The ‘go-to’ sex position most commonly requested by men

Although it’s beloved among women, it turns out men aren’t really fans of the classic cowgirl sex position.

But when it comes to the sex position they do like, full-service escort Lillith Lodge says there’s one pose her male clients continually ask for.

While it often gets a bad rep for being ‘lame’ or vanilla, good old missionary is by far her most-requested — proving classics are classics for a reason.

‘Most clients are very basic and standard in what they want,’ Lillith tells Metro.

‘It’s not super common, definitely not a weekly event, to have clients ask for something outside of what I feel is “normal”. It’s pretty much just missionary.’

The Brisbane-based sex worker notes many of her clients are slightly older married men, so this may be partly why they choose this position so often.

‘It can be very uncomfortable and not enjoyable for my clients to do crazy positions, unless they’re a really young guy,’ she adds. ‘Sometimes they’ll ask for missionary with my feet up behind my head, (which not everyone is flexible enough to do), but that’s about it.’

However, this preference for missionary seems to be pretty universal, with it being the most-searched for sex position in the UK in 2025, according to Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor, with 736,900 searches.

That’s 330,000 more searches than cowgirl (the nation’s second favourite).

Why men love missionary so much

‘Missionary is easily the dirtiest sex position,’ wrote one man on a Reddit thread about the staple. ‘You can look right in each other’s eyes, you can kiss, there’s more skin-on-skin contact.’

Additionally, he highlighted how it allows you to adjust your pace and depth easily, to whisper dirty things to each other while in the throes of passion, and modify it to your tastes — with the receiving partner using their legs for extra stability or movement.

‘It’s the most titillating of all,’ he added. ‘Sometimes someone asks me what my favourite position is and I hate that I always have to apologise for being lame before saying missionary.’

‘Missionary is easily my favourite, mostly because it feels best for me,’ shared another commenter. ‘I don’t get why people write it off so easily.’

One man admitted it was the feeling of having a ‘pair of legs wrapped around [his] hips’ that gives it the edge, while a third wrote: ‘My wife and I have been together for 30 years and it’s our “go-to” position. When I fantasise, I am almost always imagining having sex in the missionary position.’

The pros and cons of missionary

Former nurse-turned-relationship psychologist, Dr Louise Goddard-Crawley, previously told Metro the ‘face-to-face nature of the position allows for intimacy… which can help partners feel emotionally connected and secure’.

If you struggle with pain or mobility issues, this is also one of the most comfortable, as it doesn’t require extensive flexibility or strength.

‘Missionary can be easily modified to accommodate different preferences and needs, such as adjusting leg positions or incorporating pillows for support,’ Louise added.

There are some issues though; for one, missionary was the second most likely sex position to send Brits to A&E?

According to a Lovehoney survey, it had caused harm to more than a third of respondents, from carpet burns to pulled muscles and back injuries to flare-ups of existing spinal problems.

Louise echoed this sentiment, adding: ‘It also may feel more restrictive compared to other positions that allow for greater movement and range of motion.

‘For some, the missionary position may place pressure on joints, especially the lower back and knees, potentially causing discomfort or pain for extended periods.’

Still, while there may be hazards, this is the case with most sex positions — and as long as you aren’t doing it somewhere especially dangerous, you can embrace your love for the classic vanilla favourite without fear.

This article was first published in February 2026 and has since been updated.

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