Men's Health June 22, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Secrets of the Prone Bone: What Sex Experts Aren’t Telling You About This Game-Changing Position!

When it comes to sex positions, doggy style reigns supreme—no contest, really. According to a February 2026 survey by NapLab, nearly 30% of folks named it their go-to favorite. But just when you think you’ve mastered the classic, along comes a game-changer: the Prone Bone. Imagine doggy style, but flatter, cozier, and packed with even more intimacy—and no, it’s not just semantics. What if the secret to a deeper connection lies in a position that presses your bodies together skin-to-skin, blending raw intensity with a warmth that just can’t be beat? Intrigued yet? This isn’t your typical rear-entry routine; it’s a whole new level of closeness that might just revamp your bedroom repertoire—and your relationships while you’re at it. Ready to bone up on the Prone Bone and discover why it’s catching on fast?

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8 min read

WHEN IT COMES to sex positions, there’s one that consistently bow-wows in the bedroom: Doggy style. In fact, roughly 30 percent of people said it was their favorite position in a February 2026 survey by NapLab, making it the most popular position overall. But there’s a doggy style variation that gives the classic rear-entry option a run for its money: Prone Bone.

Essentially a flatter version of standard doggy, Prone Bone offers many of the same perks, says Rufus Spann, PhD, a sex therapist in the Washington D.C./Baltimore area. Namely, it’s relatively simple to perform, can work for both vaginal and anal sex, and has multi-tasking potential.

But what sets this position apart from old reliable is the amount of connectedness it can create. “Prone Bone blends the intensity of doggy style with the closeness of full-body contact,” says Carolina Pataky, PhD, LMFT, a sexologist and licensed marriage and family therapist in Coral Gables, Florida.

Whereas traditional doggy style puts space between the giving partner’s front and the receiving partner’s back, Prone Bone introduces skin-on-skin contact “that changes the emotional texture of the experience,” she says. “When bodies are pressed together chest-to-back, you get to feel each other’s breathing, body heat, and subtle movements, which often creates a stronger sense of grounding, containment, and connection.”

At Men’s Health, we aim to describe sexual experiences as inclusively as possible. While the Prone Bone position has traditionally been associated with penis-in-vagina sex, it can be adapted by couples of all genders and sexual orientations and identities. We encourage readers to modify this position to suit their bodies, preferences, and needs. To avoid making assumptions about gender or anatomy, we use non-gendered language throughout this article. The “giving partner” or “giver” refers to the partner doing the penetrating, whether with a penis, a strap-on, or even fingers. The “receiving partner” or “receiver” refers to the partner being penetrated vaginally or anally.

Plus, trying new positions is part of having a healthy sex life, which impacts your overall well-being. “Sexual health leads to mental health, physical health, and overall, a really healthy path in life,” Ofole Mgbako, MD, the Director of HIV Equity Research Program at NYC Health+Hospitals/Bellevue, previously told Men’s Health.

All solid reasons to bone up (heh) on your knowledge of the Prone Bone position. Here’s your sex expert-approved guide:

How to do the Prone Bone Sex Position

The receiving partner lies flat on their stomach as the penetrating partner gets in back and enters from behind, says Gigi Engle, a sex and relationships psychotherapist and author of Kink Curious. It looks like this:

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Prone Bone Sex Position

Getting into the Prone Bone position can take a little more ~maneuvering~ than traditional doggy style. When the body is lying flat, our holes aren’t as accessible as they are in more elevated positions. That’s why Engle suggests the receiving partner begin by lying down with their legs spread, which can make it easier for the giving partner to enter them. From there, the receiver can experiment with bringing their legs together to increase friction and achieve a snugger sensation, she says.

Alternatively, placing a pillow—either a regular pillow or a wedge-shaped sex pillow—under the receiving partner’s lower stomach will prop up their butt to aid entry, says Engle.

Benefits of the Prone Bone Sex Position

For such a simple pose (or perhaps because it’s a simple pose) there are quite a few benefits to the Prone Bone sex position:

It’s a rear-entry option that can actually increase intimacy.

Prone bone is out here proving that face-to-face positions aren’t the only way to foster closeness during sex. “The experience of skin on skin is innately intimate,” says Spann. But the experience of having your back pressed against your partner’s chest can feel especially so due to the vulnerability of not being able to completely see the person behind you, he explains.

This position also allows you to incorporate plenty of affectionate touch. The giver can easily lean down to lick the receiver’s ear, nibble their neck, or stroke their arms or back. Adding a massage oil can further enhance all the juicy contact, Spann says, because you’ll feel each sensational slide of skin against skin.

Depending on everyone’s size, the penetrating partner may also be able to turn the receiving partner’s head to the side, look into their eyes, and kiss them. They can also whisper sweet somethings into their ear, like “I love you so much,” or “You feel fucking incredible.”

During vaginal sex, the angle of the receiver’s body helps the penetrating partner hit that feel-good spot on the front wall of their vagina, says Lee Phillips, LCSW, a psychotherapist and sex and couples therapist in New York.

Prone Bone bests other anal sex positions, too. For receiving partners with vaginas, the anal variation of this position may create indirect stimulation of the nearby erectile tissues associated with the G-zone. And for individuals with a prostate—which includes most people assigned male at birth—the position may provide pleasurable pressure against the gland referred to as the P-spot, says Pataky.

Another perk of Prone Bone? If the receiving partner has a vulva, the penetrating partner has surprisingly easy access to their clit, says Pataky—a major plus since research suggests roughly 73 percent of vulva owners either require or benefit from clitoral stimulation to orgasm.

