Any time is a great time to up your game and explore your pleasure. For a lot of people, the word “anal” isn’t neutral and they can have a pretty strong reaction to hearing it. If they’ve never tried it, many may have an immediate response of “no” or “not for me” around the idea of anal play, regardless of whether it’s partnered anal play or anal masturbation.

I’m a firm believer that true knowing is experiential knowing. We have so many conditioned ideas in the sexual realm about what’s pleasurable and what’s not, what’s allowed and what’s forbidden because talking about it has been taboo for so long.

All I can say is, if you haven’t ever tried anal play, there’s no time like the present. It may or may not be for you, but you won’t know if you don’t try!

Another reason to give anal play a try is knowing that the pudendal nerve (located in your pelvic region) is the same nerve involved in the pleasure you experience from stimulation of the clitoris, vulva, penis and perineum. This is why it’s possible to experience an anal orgasm from stimulating this area.

The great thing about solo anal play is that you get to explore the sensations and experience of being both the giver and the receiver.

Start with hygiene. It’s important to empty your bowels and take a shower cleaning externally with an antibiotic soap before partaking in anal masturbation. Short nails are best or you might want to consider a finger cot (it’s like a condom for the finger) for extra protection.

Get into position. A good one to start is with knees pulled up to your chest and a pillow or wedge under your pelvis to give you better access. You can also try getting on all fours and reaching behind you.

I can’t highlight enough the importance of only introducing massage or any anal play when you are already highly aroused. Enjoy getting yourself all hot and bothered with your usual solo play before you begin to explore anal masturbation.

Start with your index or middle finger, rubbing or massaging your anal opening and inner rim. It can be helpful if you tighten or contract your PC muscles (Kegels) and tighten your buttocks, on the release; insert your well-lubricated finger about ¼ inch. Relax, hold 3-4 seconds and repeat, contracting muscles, relaxing the anus and sliding your finger further in as you go, taking all of the time you need.

Think for a moment about what brings you sexual pleasure. Now think about how you came to discover this about yourself. Odds are, you’ve probably learnt quite a bit through direct experience.

I mean, it can be hard to know what you like until you actually give it a try. And, sometimes, things you never expected to enjoy turn out to be amazing.

Masturbation May is a perfect excuse to engage in a bit of self-exploration and discover new sources of pleasure. If you’re looking for ideas, something a lot of people tend to skip over is anal stimulation during masturbation—and even if this is something you have explored, there are always new ways to give it a go.

Incorporating anal play into masturbation is something persons of any gender or sexual orientation can potentially enjoy. It can offer pleasure in and of itself because there are many nerves which run through this area and are connected to the genitals.

Anal stimulation can put you in a state of heightened awareness that makes everything feel more intense including orgasms.

Here, we’ll explore a few different ideas for how you can anally masturbate, from beginner to advanced. However, a few safety tips and best practices first:

Beginner anal play ideas

Butt plugs are often a great place to start. They’re small but versatile toys and an excellent choice to help you explore anal sensation for the first time.

Anal beads (particularly silicone) offer another possible entry point. This toy is a little more flexible in the sense you can explore shallower or deeper penetration making it excellent for first time solo anal. It also adapts to the shape of your body, which can increase comfort.

Intermediate ideas

Once you’ve had a bit of practice, consider an anal toy bundle. This will allow you to experiment with a few different kinds of toys (butt plugs, beads) some of which have motorised functions. This can really help you to home in on what you enjoy and what works best for your body.

If you have a prostate, consider a prostate massager – an anal toy optimised to seek out your P-spot and help you experience a prostate orgasm.

Advanced ideas

If desired, you can potentially go for something larger. Anal beads, butt plugs, and dildos come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes (the options are endless!), so that’s one easy way to mix up the sensations and continue exploring.