This text is a part of SELF’s Hold It Scorching bundle, a set of content material that celebrates love and lust. All through February, we’ll be shelling out recommendation and inspiration for feeling scorching, getting attractive, and nurturing romantic relationships.

In the event you seek for methods to make your intercourse life extra thrilling, you’ll possible come throughout a bunch of methods for companions like attempting new positions or enjoying with intercourse toys for {couples}. Recommendation about mixing issues up within the masturbation division, however, is tougher to come back by (pun very a lot supposed). That’s an actual disgrace, as a result of exploring self-pleasure is simply as vital—possibly much more so!—as exploring partnered intercourse.   

Certain, lots of people have their solo-sex strikes down pat and may not see a necessity to repair one thing that ain’t broke. For others, disgrace round masturbation—a widespread intercourse concern—might issue into hesitation about getting your self off. No matter your strategy to your masturbation routine could also be, there’s a case to be made for a change of tempo.

Studying a brand new approach may train you one thing about your physique or aid you really feel pleasure in a brand new approach. And when you’re within the strategy of determining methods to flip your self on or orgasm, a bit sexual self-exploration may assist get you there.

“Experimenting with new masturbation methods is a strategy to uncover vital components of what you want (or don’t), to stretch your self sexually in a totally secure context, and to remain engaged along with your physique and wishes—which may change over time,” Carol Queen, intercourse educator and workers sexologist at Good Vibrations, tells SELF. Identical to you may get right into a sexual rut with a companion, your masturbation routine can turn out to be stagnant, which can go away one thing to be desired, Queen provides.

Mixing up your strategies may also present you methods to have extra flexibility within the methods you expertise pleasure with companions, Casey Tanner, LCPC, CEO of queer-affirming, sex-positive remedy observe the Expansive Group, tells SELF. “In the event you at all times masturbate with a vibrator whereas in your again, for instance, your physique might not have a framework for orgasming once you’re on high or when somebody goes down on you,” she says. “The extra you’ll be able to study to chill out into totally different positions and sensations solo, the extra possible you can orgasm in several positions throughout partnered intercourse.”

There’s no improper strategy to get your self off, after all, and when you’re blissful along with your present strikes (or lack thereof), you—uh—do you. However for these of you who’re turned on by the concept of shaking up your masturbation routine, we requested 15 intercourse specialists to share their hottest suggestions. Take into account their recommendation your masturbation inspiration.

1. Get to know your clitoris (it bears repeating).

We all know that is outdated information to most individuals who’ve one, however the clitoris will be key for solo satisfaction: In response to a 2017 survey of greater than 1,000 ladies printed within the Journal Intercourse and Marital Remedy, three quarters of individuals with vulvas say clitoral stimulation is both vital for orgasm or enhances the expertise. However when you haven’t taken the time to actually get to know your clitoris, it’s definitely worth the effort, since totally different ones reply to totally different sorts of contact. Some, as an example, may want direct stress, whereas others might want suction, Marla Renee Stewart, intercourse professional for intercourse toy store Lovers and girls’s research teacher at Clayton State College, tells SELF. “In relation to determining what works greatest for yours, discovering the best toy may also help in your exploration,” she says.