Alice Giddings
Published December 2, 2025 3:02pm
Updated December 2, 2025 3:02pm
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Broadening is something 87% of women have tried (Picture: Getty)
There are some details about your sex life that you’re happy to share with your mates. Are they a good kisser? Did they have the moves? Do you fake it?
But when it comes to your own solo sex session, you likely keep your technique to yourself.
And while many women might use fingers or a trusty vibrator to reach climax, it turns out, a lot of us are casting the net a little wider.
A survey found that 87% of women say they use ‘broadening’ to achieve orgasm — the same survey found that 80% prefer not to share this method with others, for fear of being judged.
If you’re not familiar, this form of masturbation involves pressing, moving or rubbing the entire vulva against an external surface.
Think of it like dry humping on a large surface.
‘It can be just as – if not more – pleasurable than other types of masturbation because it stimulates a larger surface area of the vulva,’ psychosexual therapist Natasha Silverman tells Metro.
Think of it like dry humping on a large surface (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Instead of just targeting the external clitoris, it engages the deeper clitoral structures.’
The study, by sex research OMGYES in partnership with the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, surveyed approximately 20,000 women to determine which sex acts bring them ultimate pleasure.
While many women enjoy broadening, Natasha says that her therapy clients will often ask her ‘if it’s “normal”’ – and it absolutely is.
Natasha continues: ‘Broadening can create a more diffuse, full-body pleasure sensation, leading to orgasms that feel deeper, more widespread, and even more wave-like compared to the sharper, more concentrated climax that direct stimulation can create.’
These climaxes will feel fuller and slower building, according to the expert, and can make it easier to have multiple orgasms in a row.
While direct stimulation can be intense, it can leave us feeling very sensitive or completely desensitised once we come down from that climax. Broadening is a slightly softer approach, if you will.
Many women practice broadening before ever having sex
It seems that broadening is fairly instinctive for women on their journey of sexual exploration, as the survey showed that 75% of women discover it before ever engaging in sex with a partner.
‘Many of my clients bring up the topic of broadening in the therapy room, but few realise that there’s actually now a name for it, or that this is what they’ve been doing for all of this time,’ Natasha, an educator for Bed Nerdz explains.
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‘It’s incredibly common, particularly among women who discover self-pleasure in childhood or adolescence.’
The psychosexual therapist adds that women and girls may start broadening because of their experience of rocking against a pillow, squeezing their legs together or even pressing against a seat while moving – all before they even know what sexual pleasure is.
How to start broadening
There are different ways women practice broadening.
For 13%, they grind face down on flat surfaces like mattresses or floors, while 18% grind on soft surfaces with a firmer centre.
Think things like the arm of a sofa, pillows or rolled up blankets.
For 16% of women, they liked things a little harder, grinding on objects like table edges, and bed posts – anything that is rock solid (no pun intended).
Natasha shares that some of her clients like to press against the floor of a bathtub while water flows over them, so that’s another option to try.
The therapist also shared some tips to enhance your broadening session.
Some women don’t even realise there’s a name for it (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Explore different movements like rocking, circling, or a gentle pulsing pressure rather than only back and forth motion,’ she explains.
‘Vary positions too, like lying on your stomach, sitting upright or standing while leaning against something or someone to create different sensations.
‘You can even experiment with fabric and friction, for example using softer materials like a silk pillow case which may feel different from firmer surfaces like a bed or your own hand.’
Because broadening doesn’t require the use of your hands, Natasha also suggests using them to stimulate your other erogenous zones, like your breasts or bottom.
Is broadening for everyone?
If you do any of the above you’re in the majority, but just because it’s highly popular, it doesn’t mean that it’ll work for you, and that’s totally fine.
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‘Like any type of sexual touch, broadening is deeply personal,’ Natasha explains. ‘Some people find it’s their go-to for pleasure, while others may not enjoy the sensation or feel drawn to it, preferring penetration or direct stimulation of the external glans.
‘A person’s sexual blueprint and first experiences of pleasure often shape whether this feels good to them. The key with any form of self-pleasure is tuning into your body and exploring what feels right for you. If it’s broadening – embrace it!
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A version of this article was originally published in February, 2025 and has since been updated.
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