, say so before you start rather than halfway through. A quick word about what you both want saves a lot of guessing.

Weigh in

Is the pillow really necessary?

Pick the honest answer.

Questions PeopleAsk

What is the Superman sex position?

The Superman is a face-down position where the receiving partner lies flat with the hips raised on a pillow. The arms stretch forward, which is how it got the name. The giving partner lies along the back and enters from behind.

Do you really need a pillow for the Superman?

You do not need one, but the position loses most of its point without it. The raised hips are what create the angle. A folded blanket works if you do not have a firm pillow.

Is the Superman the same as prone bone?

They are close, but not the same. Prone bone keeps the hips flat on the bed. The Superman lifts them, which makes the angle steeper and the reach deeper.

How do you stay comfortable face down?

Turn the head to one side rather than pressing the face into the mattress. Switch sides now and then so the neck does not stiffen. Resting the forehead on stacked forearms also works well.

Is the Superman good for beginners?

It is one of the easier deep positions to learn. There is no balancing and no holding a pose. The only real skill is getting the pillow in the right spot.

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The Writer

Ian David

Ian writes the guides at LoveQuarters. Every page is written to be useful first, with the comfort part said out loud instead of buried at the bottom. General information, not medical advice. More about Ian ↗