Whether you’re looking to boost your sex life or wanting to increase your libido, these exercises will not only boost your fitness, but better things in the bedroom – for you and your partner.
Kegal exercises
According to Berkeley: University of California, kegal exercises, historically, were developed to help women regain bladder control post-childbirth and menopause back in the 1940s. Kegal exercises involve the tightening and releasing of pelvic floor muscles, and have been proven to amplify sexual sensations.
What we know now is that kegal exercises strengthen and tighten your vagina, making sex for both parties more pleasurable, and it can also help with preventing unexpected leaks during or after sex.
Clench the pubococcygeus (PC) muscles in your vagina as if you’re trying not to urinate once a day for five minutes, holding for seven seconds at a time, building up to longer intervals as you get used to it. Once you’re used to it, you can then start doing these exercises twice a day.
Up your cardio
Run, swim, ride a bike… make the effort to build your heart’s strength. That way, you will – literally – go the distance in the bedroom.
A strong heart and basic cardio fitness will further your stamina and endurance, meaning less breaks between positions.
Just be mindful that too much exercise can overstimulate the body, leading to a lowered libido, so always let your body recover. The amount of cardio training you could be doing varies across different fitness levels, so be sure to consult your GP, physiotherapist and personal trainer for more information.
Master the Bridge pose
Like Kegal exercises, the Bridge pose works to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Not only that, it also stretches your hip flexors, increasing your flexibility, which will help you to explore new positions and potentially avoid injury.
Lie on your back, positioning your feet hip-width apart, 15 centimetres away from your buttocks. Then, with your hands, by your side or interlaced beneath you, slowly rise from the ground, lifting your hips to the sky. Hold this pose for one minute before gently lowering to the ground, rolling down the spine.
Work on pelvic tilts
During sex, your core muscles and lowerback often get a decent workout, which is why core-strengthening pelvic tilts are so important.
Lie on your back, knees bent, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly and gently, lift your buttocks off the floor, and tilt your pelvis up and down. Do this for 20-25 reps before lowering to the ground.
Hold a plank
Planking is an excellent way of strengthening your core and working a multitude of muscles at the same time. This boosts endurance and stamina, and helps to support your back during sex.
Position yourself as if you’re about to do a push-up – and hold for 30 seconds. Make sure your core is engaged, your back is straight, not dipping, and your pelvis isn’t drooping. After 30 seconds, gently lower to the ground.
