August 31, 2022

Corkscrew, Spider, Pretzel: Our favourite sex positions discovered

There are plenty of different positions for partners around the world to spice up their sex lives. From the Corkscrew, Spider, Pretzel, Cowgirl and Turkey to name a few, there are plenty of positions in our arsenal that we use to make the most of our sex lives while we’re still limber enough to do so.

Interestingly, Wethift data has revealed that wherever you are in the world, partners tend to prefer positions where the receiver is on top. The data also reveals that Reverse Cowgirl is officially the most popular sex position, with over a third (12 out of 30) of the countries we looked at putting this position on top. Reverse Cowgirl is the most popular sex position in nations as far as Spain to Argentina, and from the Netherlands to Hong Kong. For those unfamiliar, the Reverse Cowgirl position is a spin on the traditional ‘girl-on-top’ or Cowgirl position, whereby the receiver sits on top, with their back turned to the giver.

In New Zealand, our favourite position is the cheeky Corkscrew. Here’s how you do it: Your partner lies diagonally horizontal on her back. Ask you partner to raise one leg and rest that on your hip, while you enter her from the front and invert her body a bit for maximum reach.

The 69 and the Standing 69 positions are also proven to be popular positions around the world. Research reveals that these positions, which involve two partners performing oral sex on each other simultaneously, are especially popular in mainland Europe with France, Germany and Italy all favouring the 69 or Standing 69 positions. The Standing 69 gets a special mention for being the most popular position in India, the nation synonymous with innovative eroticism, thanks to the Kama Sutra – so surely they’re onto something?

Things get a little more experimental as we travel around the world. Ireland is the only country where the Butter Churner position prevails. The peculiarly named position basically involves the receiver lying on their back with their legs raised above and behind their head, while the giver penetrates from above. Lovers in Ireland may be more influenced by what they watch on TV than anywhere else in the world. This is because the popularity of the Butter Churner was referenced on the 2020 edition of the ITV dating show, Love Island, where one of the contestants expressed his enthusiasm for the position before an audience of millions.

Across the water in the UK, the Pretzel position is the most popular. This somewhat complicated sex position is also the most popular position for partners in Indonesia. The Pretzel position is said to be one of the more intimate positions, with the complex tangling of legs providing all the deep penetration of the more traditional Doggy Style, whilst allowing the partners to engage in eye contact. 

There’s a slightly less intimate approach in South Africa, where partners prefer the Wheelbarrow position, whereby the giver holds the receiver up by their legs and penetrates repeatedly from behind.