Dry Humping: Meaning
What Is Dry Humping?
One definition of dry humping is as follows: Dry humping is grinding or rubbing your genitals against your partner’s genitals or body. And this is usually done through underwear or clothes, meaning both partners remain fully or partially clothed. Or, in other words, humping with your clothes on.
And because dry humping can often lead to orgasm, both partners can experience sexual pleasure but without the repercussions of sex, meaning without the risk of pregnancy or getting an STD.
Dry humping may also occur as foreplay or in addition to sex. It can also be done alone by rubbing your genitals against a piece of furniture or a pillow.
Dry Humping vs. Masturbation
When dry humping is performed as a solo act, it can be seen as another way of masturbation. Dry humping, when done alone, is an act of a person self-stimulating themselves. In other words, dry humping can also be referred to as pillow humping or bed humping.
Benefits Of Dry Humping
1. Sexual pleasure
Dry humping imitates the sensations of having actual sexual intercourse. It is an act that is pleasurable for both partners, promotes intimacy between them, and brings them the ultimate pleasure – an orgasm.
2. Harm reduction
Dry humping protects you from pregnancy and STDs, and STIs.
3. Abstinence
When a person wants to avoid sexual contact or sex with penetration due to their preferences or religion and culture, dry humping is a safe way to experience the intimacy and sexual pleasure they need without penetration.
Risks Of Dry Humping
Dry humping is a sexual experience without any major risks because there are no fluids exchanged, and thus the risk of getting an STD, STI, or getting pregnant, is eliminated.
The only risk is that partners can get tempted to have sexual intercourse with penetration. Also, in some cases, during dry humping, when people wear stretched clothes, there is a risk of accidental penetration or an exchange of bodily fluids. That’s why both partners need to be cautious.
Other potential risks are:
- Irritation of the genitals – Repeated rubbing on the genitals can cause pain, friction, or even injuries. Therefore, partners should be open about how things feel to them and not do something if it feels painful to them.
- Moral and religious issues – Even though dry humping is safe for the risk of STIs, STDs, and pregnancy, some cultures are still very much against it. There are moral and religious codes in some countries that prohibit it, thus endorsing strict abstinence from any pleasure-seeking.
- Consent issues – Like any sexual contact, there is a consent issue when it comes to dry humping. In other words, dry humping without consent can leave a person with serious psychological and traumatic experiences. Therefore, it is not acceptable to do that to anyone without permission.
Can You Get Pregnant From Dry Humping?
One of the main questions when it comes to dry humping is: Can you get pregnant from it? The answer is NO. There is no slight possibility that you can get pregnant from dry humping.
Pregnancy happens when semen contacts the woman’s egg, which requires direct contact with genitals and an exchange of bodily fluids. So, when two people dry hump each other with their clothes on, it is impossible for a pregnancy to happen.
Pregnancy can only happen in rare cases when: two people dry hump but their underwear is with holes, or if the woman sits on a surface when there is semen on it, shortly after ejaculation, or when dry humping leads to penetrative sex.
And even when these things happen, the risk of getting pregnant is still very low because the semen has to enter the woman’s vagina and travel to the egg. Therefore, a brief contact with the skin has meager chances of that process happening.
Can You Catch An STD Or STI During Dry Humping?
The transmission of an STD or an STI during dry humping is almost completely impossible because most of them need an exchange of bodily fluids.
But, there are some STIs, for instance, herpes, that gets transmitted with skin-to-skin contact. And a person can contract this type of STI from dry humping if they aren’t clothed.
In rare cases, some sexually transmitted diseases and infections can happen when after dry humping, they sit on someone’s fluids or get in contact with a fluid that leaked from their clothing.
Myths And Misconceptions About Dry Humping
There is a preconceived notion that only young people dry hump since it is sexual activity without any risks that offers them the ultimate sexual pleasure. However, this misconception is not valid. People of all ages enjoy dry humping, and many people prefer it even more than penetrative sex for orgasm.
Dry Humping As Alternative Love Therapy
Many would find this bizarre and inappropriate – a person getting paid to dry hump, and he is, in fact, trained and licensed to do it. Meet Niko, a certified dry humper and a self-love coach, and welcome to the world of the free and strange.
Dry Hump Technique
A technique from Eastern medicine and what Niko calls Alternative Love Therapy involves the complete experience of dry humping with a spiritual note to it. If you thought professional cuddling was strange, you should give Alternative Love Therapy a try.
