The woman can be on her knees facing the man. This straightforward woman-on-top position is great for deep thrusting, yet the woman can regulate the depth of penetration of the penis and the frequency of thrusting. A variation of this theme, sometimes called "The horse of Hector", is a woman-on-top-position with her knees placed each side of him. For this position the man raises knees for her support, and the woman sits up and then leans back using the knees as a support. This position involves a deep penetration.

The woman can straighten her legs, and lean back supporting her body weight with hands. A variation of this theme is called "The lyons stagecoach". In this position she sits on his penis with her legs toward his shoulders while leaning back on her hands. In a more complex variation the woman can put her legs over his shoulder thus achieving a different angle of penetration.

One of the most affectionate positions is when a woman lies prone on top of a man using her entire body to show her love with every inch of skin, pours and sensation. Using her hands, lips, hair, and breasts is extremely sensational for the man, because his whole body not only genital area is being stimulated. This position is very good at initial stage of lovemaking, because few other positions induce such a great body arousal.

The woman can also turn around and face her partner's feet. A woman can sit upright ("Upright from behind") or both partners can lean back, a man laying down and a woman leaning back on hands ("Riding a cock horse"). In an upright position she can easily reach down and gently play with his testicles, but be careful they don't like much squeezing. In a leaning back position a man can easily access a woman's clitoris for additional pleasing stimulation for her. The woman is in control in woman-on-top positions, which makes them most different from any other sexual positions. Some men will enjoy it tremendously, while others will not feel confident about giving up control. When the rhythm of lovemaking is controlled by a woman, she is likely to tease a man for above all most women love to play. A woman can make her partner make even more submissive by holding down his hands.

In most woman-on-top positions her clit is very aroused as it is indirectly stimulated by the penis. She will find it very teasing and full of sensation, and some women tend to reach orgasm more easily when they are on top. Couples can move their hands more freely in most woman-on-top positions as compared to other ones. High visual exposure of your partner's body accompanied by talk about one's sexual desires is highly arousing for both partners.

Couples have to be aware that penetration is very deep in this position, although it can be regulated the depth by limiting how far down they lower themselves. In a woman-on-top position, penis may slip out of the vagina, which couples can find frustrating. As compared to other positions most woman-on-top positions require slower movements, as it is not straightforward to find a position which allows for fast rhythm and good comfort.

Some women will experience that their vagina tends to dry up in a woman-on-top position, because it is harder for her to relax and release the tension, which is put upon by the demand from her to be active. The second reason for this is that fluids naturally tend to run out of her vagina. For the same reason woman-on-top position is less recommended for a woman trying to get pregnant because the man's semen also runs out of her vagina.

Woman-on-top is a good position if one or both partners have large bellies, also due to pregnancy of a woman, because it allows for comfortable intercourse without the stomachs getting in the way.