These Four Exercises Will Improve Your Sex Life

Want to give your sex life a little boost? It’s simple: exercise.

Exercise increases energy, tones muscles, burns fat and improves your mood and self-image. But for more reasons than you may know, exercise can also improve your sex life. You’re only one workout away from a better sex life.

For instance, research shows that if you burn as little as 200 additional calories a day (about 20 minutes of exercise), you can lower your risk of erectile dysfunction. It will also help you enjoy sex more and be sexually aroused easily. In addition to cardio and strength training, stretching also loosens you up, enabling you to experiment with different positions.

So even if you already have a pretty great sex life, try incorporating these exercises and stretches into your workout routine and reap the benefits in the bedroom.

Fitness couple. PHOTO: sweshfit.com

1. Kegels

Kegels are a beneficial exercise both for men and women. They improve endurance and control by toning and strengthening the pubococcygeus (PC) muscles (the muscles that stop the flow of urine) and the perineal muscles (the muscles that support erectile rigidity and provide the power behind ejaculation).

• Start by interrupting the flow of urine when going to the bathroom to get familiar with the PC muscles.
• Once you’re familiar with them, your goal will be to progressively increase the squeeze duration, intensity and number of reps until you tire. But when you do them, don’t hold your breath, push down your stomach, buttocks or thigh muscles.
• Work up to five-second squeezes, relaxing between each contraction, for 10 to 20 reps.

Plank

Plank. Photo: In My Hair

Holding a plank is one most effective ways to increase your endurance and stamina at the gym and in the bedroom. Planks give your arms staying power for missionary or other on-top positions. They also strengthen your core, which helps to improve thrust and supports your back to prevent injury.

• Start at the top of a push-up with your hands shoulder-width apart, arms strong and pelvis level. Press your body straight, extending your legs back and keeping your arms strong.
• While there, engage the abs, squeeze the inner thighs and butt cheeks together, tighten the quads and press the heels back so that the feet are flexed.
• Hold for at least 20 seconds and work up to two minutes at a time. Do one to 10 reps a day, depending on the length of your plank holds.
• To modify the pose, you can do your plank on your knees. Be sure your forearms are on the floor and your elbows are directly under your shoulders throughout the hold.
• For a more advanced version, raise one foot a few inches off the ground and hold for 10 seconds, then switch legs without compromising your form.

Push-ups

Push-ups. Photo: Body Symmetry MD

Just like planks, push-ups strengthen your upper body and core, providing increased all-around endurance and enabling you to rock those on-top positions during sex. If you commit to doing them regularly, you’ll notice a difference in your staying power, your ability to maintain a strong thrust and your overall core and upper-body strength during sex.

• Start in a plank position. Make sure your body is straight.
• Lower your chest until it almost touches the floor and slowly push back up to the starting position. Avoid hunching your shoulders into your neck by lengthening out of the crown of the head to create space between your head and shoulders. Do as many of these as you can manage at least twice a week.
• To make push-ups easier, separate your feet to hip-distance apart or do push-ups on your knees. Or if you want to make them harder, place your feet on a step or bench.
• For added intensity, bring your feet together and your hands in slightly. Try adding a clap between push-ups or do one-armed push-ups if you’re feeling really strong.

Squats

Squats. PHOTO: Womens Workout Channel

Squats are great for toning and shaping the legs and booty. But all that blood pumping below the waist can also improve your ability to become aroused during sex. Squats are known to increase testosterone levels and to increase blood flow to the pelvic region (making orgasms more intense), they’re an incredible exercise for enhancing sex. They’ll also strengthen your lower body for a more powerful thrust both while you’re on top and while your partner is on top.

• Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart Feel free to use dumbbells while doing this exercise.
• Bend at the hips and knees to squat as low as you can while keeping your back straight. Be sure to keep the knees from passing in front of your toes to protect your knees and leg muscles from injury.
• Bend at the hips and knees to squat as low as you can while keeping your back straight.
• Drive through the heels and you will naturally lean forward a bit in the upper body for balance. Slowly rise to stand as you lower your arms back down to your sides to complete one rep. Do at least 150-30 reps.