The Coital Alignment Technique (CAT) Sex Position

Spread Legs Sex PositionDrill Sex Position

Since 1988, the Coital Alignment Technique has been praised as the position designed to help women reach orgasm during penetration. Psychotherapist Edward Eichel originally developed it, and the technique — also called CAT — first appeared in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy back in the 1980s [1], with several follow-up studies published since [2].

The goal of coital alignment is to press a woman's clitoris against her partner's pubic mound, generating the friction needed for orgasm. That matters because 36.6% of women need clitoral stimulation to climax [3], nearly 7 in 10 women concentrate entirely on the clitoris during masturbation [4], though a separate study found that over half of women actually prefer combining clitoral and vaginal stimulation to finish [5].

Researchers note that "concurrent clitoral stimulation increases the likelihood of women experiencing orgasm in intercourse [6]."

CAT still gets recommended today as a treatment option for female orgasm disorder [7, 8].

The Coital Alignment Technique is a strong pick if clitoral stimulation is your priority. To try it, lie back with your legs open while your man positions himself on top, much like standard missionary.

Except…

Rather than thrusting deep in and out, your man shifts his body forward, essentially "riding high [9]." This changes the angle of entry — his penis now points downward, making more contact with the back wall of your vagina (the side opposite your G-Spot).

In this position, his pubic bone (and sometimes the base of his penis) lines up much more directly with your clitoris.

What The Girl Does In The Coital Alignment Technique Position

You'll get a lot more out of the CAT position if you actively participate instead of leaving all the movement to your man. Your main focus should be maintaining contact between your clitoris and both his pubic bone and the lower part of his penis as he moves up and down. Wrapping your legs around the back of his and pulling him toward you is a great way to keep that contact steady.

You'll also find the Coital Alignment Technique works better once you and your man settle into a shared rhythm, rocking forward and back together as he rocks up and down.

What The Guy Does In The Coital Alignment Technique Position

Rather than the typical in-and-out motion, your guy moves vertically — up and down, more or less straight toward the mattress — while performing the Coital Alignment Technique. That's the complete opposite of missionary, where movement is mostly horizontal.

During CAT, he won't be going particularly deep since part of his penis stays outside your body. Instead, his focus should be on maintaining clitoral contact for as much of the encounter as possible, syncing into a rocking rhythm together with smaller thrusts each time.

Things To Consider When Performing The Coital Alignment Technique Sex Position

Plenty of my students have tried CAT with their partners, and the results are mixed — some love it, others don't get much out of it at all. Here's some of what they've shared:

• The Coital Alignment Technique can feel amazing for you, though your man might not get as much out of it.
• If clitoral stimulation during sex is your priority, you'll likely love CAT since it keeps your man in constant contact with your clit.
• If your man is on the shorter side, staying properly aligned during CAT without slipping out can be a real challenge.
• CAT might feel frustrating or underwhelming at first, but before writing it off, try tweaking your setup. Slide a pillow or cushion under your hips. Have him arch his back. Try a more circular rocking motion instead of straight up and down.

Similar Positions

Missionary

Missionary is the classic man-on-top position, though it typically offers less clitoral contact.

Drill

The Drill sex position can offer more stimulation since wrapping your legs around his waist lifts your hips higher.

Thigh Tide

Thigh Tide doesn't put the man on top, but it still delivers plenty of clitoral stimulation.

Sean's Thoughts On The Coital Alignment Technique Position

I wasn't initially a fan of the Coital Alignment Technique, and a lot of guys I've talked to feel the same (though not everyone does). Fortunately, I eventually stumbled onto a variation that both I and plenty of other men genuinely enjoy…

Legs Together – Rather than keeping your legs spread while your man is on top, bring them together and keep them straight. This works best once he's already inside you. He then places his legs outside yours, and sex continues as usual with CAT. Closing your legs makes you feel noticeably tighter for him, boosting his sensation, while it still feels much like regular CAT on your end.

Grab Each Other – If you want more clitoral stimulation and friction, hold onto each other. He can wrap his arms around your shoulders and back, or better yet, reach down to grip your butt and pull you in closer. You can return the favor — grabbing his butt tends to feel even more erotic.

Keep in mind that closing your legs might not work as well if your partner isn't especially well-endowed, or if your thighs get in the way of clitoral contact.

Additional Tips From Readers

[credit: idhavetocharge] “A tip of my own to add to your site if you wish. Under ‘coital alignment’ place a pillow under her rear, but not directly under her hips. Have her drop her knees farther toward the bed ( straightening her legs and keeping everyone’s knees closer together) this allows for plenty of contact while changing the angle of penetration to a more horizontal plane. ( a thick enough pillow and he will be hitting her G-spot) Also if he lowers his upper body towards hers this works much better.”

[credit: _neon_reflected] “Oh… this is NICE! My wife and I use coital alignment, and we find that grabbing the slats of the headboard or pushing with my feet on the footboard of our bed instead of thrusting with my hips gives me a consistent ‘aim’ when I’m at the right spot. To get a slight touch deeper, we’ll combine hip thrusts with me pulling myself further in at the headboard.

We DID break our first bed this way, then we found a very sturdy handcrafted 4 poster bed with slatted headboard exactly for this….”

As these show, experimenting is really what unlocks this position.

