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1The Frontal Hug
2The Front-to-Back Hug
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Article Summary
Co-authored byConnell Barrett
Last Updated: December 14, 2022Approved
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Hugging someone is a great way to show your affection. There are different types and levels of affection and the way you would hug a crying child is different from the way you would hug your best friend after winning a softball match. Hugging your partner romantically is also different and calls for specific touches. This wikiHow will give you some tips on how to hug someone more romantically.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:
The Frontal Hug
1
Position your arms to draw your torsos together. In a romantic hug, your torsos—your chests and stomachs—will touch. This is a wonderfully warm and intimate position that emphasizes closeness.[1]
- Generally, the taller hugger puts their arms around the waist of the shorter person, while the shorter hugger puts their arms around the neck or shoulders of the taller person. The opposite can also happen, especially if there's a big height difference: the taller person places their arms around the other person's shoulders (and draws them into their chest), while the other person wraps their arms around the waist.
2
Make head contact. Leaning your head on or against someone is a signal of intimacy. Move your head to the side as you lean in to give a romantic hug (in the US, most people will automatically move to their right.) Don't go too far to the side, though—you want your cheek to brush up against the other person's face. To add an extra romantic touch, nuzzle your head or even your face into the head/neck of the other person (or chest, if you're much shorter than the person you're hugging).[2]
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3
Squeeze and hold. A romantic hug lasts longer than a platonic hug. Gently clutch a little tighter for two or three seconds. Take a deep breath and exhale; relax into the hug and enjoy it. Note that your squeeze should be strong enough to be noticeable, but not so tight that it prevents him or her from breathing normally. Causing your hugging partner to pass out from lack of oxygen is not considered romantic in most circles.[3]
4
Use your hands. Rub one of your hands on their back or arm a few times. Or if your hand is by the person's head, gently stroke their hair, or the back of their neck. A slow caress is romantic. A brisk caress is comical, unless it's freezing outside and you're warming up your hugging partner.
5
Let go slowly. As you pull away, keep your hands on the other person so you're still touching each other after you hug. This is a good time to look into each other's eyes, smile, and speak from the heart.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:
The Front-to-Back Hug
1
Come from behind. One way to enhance spontaneity is to surprise your love with a hug from behind. As long as they aren't doing anything too important, wrapping your arms around their waist, and resting your head against theirs can be a super sweet surprise.
2
Stand behind the person you are going to hug. Press your torso up against the back person you are hugging, and wrap your arms around them. It doesn't matter so much if you are taller or shorter, other than where your hands will end up.
- Generally, the taller hugger relaxes their upper arms, and reaches around to hug with their lower arms. The shorter hugger can hold their arms straight out, rather than bending at the elbow.
3
Place your arms in front. You can "stack" one arm on top of the other, one arm in front of the other, or even reach up over the chest and hold the shoulders of the person you are hugging; it all depends on the size of your arms and the size of the hugged one where your arms are best placed.
4
Make head contact. Like the front-facing hug, leaning your head on or against someone is a signal of intimacy. If you are as tall or taller than the hugged one, you can nuzzle their face or neck. If you are shorter, you can rest your head sideways on their back.
5
Squeeze and hold. A romantic hug lasts longer than a platonic hug. Gently clutch a little tighter for two or three seconds. Take a deep breath and exhale; relax into the hug and enjoy it.
6
See Also11 Types Of Hugs And What They Mean3 Ways to Hug a Guy - wikiHowThe Five Levels of IntimacyThe Remarkable Things A Hug Can Do - Hey SigmundUse your hands. For the person being hugged, caressing your huggers arms is a natural, lovely touch. You can also reach back and caress their face or hair. For the hugger, though, caressing can become fairly intimate without much effort. If you're at that level with the person you are hugging, this is a delightful way to begin intimacies. If not, proceed with caution. It can result in the ice being broken, or your nose being broken. A slow caress is romantic.
7
Rotate your hugged one around. Enjoy a front-facing hug as you enjoy the closeness of your partner. Should you need further direction, start at the top of the page again. Enjoy!
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Question
What does it mean if a guy hugs you tight?
wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff AnswerThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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Staff Answer
A tight hug is usually a sign of affection! If it makes you uncomfortable, though, don’t be afraid to tell him to stop or ease off a bit.
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Question
What’s the best way to hug someone a lot shorter than you?
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Staff AnswerThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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You’ll probably need to bend down a bit to make it comfortable for them. Reach down to wrap your arms around their upper back. You can also try resting your chin lightly on top of their head.
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Question
How do I hug someone much taller than me?
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Staff AnswerThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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You can try standing up on your tiptoes and reaching up to them. If the height difference is too much, though, you can always wrap your arms around their waist and lay your head on their chest.
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As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!Claim Your GiftIf wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHowYesNo
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Tips
A hug brings someone up close and personal, so keep body odor at bay. At the same time, remember that perfume, cologne and breath mints can all make a romantic hug more enjoyable when used lightly. Nothing can draw you out of the moment more than an unpleasant odor emanating from you or your partner, and this can include overpowering perfume.
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Hugging is like dancing or kissing; it's interactive. You feed off the energy of the other person, and you can't force a response.
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Do everything slowly. Quick grab-and-grins are for people you don't know or family members you don't particularly like; slower hugs are meant for someone whose presence you want to savor. Also, because a romantic hug is such an intimate interaction, you'll want to give the other person plenty of time to stop you if he or she feels uncomfortable. Don't move at a glacial pace, but do lean in slowly enough that the other person can know what you're doing.
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Warnings
Not everyone enjoys hugging, even in a romantic relationship. It's important to communicate openly if you feel your hugging gesture has been rebuffed and to accept it if you discover that your partner really doesn't like being hugged.
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Ask them if you can hug them if the relationship just started or if you are trying to get to know them.
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Don't hug someone without permission, even if you're in a relationship.
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About This Article
This article was co-authored by Connell Barrett. Connell Barrett is a Relationship Expert and the Founder and Executive Coach of Dating Transformation, his own relationship consulting business founded in 2017 and based out of New York City. Connell advises clients based on his A.C.E. Dating System: Authenticity, Clarity, and Expressiveness. He is also a dating coach with the dating app The League. His work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Oprah Magazine, and Today. This article has been viewed 2,543,334 times.
8 votes - 75%
Co-authors: 110
Updated: December 14, 2022
Views:2,543,334
Categories: Featured Articles | Affection | Romance
Article SummaryX
To hug romantically, wrap your arms around your partner's waist if you're taller than them, or wrap your arms around their neck if you're shorter. Then, when you're hugging, nuzzle your head into your partner's chest or neck to make the hug more intimate. You can also rub your hands on their arm or back a few times. When you're finished, let go slowly, and try looking into your partner's eyes for a moment. To learn how to romantically hug someone from behind, scroll down!
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In other languages
Italiano:Abbracciarsi in modo Romantico
Español:abrazar románticamente
Português:Abraçar Romanticamente
Français:faire des câlins romantiques
Deutsch:Romantische Umarmungen
Bahasa Indonesia:Berpelukan Secara Romantis
Nederlands:Romantische knuffels geven
Čeština:Jak někoho romanticky obejmout
ไทย:กอดแบบโรแมนติก
हिन्दी:प्यार से हग करें
العربية:الاحتضان برومانسية
Tiếng Việt:Ôm một cách lãng mạn
中文:浪漫地拥抱
日本語:ロマンチックにハグをする
한국어:로맨틱하게 포옹하는 방법
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