Based in Santa Monica, people come to Niko for different reasons. “Some are lonely, some are just trying to recapture their youth.” And it does offer a great difference from having casual sex.
Niko also goes on to explain the benefits of Alternative Love Therapy:
“decreased stress levels, increases in serotonin, decrease in cancer rates, healthier lifestyle, happiness” are just some of the “small benefits” that you can get from this kind of therapy.
Note that this video can be NSFW.
Professional dry humping has received a lot of attention on the internet since this video has come out.
Various people reacted positively, even feeling encouraged to learn to become professional Alternative Love Therapists themselves; others react negatively, claiming that Niko is just using the word ‘spiritual’ to get women into his bedroom.
How To Dry Hump?
However, Niko explains that the point of dry humping has little to do with the sexual experience and a lot more to do with the connection that is being created – something many lack nowadays.
“With dry humping, we don’t have sexual intercourse – we have sexual outercourse,” he explains in a follow-up video where he answers the seven most frequently asked questions.
It involves both men and women, as he explains that when with his clients, he doesn’t see ‘a man’ or ‘a woman,’ but energies and connection. “There’s going to be people who say that this is stupid, that I’m taking advantage of people, that this doesn’t work.”
However, his mental approach is, as he says, different. “This is healing. This is holistic science. I got a degree in spiritual psychology so that I can do this to other people. So, I’m very well trained.”
He finds the fact that people have dubbed this as a purely sexual experience as very offensive as a holistic science practitioner and he says that it has nothing to do with “orgasming, erections, or blue balls.”
Finally, if you want to improve your dry humping experience, try these dry humping tips.
4 Dry Humping Tips
1. What you wear is important.
For women, you should choose thinner garments to increase the stimulation between your clitoris and your partner’s body or your vibrator. For example, wearing spandex or silk can give you a stronger sensation and thus help you achieve orgasm quicker. Males, on the other hand, should wear jeans or pants made of thick material to increase the friction between them and their partner and increase the pleasure from their dry humping session.
2. Don’t forget about foreplay.
Dry humping combined with extended foreplay is a powerful duo. It almost guarantees achieving orgasm. So, before you begin dry humping, try to set the mood by lighting some candles and playing some soft jazz. A sexy and sensual environment can improve your foreplay. So, kiss, hug, cuddle… That way, you will increase chemicals in your brain that are associated with pleasure, and the whole experience will be euphoric.
3. Be safe.
When you are dry humping with your partner, you still need to be careful because even though it is not sex and you are dry humping in your underwear, you can still get in touch with your partner’s fluids, such as ejaculation secret. You are still at risk of getting an STI or STD because some materials absorb the fluid and can get mixed with your fluids.
4. There are many exciting and different positions you can try to spice up dry humping.
From missionary and straddle to scissoring and standing, there are various positions in which you can dry hump with your partner. If you are a woman, then stimulation of the clitoris is a must. On the other hand, if you are a man, then good friction is key. So, don’t be afraid to be creative and try different angles, positions, pressure, and speed to optimize your dry hump pleasure.
And when it comes to dry humping positions you should try, below I suggest four great ones.
Dry Humping Positions
1. Cowgirl
This is for ladies who want to take charge and for men who want to give in to pleasure and let the woman take the lead. Rubbing your genitals with the same intensity and pace will give you the ultimate orgasm. This is one of the most popular dry humping positions. The clitoris is perfectly stimulated, and there is enough friction for the orgasm of both partners. So, do it on the bed, on the chair… the pleasure is guaranteed.
2. Missionary
Many people think of this position as monotonous and boring. However, when it comes to dry sex, this position can be quite enjoyable. It is great for beginners and the days when you want a quickie (with your clothes on, of course).
3. Against the wall
This position is ideal for spicing things up. Since there is no penetration, the pressure is off, and therefore, you can better focus on your bodies and the sensations from touching and grinding against each other while standing.
4. Spooning
And when you and your partner feel lazy and want to cuddle, this position is excellent for it. But, instead of just cuddling, try dry humping at the same time. Your partner can stimulate your clitoris with his hand while gently grinding you from behind.
All in all, dry humping is a great alternative for sex when you are not ready for it or you want to try it for fun (and pleasure, of course).
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.