Not Everyone Likes Coital Alignment

Some have gone as far as calling CAT the "perfect" sex position, but that's not universal. Some people would rather thrust than rock, some women miss the G-spot stimulation, and some men find it uncomfortable or even painful.

As with any position, experimenting is worthwhile to see if it clicks for you — but it's totally fine if it doesn't. Plenty of other positions exist. Many women love Thigh Tide for the clitoral contact, or Cowgirl for the control it offers. Doggy style also works well for women who want maximum G-spot stimulation.

Whatever position you choose, direct clitoral stimulation is the key ingredient. The simplest route there is using your hands — or his. Don't hesitate to ask your man to touch you exactly how you need, or take matters into your own hands, literally.

Check out these tips for clitoral stimulation.

Certain positions also make room for sex toys, which can boost your pleasure and your odds of orgasm. Couple's toys like the We-Vibe can be "worn" during sex, and plenty of standard vibrators work alongside a partner too.

Finally, keep in mind that whatever's stopping you from finishing might have nothing to do with the position itself — something else could be at play. Learn more in our “How to Cum” guide.

Orgasm Without Penetration

CAT and similar positions can make penetrative orgasm easier, but you're not obligated to reach climax that way. It's completely fine to prefer — or only be able to — orgasm through other means, including manual or oral sex. Finishing before penetration even starts, during mutual masturbation, or even during dry humping with clothes still on is all totally common and normal!

Learn how to have an orgasm with more tips like these.

Coital alignment was built specifically to help women orgasm during penetrative sex, and it might do exactly that for you. If it doesn't, though, there's plenty of room to explore other positions and techniques instead.

The Science Behind the Coital Alignment Technique

One of the strongest predictors of whether a woman orgasms during penetrative sex is how far her clitoris sits from her vagina — known as the clitoris–urinary–meatus–distance, or CUMD [10, 11]. A greater distance makes clitoral stimulation during penetration unlikely; a shorter one makes it far more probable.

Marie Bonaparte (writing under the pen name Narjani) first explored this back in 1924, proposing that a shorter distance correlated with more frequent orgasms after studying 200 women across Vienna and France [10].

Specifically it was proposed that if this distance is less than 2.5cm a woman is very likely to have orgasms solely from sexual intercourse.

Sixteen years on, researchers Landis, Landis, and Bowles revisited the data and backed up that finding. That said, earlier research lacked the scientific rigor we'd expect today.

More recently, Wallen and Lloyd re-analyzed both Bonaparte's original survey and the Landis, Landis, and Bowles study. The "absolute" distance associated with orgasm likelihood varied between the two — possibly due to differing measurement methods — but their overall conclusion still backed the clitoral distance theory.

Data from two independent samples, collected over 70 years ago and more than 15 years apart, support the notion that the distance between a woman’s clitoris and her vagina influences the likelihood that she will regularly experience orgasm solely from intercourse.

So if orgasm during Missionary feels elusive, the distance between your clitoris and vagina might explain why (penis length can factor in too, aiding vaginal orgasm [12]). Coital alignment works by lining up two bodies to deliver direct clitoral contact.

Studies show coital alignment produces "a somewhat more positive outcome than did directed masturbation [13, 14]." In one study, 37% of female participants reported significant improvement [15]. That said, other researchers have struggled to reproduce some of Eichel's claims about coital alignment, including increased or intensified orgasms [16].

Resources

One Redditor cautions others that sex involving lots of grinding, CAT included, can raise the risk of urinary tract infections.

Dr. Justin Lehmiller weighs in on the best sex position and breaks down the benefits of coital alignment.

Regina Nuzzo explores why so few women orgasm from penetrative sex alone, tracing it back to the distance between a woman's clitoris and vagina. Known as the "rule of thumb," this concept traces back to Princess Marie Bonaparte's original research into clitoral distance and orgasmic ability.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ #1 – How does Coital Alignment Technique differ from Missionary position?

CAT and Missionary might look alike since the man is on top in both, but a few key differences set them apart. For one, your partner leans further up than he would in Missionary, letting his pubic area press against yours, which shifts the angle of his penis.

Second, this position calls for rocking and grinding rather than thrusting. Moving rhythmically together boosts clitoral sensation for you.

Wrapping your legs around your partner also plays a big role in coital alignment.

FAQ #2 – When won't Coital Alignment work?

CAT can require more penis length to line up correctly, so it may not work as well if your partner is on the smaller side.

Related: Positions & Techniques To Guarantee Intense Orgasms During Small Penis Sex

Similarly, if your vulva is especially full or you need more pressure than CAT can provide, this position might leave you unsatisfied.

Finally, some women aren't fans of coital alignment simply because it sacrifices G-spot stimulation. If you lean toward internal stimulation, or a solid mix of both, other positions might serve you better.

FAQ #3 – What other positions work for female orgasm?

If Coital Alignment isn't doing it for you, or you're hunting for more orgasm-friendly positions, give these a try.

• Cowgirl: Puts you in control of depth, speed, and angle. Either partner can add clitoral stimulation, and there's room for a small toy too.
• Thigh Tide: A twist on Reverse Cowgirl that lets you grind against your man's thigh as you ride.
• Drill: A nice middle ground between CAT and Missionary.
• Doggy: Excellent for G-spot stimulation, and your clitoris usually stays free for extra touch.

Of course, you'll find even more positions worth experimenting with in our ultimate list of sex positions.

February 16, 2021