Try these workout moves to make your sex life better. (Oh, and your body too.)
If you’re hitting up the gym as part of your New Year’s resolution, why not try some exercises that that not only make you stronger but can also make sex more satisfying?
We asked Joanne Kearsley, Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor at Felinity Women’s Fitness Centre in Toronto for her top moves that target your deep core muscles (transversus and rectus abdominals and obliques) and pelvic floor muscles, all of which lead to better and strong orgasms.
1) Corkscrew
This move is essentially a reverse crunch with a pelvic twist on both sides. Lie on your back with your hands at your side, and press your lower back into the floor to engage your core. Raise legs slowly towards the ceiling. Keep the motion going until your butt and lower back are lifted slightly off the floor. Then twist hips (from the waist) to both the left and right sides of your body before slowly releasing back down to the floor. Do not use momentum to raise your legs up and down. It should be a slow motion that comes deep from within your core. Do three sets with 8 to 10 repetitions each.
2) Hip bridge with knee squeeze
Lie on your back with feet hip width apart and planted firmly on the floor. Lift hips until only the back of shoulders are on the floor (keeping your spine in line). While hips are raised in bridge position, squeeze your knees together by activating the inner thighs and pelvic floor muscles. You can either bring your hips back down to the floor after one squeeze, or hold your bridge and squeeze the knees together quickly about 8 – 10 times before lowering. Do three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.
3) Hip circles seated on a ball
Seat yourself on an exercise ball, with feet firmly planted on the floor, sitting up straight with your core engaged (imagine pressing your belly button towards your spine). Slowly make hip circles using your core muscles, almost as if your tailbone is drawing a large circle. Do not use your leg muscles, and focus on using your abdominals to create the movement. For an extra challenge, hold your arms straight out to sides, parallel with the floor. Do three sets of 6 to 8 repetitions, doing circles in each direction.
4) Feline tilt
While standing, take a deep breath in a ndslowly arch your back while still keeping your core strong and tight (belly button still pressing toward the spine). Then slowly move hips toward the front, tucking in your butt. If you imagine that your hips are a like bucket of water, when you tilt forward water should spill over the edge (and vice versa when you move toward the back).
For extra resistance, try doing this move on the floor. You can place hands palms down under your lower back to feel your pelvis tilting. Do three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions both front and back.
5) Downward dog with leg lift
Starting on your hands and knees, with palms on the ground directly beneath your shoulders, raise your hips up towards the ceiling while straightening your legs and trying to keep feet as flat on the floor as you can. Press your chest downwards to the floor and your tailbone up towards the ceiling (you will feel a hamstring stretch). Then lift one leg straight up in the air, but not so high that it throws off the alignment of your spine. When you reach as high as you can go, bend your knee and let your leg fall foot first towards the opposite wall (if you lift your left leg it will fall towards your right side). Hold for three second before releasing back down to downward dog. This moves helps to release tension in the hamstrings, chest and hips (plus, if your man happens to walk in while you’re doing it he may find it pretty sexy!). Do three times on each side with a break in between if needed.
