A Beginner's Guide

Butt Sex Gets a Bum Rap

We live in a very butt phobic culture. Look at our language: rude,inconsiderate people are "assholes" and uptight stress cases are "tightasses." While it's true that we carry a phenomenal amount of our stressin our assholes, there's tremendous pleasure to be experienced from theconcentration of nerve endings clustered in and around the anus.

Why Try Anal Sex?

The truth is all kindsof people from all different sexual backgrounds get into the joys ofbutt sex. And for good reason: it feels good. The anus and the rectumare sensitive areas. There's a wealth of muscles and nerve endingsaround the anus, and the right kind of touch can feel fantastic. All menhave a prostate gland that can be reached through the rectum. Many menhave orgasms just from pressure on the prostate. A woman's G-spot can also be stimulated indirectly through anal play.

This how-to deals primarily with anal masturbation; it's best toexperiment alone first so you can control the pace of yourexplorations. However, you are most welcome to try this with a partneras well — just go slowly, and communicate your desires and reactions toyour partner. Check out our anal sex how to, which is geared more toward partner play. Most importantly, anal sex should not hurt — if it hurts, that's your bodytelling you to back off. Remember our butt mantra — "relaxation,lubrication, communication" — and you should be happily enjoying butt sexin no time.

Anal Sex Toys Get the Job Done

Sex toys can be a great way to learn how to have anal sex, eitherthrough anal masturbation or anal intercourse with a partner. These Babeland anal sex toys can help you get started:

• Butt plugs. Butt plugs(also called anal plugs) are typically diamond- or bulb-shaped with a thin neckand a flared base, which prevents them from slipping into the rectum.The bulge in the middle helps the plug stay in place, and in men it can also stimulate the prostate. We love the Tristan Plug, designed by Tristan Taormino, the Anal Sex Queen herself.� Also check out Ryder orthe Little Flirt, two of our most popular butt plugs.
• Anal beads. Anal beadscause the sphincter muscles to contract around each bead, which can enhance orgasm. Anal Beads come in multiple sizes and materials.
• Anal dildos. A thin anal dildois good to start with, as they're generally smooth and easy to thrust, but with practice and experience, you can use a dildoof any size (with orwithout a dildo harness) for anal intercourse with a partner, orfor masturbation. The small Silk is a nice beginner's size, while the Vibrating Mistress is great if you want to combine vibrations with penetration. Bob and the Naughty Boy are elegantly shaped to help you find and stimulate your prostate.
• Not sure where to start? Check out these excellent beginner's anal sex toys.

Getting Started with Anal Sex!

1. Clean up. If you're worried about coming into contact with feces (poop),go to the bathroom to clear out your bowels first. You can also shower first,or do your experimenting in the shower, or wear a latex glove with lubeon it during anal play.
2. Exercise. Try some anally focused exercises, clenching andunclenching your sphincter muscles. Anal kegels can be done in sets of12; try doing a fast set and a slow set. During the slow set, exhale onthe relaxation portion of the exercise.
3. Add lube to your finger and youranus. The tissue of the rectum is sensitive, it doesn't self-lubricateas does the vagina, and it can suffer little micro tears and abrasionsquite easily. So be gentle when you explore, and use lots and lots oflubricant?try Entice by Babeland or Maximus. These thicker lubes are great for anal sex because they don't evaporate as quickly. Our Bootie Plug plus Sliquid Lube Combo is a great way to get started with butt play.
4. Get to know your butt. Start by feeling around the outside of thehole. There are two sphincters of the anus, the outer one, whichcreates the pucker that you can see, and the inner sphincter that youcan feel a short ways up if you insert your finger in your anus.
5. Go inside. If you're playing in the shower, ease a fingertipjust inside your ass. If you're lying on your back or side, insert awell-lubed finger or anal toy. If you meet resistance, push out as if you had to goto the bathroom and push your finger in at the same time. The Aneros is a great toy for getting to know your anal muscles.
6. Experiment. Do some clenches and releases while touching yourselfso that you can feel the changes in your asshole. Try rubbing in tiny,concentric, circles around the rim of your asshole. Notice whetherthere are any particularly sensitive spots. Don't feel you have to govery far inside. Just explore and enjoy yourself.

More Anal Sex Materials

These are hands-down the best resources about anal sex:

• Anal Pleasure and Health, the original book on anal sex — a classic.
• The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women. This is a fantastic book, full of practical tips and hot advice.
• Tristan Taormino's Expert Guide to Anal Sex The porn queen/sex-ed mistress gives you a personal tour of butt sex!
• BendOver Boyfriend DVD: This is an award-winning DVD teaching women (and illustrating with some hot sexy scenes) how to strap on a dildo and anally penetrate a partner.
• CrashPad, Masseuse DVDs. These are adult DVDs with hot strap-on scenes.