For example, the giver can reach around and rub the clit with their fingers during penetration, says Spann. Some people enjoy the added pressure created by lying face down, finding that it facilitates the exact clitoral contact they need to get off.

“Another option is for the giver to hold a wand-style vibrator so that the bulbous head is beneath the receiver’s pelvis,” says Pataky. “Many people find this intensifies sensation and makes orgasm more accessible.”

You may even get away with placing a small bullet vibrator under the receiver’s pelvis, then letting go. “Because the body is lying down, the toy can often stay in place more easily than in other positions, allowing for a more continuous rhythm of stimulation,” she says.

It’s more comfortable than other from-behind positions.

Prone Bone doesn’t require quite the same strength and stamina as classic doggy. “Because the receiving partner is lying down rather than holding themselves upright, as they need to do for most doggy style variations, the receiver’s body can relax more fully,” says Pataky. “That relaxation often increases receptivity, allowing the receiver to sink into sensation rather than focusing on performance.” In other words, this doggy style variation is more comfortable, and may even be more enjoyable, than the OG.

Prone Bone can help you make the most of what you’ve got if you’re working with a smaller-than-average penis.

For starters, entering from behind and with the receiver’s legs close together naturally facilitates a fuller feeling of penetration, making the giver’s penis seem bigger. But that’s not all. Additionally, “the full-body alignment and closeness create a snugger, more connected feeling, and amplify friction,” says Pataky. (Just FYI: If the receiver’s booty is on the bigger side, you may have to hold their butt cheeks apart to insert yourself initially, according to Spann.)

Conversely, if you have a big penis, you gotta be careful wielding it in this position. “Using slower movement and gradual buildup often creates a more pleasurable experience than opting for going deep right away,” she says.

It can be kinky.

Prone Bone is an ideal position if you want to embark on a little sexploration. “It works really well for consensual Dom/sub play because the position naturally creates feelings of vulnerability, surrender, restraint, and control,” says Engle. “The receiver’s movement is also somewhat limited, which can heighten anticipation and intensify the experience for some people.”

Of course, any form of BDSM requires clear communication, explicit negotiation, and enthusiastic consent from everyone involved. Depending on what has been discussed and agreed upon beforehand, partners might incorporate hair pulling, spanking, or dirty talk, says Engle. The giving partner could even hold the receiving partner’s hands behind their back, or use sexual restraints to achieve the same effect, if both partners are into that.

It’s easy to incorporate sex toys.

If you’re having vaginal sex, the receiving partner can live out their double penetration (DP) fantasies by also using an anal toy, like a butt plug, says Spann. Meanwhile, if the giving partner wants to maximize sensation, they could also bop in a butt plug or prostate massager. Or, they could try wearing a cock ring, “which can help to keep blood flow in the penis, as well as add vibration to the scrotum, penis, anus, or vulva,” says Spann.

Cons of the Prone Bone Sex Position

You might encounter a few challenges with the prone bone position, but they’re all fixable with a little adaptation. Phew.

The weight may feel uncomfortable.

Some people like the feeling of their partner’s weight on their back; others don’t. Luckily, if the sensation doesn’t jive with the receiver, there are workarounds. “The giver can straddle the receiver’s hips, which will position more of their weight on their own knees and thighs and less on the back and buttocks of the receiver,” says Spann.

The giver could also plant their arms on either side of the receiver’s shoulders (in a high plank position), which will also alleviate some of the pressure, he adds. And, of course, you can always go back to good ole fashioned doggy style!

It can be tricky to get in and stay in.

Depending on the receiver’s booty size and the curve/shape of the giver’s penis, the penetrating partner may have difficulty getting in—or staying put.

If you keep struggling, have the receiving partner spread their legs and, if mobility allows, reach back to expose their own hole(s), says Spann. This combo will make it easier for the penetrating partner to see and access their target.

Meanwhile, if you keep slipping out, try reworking the angles of your bodies. The receiver can tilt their hips to angle their vagina or anus upward toward the giver. For extra help with angles, Phillips recommends using a sex pillow or wedge.

Adding in clitoral stimulation requires planning.

Since the receiver is lying flat on their stomach, it can be tougher for them to stimulate their clitoris—at least, trickier than it is during rider-on-top or missionary. But there is a quick fix for this: Place a wand vibrator nearby, then grab it as things are revving up.

The long handle makes it easy for the penetrating partner to hold and position underneath the receiving partner. Once in position, “the bulky head is pinned between the receiver’s vulva and the mattress, which can add intense clitoral stimulation while you’re being penetrated,” Engle says.

And that’s all you need to know to Prone Bone with the best of ‘em!

Meet the Experts

Rufus Spann, PhD, is an AASECT-certified sex therapist and the founder of Libido Health.
Carolina Pataky, PhD, LMFT, is a sexologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, and co-founder of South Florida’s Love Discovery Institute.
Gigi Engle is a COSRT-registered and GSRD-accredited sex and relationships psychotherapist and author of Kink Curious.
Lee Phillips, LCSW, CST, is a psychotherapist and sex and couples therapist in New York.

Gabrielle Kassel (she/her) is a sex and fitness journalist committed to helping people feel the best they can in their bodies. In addition to Men’s Health, her work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Health, Self, Women’s Health, Greatist, and more! In her free time, Gabrielle can be found coaching CrossFit, reviewing pleasure products, hiking with her border collie, or recording episodes of the podcast she co-hosts called Bad In Bed. Follow her on Instagram @Gabriellekassel.