Anal training

Anal training is the gradual process of getting comfortable with anal play — usually by starting small, using plenty of lube, and working up to larger sizes over weeks or months. It is not about forcing anything or meeting a deadline. It is about learning what your body does when it relaxes, and giving the muscles time to get used to the sensation without tension or discomfort.

The anal sphincters do not stretch on command. They respond to pressure by contracting, which is the opposite of what you want. Training gives you time to notice that reflex, breathe through it, and let it settle. Rushing past that stage is what causes pain, tearing and the impression that anal play is not for you.

It also matters because the toys designed for this — tapered plugs, dilator sets, anything that starts narrow and builds gradually — make the process straightforward. The ones that do not taper, or that jump in size too quickly, make it harder than it needs to be. Knowing the difference saves you buying something that sits in a drawer because it was too much, too soon.

Material choice matters here more than anywhere else. Silicone is non-porous, cleans properly, and lasts. PVC, TPE and TPR cannot be sterilised, so if you are working through a set over months, you are living with something that cannot be fully cleaned between uses. That is fine if you know it and plan accordingly — fresh condom each time, one user only. It is not fine if you assumed otherwise.

See also: Anal dilator.

The Snug Report is published by the team behind Coy, a New Zealand retailer that stocks many of the products reviewed here. We say so on every page. Our scores come from aggregated public reviews, not from us — the method is on the methodology page and the evidence count is on every review.