What Is TikTok’s ‘Belly Press’ Sex Trend & Does It Work?

TikTok has officially become one of the first places we look for new ideas on how to spice things up in the bedroom, and the 'belly press' trend is just one of the latest polarising sex techniques that some people are giving a go.

When Nurse Ria took to TikTok to tell people who have a vagina that pressing on their lower abdomen during penetrative vaginal sex can lead to better orgasms, the video went viral and then swiftly divided her audience.

Despite Nurse Ria having taken down the video since, the 'belly press' technique continues to live on, with many people attesting to its success. Here, we break down what the 'belly press' technique entails, plus how to do it and why it works so well for some (but not for others).

The 'belly press' technique involves applying pressure on your lower abdomen or pelvis during sex in order to, supposedly, stimulate the infamous 'G-Spot' from the outside of your body. Note that the lower down you go, the more effective this technique will be — though try to avoid pushing directly on your stomach itself.

Essentially, this technique is engaging and 'massaging' the sensitive parts of your pelvic floor and internal sexual organs from the outside of your body, to help encourage and intensify your climax and orgasm.

Pressing on your belly press will also mean that you will feel some pressure on your bladder, which some people say feels good as this adds to the stimulation of your upper vaginal walls.

During sex, experiment with pressing down (or having your partner press down) on your lower abdomen, just above your pubic bone. As with all sexual activity, make sure you have consent to try this new technique with your sexual partner, especially if you're going to ask your partner to perform it on you or if you'd like to try it on them.

You can move your hand to different areas from there, adjusting the pressure as you go, to find what feels good for you. Whether the 'belly press' feels good throughout the duration of sex, or during oral sex, or when you're already close to orgasm, will all be part of your exploration.

If you'd like to try it out on your own first, consider experimenting with internal stimulation, using your hand or a sex toy, whilst at the same time, applying external pressure.

Note that no sexual activity should ever hurt you or cause you pain, so if you start to experience this when using the 'belly press' technique, stop and reconsider your way forward.

Whilst the G-spot's existence is still widely contested and ultimately unproven, anatomically, the general premise of the technique holds up. Even if you're not hitting the G-spot when applying pressure to your lower belly, you're certainly applying pressure to sensitive pelvic floor muscles and your clitoral nerves (which extend well past the visible head of the clitoris and deep into your pelvis) that, in theory, engaging with might help your orgasms be more intense and pleasurable.

In other instances, the 'belly press' might have less to do with what's going on anatomically and more about the act itself. Some people find this idea of applying pressure on certain parts of the body arousing in itself and might be more of a mental or emotional pleasure point than a physical one.

Given that the G-Spot may or may not exist, the efficacy of this sex trend is varied at best. After all, pressing down on our organs and abdomen, at first thought, may seem rather discomforting and not exactly sexy.

One of the common reactions viewers had to Nurse Ria's 'belly press' advice was concern about IBS and other abdominal issues, as applying pressure to this area when you have pre-existing issues might only serve to make things worse, not just for sex, but also for your overall health. People with endometriosis, ovarian cysts and other similar issues might also want to be careful when it comes to the 'belly press' and consider alternatives.

Even if you don't have any underlying conditions, the stomach and abdomen are inherently delicate and often challenging, so whilst the 'belly press' technique might feel great one day, it might feel awful the next. This might be impacted by the fullness of your bladder, your menstrual cycle, or sometimes, there's no real reason at all.

Ultimately, when it comes to sex, everyone is going to have different and often very particular ideas about what pleasure means to them. Because of this, prioritising safety and consent at all times is crucial, especially when you're going to be physically stimulating new, often delicate areas of the body.

If the 'belly press' isn't for you, never fear, as there are plenty of other toe-curling techniques out there that might better suit you. And if it does work for you, well...happy orgasming!