Can specific exercise moves really improve your sex life? Don’t bedroom shenanigans mostly entail lying down? According to Adam Richardson, a personal trainer and fitness expert and author of How To Build A Body That Lasts, it’s far more complicated than that.
He says: ‘If you’re going to satisfy your partner and enjoy yourself, you need a body that’s going to move well. It’s the most intimate time you’re going to have with another human being, and you should be able to trust your body not to let you down.’
We don’t consider that being unfit can impede our love life, but as Adam, 30, says, ‘There are plenty of people afraid to sneeze because they’re scared of putting their back out.’
You don’t want to be one of those people. Read on for Adam’s six must-do moves for excellent sex.
Follow fitness coach Adam Richardson’s tips to get moving and enjoy a more fulfilling sex life
1. Get your hips moving
This is numero uno for both men and women. I think we can all imagine why a hip thrust is an important part of lovemaking. But it’s not just the actual movement pattern that matters.
Healthy hips have the ability to move smoothly in and out of a thrust (from what’s known as an anterior tilt to a posterior tilt). The glute bridge is a form of hip thrust that helps increase strength and is great for building an impressive set of cheeks – an asset aesthetically and practically.
The glutes (your buttocks) are the biggest muscles in the body, and we wouldn’t be able to walk without them, let alone procreate, so it’s a good idea to give them some TLC. Simply lie on the floor, bring your heels up towards your butt, then thrust your hips up from the floor and squeeze your glutes – feel those muscles working! Then lower down slowly. Repeat until you’re tired.
2. Start squatting
There’s a saying ‘Strong thighs prolong lives,’ and it’s true. Most of us squat hundreds of times a day without realising, as we sit and rise from a chair – but if we have higher ambitions, such as a thriving love life, the ability to perform a deep flexion – sitting down into a low position, without feeling like we’re going to cramp up – is crucial. And two or three sets or as many as you can will boost your heart health and horizontal stamina.
Plus a squat engages all of the muscles in your legs and hips. Even if you simply hold a deep squat for a minute or two, it does wonders for your lower body mobility, and that translates beautifully to the bedroom. Do squat in the way that feels right for your anatomy – some naturally suit a wide-squat, for others a narrow one is more comfortable.
3. Strengthen your lower back
Bend gently at the knees, then hinge forward at the hips, pushing your bottom back – as if you’re trying to make your bum as big as possible. This is a hip-hinge movement and has monumental benefits in bed, and out of it. You’re stretching hamstrings (back of the thighs) and glutes, and keeping your upper and lower body relatively still.
Learning how to move your hips in this position is really good for sexual technique – not least because it strengthens your buttocks. It’s also great if you suffer back pain. Back pain can make you fearful of movement – not ideal for a passionate encounter – but this move strengthens your lower back.
Start gently, by tilting your pelvis forward and rocking it back. Or wiggle around, shimmying your hips in circles.
4. Move around on the floor
This move improves hip and lower body mobility, in just five minutes a day. And with good hip flexibility, the less likely you are to cramp up while having fun in bed. Before you flop on the sofa – just sit on the floor.
Within minutes, you’ll probably get uncomfortable and need to change position. And by so doing, you naturally move your body in ways that you otherwise wouldn’t in daily life – all of which make for fluency of movement in the bedroom. You can sit on the floor cross-legged, or on your knees with your bottom resting on your heels – try not to over-complicate it, but the more variety the better – this is where the benefit comes from.
5. Do the downward dog
Yoga pose, the downward dog will improve spinal flexion and extension, giving you body confidence, which, in itself, can be extremely sexy
This is excellent for building strength in your wrists (no sniggering at the back). It’s also great for increasing strength in your shoulders and elbows, preparing you for any compromising position you find yourself in. (Start with hands and feet on the floor, and push up your hips, keeping your back straight so you make a triangle position – bend your knees if it hurts to straighten your legs).
We’re not supposed to keep our back stiff, and doing so limits our sexy moves. Your spine is made of 33 bones with joints between, all able to bend or ‘articulate’. And downward dog is brilliant for improving spinal flexion and extension.
For stronger abs and improving shoulder stability, transition between downward dog and cobra – lie flat on your stomach, place your hands on the floor in line with your shoulders, and, as far as feels comfortable, lift your chest off the ground, arching your back. These moves help you feel more in control of your body, which has such an impact. It’s not about looking a certain way, it’s about trusting your body and feeling good about it. And of course body confidence is extremely sexy.
6. Get your steps in
The most underrated exercise of all time? Walking. It might not seem to directly impact your love life – but no one wants a partner who can’t last longer in bed than a minute. And if you’re a panting, sweaty mess within the first 30 seconds, it’s likely that your other half will be left unsatisfied.
If you enjoy aerobic exercise –- running, skipping, cycling – phenomenal. If you don’t, walking is a simple, effective way to improve cardiovascular fitness, whether it’s a brisk and gentle one or on a treadmill. Get your steps in. You owe it to yourself –and your partner.
How To Build A Body That Lasts – Exercises For Longevity, Strength And Health, by Adam Richardson, Century, £16.99, out now
