In 1981, Olivia Newton-John encouraged everyone to “get physical” with her innuendo-laden pop hit. About three minutes and 25 seconds into the music video for that song, two sculpted, brief-wearing beefcakes exit Newton-John’s gym clearly ready to do the nasty. Clearly, exercise is great for working up a sweat in the bedroom.
If Sandy Dombrowski from Grease recommends it, then it’s gotta be legit, right?
Even men with the highest of libidos can get into an erectile funk from time to time (hi, stress and whiskey). But you don’t need to let difficulty getting in the mood dry up your sex life. Check out the following exercises to bone up on in order to get you in the mood.
1. Squat Thrusts
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It should be a given that anything involving a thrusting motion will help you get in the mood to...well...thrust. Squat thrusts build strength in the lower body, i.e., below the belt. This is a strength-building exercise, but due to the fast, repetitive motion of a squat thrust, it is also great for your cardiovascular health and endurance.
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And when it comes (cums?) to a good evening sex session, morning bang, or afternoon delight, endurance is key.
2. Yoga
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Flexibility, anyone?
Along with its bevy of health benefits, yoga is probably the only exercise that will ever give you a fighting chance at sucking your own dick. As a woman with a uterus and no balls, this possibility really doesn’t interest me personally, but I guess what I’m trying to say is good luck.
Practicing yoga regularly can help you contort your body at seemingly impossible angles. This means you can finally try all those crazy sex positions you’ve been intimidated by. The more you can twist, flex and contort, the more likely you are to have mind-blowing sex.
Moreover, yoga is great for mental health. It builds confidence and forces you to stay in the present moment. That means less rumination, less nervousness, and fewer chances of the wind being taken out of your erectile sales.
3. Weightlifting
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Whether you’re a top or bottom, having the strength to pick something up, hang on to something for dear life or simply last more than 15 minutes is critical to getting you in — and staying in — the mood. Enter weightlifting.
Resistance training exercises like lifting weights naturally increase testosterone, the male sex hormone that can get you in the mood for some good old-fashioned boning.
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If you belong to a gym, going to a weight room to do some resistance training is actually better than doing so at home. Why? There is usually at least that ONE fit, hot guy in the weight room at most points during the day. This provides some extra eye candy to help you get hot and bothered.
4. Kegels
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Kegel exercises are extremely easy to do and you can perform Kegel exercises any time and any place (I’m doing them right now as I type this!).
Many people think Kegels are reserved only for us ladies trying to tighten up our hoo-has, but this type of clenching exercise is great for male sexual health as well.
If you’ve never done Kegels before, try the first few times lying down. Identify your pelvic floor muscles by clenching in a way that you would if you couldn’t locate a bathroom and were trying to avoid pissing your pants (we’ve all been there). Hold for a few seconds, release and repeat.
5. Power Walking
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You don’t need to go on marathon runs or work out to the point of exhaustion to experience the benefits of exercise. In fact, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to go hulk when it comes to getting active. I mean, how amped are you gonna be for sex when your muscles are aching and you’ve been sweating buckets?
Taking a vigorous walk for about 30 minutes per day is all you need to get in the mood. Power walking helps the brain release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones that naturally boost mood. Given the issues that can come with alcohol and sex (whiskey dick), it’s nice that this natural high exists and can act as a precursor to feeling frisky.
READ MORE: 5 EASY WAYS TO SPICE UP YOUR SEX LIFE
Research also shows that vigorous walking can prevent erectile dysfunction, so you can enjoy getting horizontal (or vertical, or diagonal, or — really, any angle you prefer) without E.D. rearing its ugly (and soft) head.
6. Masturbation
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Based on my completely unprofessional opinion, masturbation burns calories and will give you a six-pack.
OK, I completely made the six-pack part up, but you could certainly place masturbation under the “vigorous activity” category when it comes to an active lifestyle.
If you’re having trouble getting in the mood, when in doubt, grab your dick (I’ll be over here grabbing my vibrator).
A good old-fashioned stroke and pull may be all you need to get in the mood. The best part? It won’t cost you more than a bottle of lotion.
