What is foreplay?

Foreplay is what couples do to get themselves mentally and physically ready for sex.

Foreplay refers not only to physical sexual acts, but also to all the signals that help create the intimacy and arousal that are essential to enjoying sex fully.

Foreplay usually begins with small actions—for instance, exchanging looks or smiles, flirting during a conversation, or giving each other light touches.

As intimacy builds, foreplay becomes more physical. Partners start to caress and kiss each other. It is important to remember that the mind plays a big role in sexual desire. 

Therefore, things like playing with your clothes while undressing, asking your partner to undress you, or whispering sexy thoughts in your partner’s ear can trigger sexual desire.

As arousal continues to increase, every action becomes more sexually charged: kisses become more passionate, and touches match the growing desire.

Beyond this point, foreplay enters the realm of softer sexual acts, such as manual or oral stimulation of erogenous zones, mutual masturbation, and oral sex.

Why is foreplay such an important part of having great sex?

Both men and women need some warming up to be able to perform and enjoy sex. 

But while men are usually pretty quick (sometimes too quick) to be ready for business, women generally require more time. 

For this reason, a large part of foreplay should be focused on the female partner.

It is also important to remember that when a woman is not aroused, vaginal lubrication is pretty scarce, and the vaginal canal is significantly smaller than the erect penis. 

Initiating penetration at this stage would require forcing the penis in, and the resultant friction can be quite painful for both partners.

Foreplay helps the woman to relax, to get in touch with her body, and to become more responsive to stimulation.

As arousal increases, the vagina starts releasing a natural lubricant to ease penetration. 

At the same time, the vaginal walls begin to loosen up, becoming more flexible and ready to adjust to the penis’s size.

But foreplay doesn’t just ease penetration; it also significantly increases the chances that a woman will reach orgasm. 

For many women, in fact, penetration doesn’t provide sufficient direct stimulation of the genitals to bring them to orgasm. 

Investing enough time in foreplay will ensure that the woman has reached full arousal before initiating sex and will greatly enhance her sensations, making an orgasm much more likely.