Magnificent Sex summary

So, you know that you want to improve your sex life, and you’re not just aiming for decent or even satisfactory sex – you want it to be magnificent. But how do you know when you’re approaching sex that is truly remarkable? Let’s talk about what extraordinary sex actually feels like, as well as its defining characteristics.

The authors’ research finds a few common threads. These elements don’t all have to be present for the sex to be considered extraordinary – but, in interviews with stand-out lovers, there were a few themes that came up time after time.

In the movies, it can seem as though extraordinary sex is something that only the young and beautiful get to experience. In film after film, it’s the muscular, young Adonis and the supple, sexy twentysomething who fall into bed in a feverish and impassioned embrace.

But what about in real life? Is magnificent sex really reserved for the young and unwrinkled? Are crow’s feet and gray hair some kind of barrier to hot, passionate sex?

So far, we’ve examined sexual desire, the characteristics of magnificent sex, and the advantages of age when it comes to making love. 

But what about the characteristics of extraordinary lovers themselves? Is there anything that unites them – or is searching for common qualities little more than a wild goose chase?

When you think about improving your sexual skills, you probably imagine yourself practicing the kinds of advice and techniques that you’d find on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine – raunchy tips about foreplay, contorted sex positions, and exotic but mind-blowing sexual maneuvers. 

This advice can be of use – and trying new things in the bedroom isn’t a bad idea in general. But the most important techniques are of a different kind altogether. When it comes to cultivating magnificent sex, the key skills are pretty basic.

We’ve already dispatched the myth that magnificent sex is reserved for the young. But this isn’t the only harmful stereotype that causes trouble for those of us who want better sex. 

Just as destructive as this notion is the idea that magnificent sex should be effortless – that lovers should fall into bed, full of desire, without a moment’s forethought or preparation. As we’ll see, nothing could be less accurate.