You’ve heard about the importance of exercise, but what about sexercise? 

Here’s the scoop: Regular activity like yoga, weight lifting, and running is excellent for mental and physical health. It has impressive benefits, like reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and depression. And guess what also gets your body moving? Sex.

Sexercise, a term coined by trainer Jason Rosell, is all about using strength training and more to boost your fitness for more satisfying sexual experiences. It’s just regular exercise, but with the intention of getting better at sex. You’ll see the benefits of staying fit in and out of the bedroom. 

If you’re sold on trying sex exercise, here are sexercise workout ideas and why you should try them for yourself.  

The many benefits of sexercise 

All the benefits of sexercise are the benefits of regular exercise — just with a little sexy flourish. They’ll tone your body and boost your mental health while focusing on things that could help you perform in the bedroom, like stamina and flexibility. 

There are no criteria that make something regular exercise or sexercise. It’s about your intention. You could train for stamina to run a marathon (exercise) or stamina to last longer in the bedroom (sexercise).

From powerful endorphin rushes to strengthened bonds, better sleep, and less stress, sexercise is worth squeezing into your weekly or daily routine. If you’re not convinced, here are the benefits:

Physical benefits 

• Boosts immunity: Research shows that regularly exercising at moderate intensity for up to 60 minutes strengthens your immune and metabolic systems. 

• Increases endurance: Like any physical activity, sexercise builds stamina, so your body can keep up with your day-to-day and your desires.

• Reduces erectile dysfunction (ED): A 2016 study found that moderate- to high-intensity aerobic exercise can lead to better erectile function, which is great news for people with penises. 

Mental benefits 

• Releases endorphins: Exercise stimulates the release of serotonin and dopamine, which are feel-good neurotransmitters that elevate your mood. These happy hormones can help you feel more confident and elated during sex. 

• Reduces stress: When stress hits, exercise is a meditative way to get your energy out and release hormones that make you feel better. This can help you get (and stay) in the mood. 

• Enhances sleep quality: Moderate to vigorous exercise can help you fall asleep faster and rest better. And feeling more rested gives you more energy for longer, better sex. It’s a win-win. 

Emotional benefits 

• Improves connection with your partner: Feeling more at home in your body through sexercise can lead to a deeper bond with your partner. You might feel more receptive to sex or like you’re better able to meet your partner’s sexual needs.

• Increases self-esteem: Setting and reaching your fitness goals can give you the confidence boost you need to be your best sexy self. 

• Encourages intimacy and vulnerability: When you share your exercise journey with a partner, you’ll enhance emotional intimacy and openness. You’re in it together to have better sex with each other.

Sexercises to become better in bed  

Sexercise, meaning exercise contributing to sexual fitness, is personal. It should be safe, enjoyable, and fun — something you look forward to and actually want to do. Luckily, there are lots of ways to do it so you can find a routine you love without dreading the gym. 

From boosting stamina to increasing flexibility, the right workouts can make a world of difference in the bedroom. Plus, knowing there’s a sexy pay-off to every squat and stretch keeps exercise fun.

For steamier sessions between the sheets, try one of these six exercises:  

1. Swimming 

Swimming is an excellent full-body workout that builds endurance and flexibility without straining your joints. What’s not to love? The stamina you build in the pool translates to perseverance in the bedroom, and swimming is ideal for all fitness levels. If you’ve overexerted yourself with other forms of exercise or want to switch it up, try getting wet — pun intended. 

2. Yoga 

Yoga emphasizes flexibility, balance, and core strength, which are all beneficial to better sex. Along with its many physical pros, yoga helps with stress relief, improves mental health, and reduces anxiety, so if your libido’s taking a dip, yoga could help bring you out. Yoga’s deep breathing can also help you harness your breath, similar to erotic meditation. 

3. Kegel exercises

For people with vaginas, Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscle, and they’re some of the most widely known sexercises for enhancing sexual function and enjoyment. Kegels help increase arousal, decrease pelvic floor dysfunction, and, in some cases, even lead to better orgasms. It’s a discreet pelvic floor exercise you can do anytime, anywhere, while reaping the benefits behind closed doors. 

4. Bodyweight exercises 

Moves like squats, glute bridges, and push-ups help tone your muscles and increase your range of motion, which can help you get into wilder positions during sex. Bodyweight moves also boost strength and endurance, allowing you to go longer and experiment more. This type of exercise is pretty broad, so you can choose an area (like legs) or go for a full-body experience, depending on what you’re looking for.

5. Strength exercises 

Lifting weights isn’t just for bulking up. Strong muscles can boost your bedroom performance, giving you more power and control of your movements. From bicep curls to rows, deadlifts, and the leg press machine, strength training exercise helps you endure longer for better, more satisfying sexual activity. 

6. Pilates 

Pilates is a great way to improve your sex life with strength and flexibility. This exercise system is designed to work the entire body — including the core, which is critical for stability and thrusting power. It improves self-confidence, stamina, and concentration, too, which can contribute to increased arousal and better orgasms. 

Is sex good exercise? 

Does the act itself actually count as a workout? Opinions are mixed. 

While one study claims a 25-minute sex session (including foreplay) burns 69–101 calories, another study found that people with penises burn 3.5 calories per minute during sex. How many calories you actually burn depends on how long sex lasts and how intense it is, which varies widely. And that’s not even considering other factors like muscle-building or hormone releases.

It’s clear that not just any romp qualifies as good overall and cardio exercise. If you do want to get the best workouts possible out of your sessions (they say to find an exercise you love), try these sex positions: 

Missionary 

An oldie but a goodie, missionary lets both partners feel the burn if you do it right. In this position, one partner lays on their back and the penetrating partner places themself directly over top. It’s all in the penetrator’s action, which means they’re exercising their upper body, abdominal muscles, and glutes. And the receiver can get in on the action by thrusting their hips in sync to engage their core and glutes. 

Flatiron 

The flatiron is subtle yet effective. One partner lies flat on their stomach with a cushion under their hips while the other straddles the back of their thighs and butt and penetrates them. This position is a sneaky core workout for both of you if you engage your abs — a much more enjoyable version of the plank you used to hold in gym class.  

Cowgirl  

Cowgirl is a thigh, glute, and cardio challenge that rivals any leg day workout. In this classic sex position, the penetrating partner lies on their back, and the other mounts them from above, facing them (or facing away for reverse cowgirl). The receiver’s lower body maintains balance, rhythm, and coordination, engaging the legs and core. You could even incorporate some squats.  

Have better sex with Quinn  

Need something to listen to on the gym floor? Audio erotica is another way to add sizzle to your sex life. 

Quinn is an audio erotica app created by women, for the world. It offers a wide range of ethical porn across diverse categories like butt stuff and aftercare, and there are thousands of narrated sex stories and guided masturbation sessions waiting for you. Download the Quinn app for iOS or Android today.