Louis Catania, Patient Navigator, Division of Infectious Disease and medically reviewed by Ann Avery, Infectious Disease Physician at Metrohealth Medical Center
Any form of exercise is good. ✅ Going for a walk once a day is a fantastic way to get your steps in and stay fit. Even doing five minutes of physical activity can’t hurt! The same goes for sex. If you’re going to get your heart rate up, any sexual position is the right one. 🤗
But, if staying fit is the name of the game, and you’re just not feeling up to going to the gym, well… why not bring the gym home? 🏋️
Sex is great for the body and the mind
It’s not just about physical strength—self-care involves paying attention to three key things: mind 🧠, body 💪, and spirit 👨❤️👨. Strength in three parts. That includes your muscles, sure, but also thoughts, emotions, the heart, and the soul. It’s great to connect with these aspects of health every day, even though you might not actively think about it (we talk about mind, body, and spirit more here).
Sex involves physical and emotional intimacy, too. 😍 It can be almost meditative if done in a way that feels both exciting and safe (more on that later).
But enough foreplay. Let’s…
Get into position(s)
There are lots of sexual positions out there. (They literally wrote a book on it!) To get started, here are a few sexercise positions for staying fit:
- 🪷 Lotus: Sounds cute and simple, right? You might be surprised to hear it’s one of the more physically challenging positions. Start with one partner sitting cross-legged on the bed, or with their legs straight out. The other partner sits on their lap. This involves lots of grinding, no thrusting. It can be a major workout!
- 🧍Standing splits: Standing sex isn’t the right fit for everyone, but it’s an amazing way to get a good workout! It’s perfect for partners that are around the same height. One person stands in front, lifting or wrapping a leg around their partner, or up over their shoulder. This one will work up a sweat in no time.
- 🥇The golden arch: This position is similar to the lotus. One partner sits on top of the others’ lap, thrusting by raising their legs and arms. That’ll turn this into a strong triceps and shoulders workout.
- 🐸Leap frog: One partner rests on the soles of their feet in a squatting position. It’s a tricky balancing act, with the other partner using their arms and wrists to hold them in place from behind.
- 🪵Missionary plank: Bored of missionary? Add a plank to it! It’s a workout for the partner that’s on top, as they stay in push-up position while thrusting with their pelvis. If that sounds like a fun time, then have at it, boo!
- 🧈The butter churner: It’s a funny name, but when it’s done right, it’s an awesome workout. One partner lies down on their back with their legs past their head, while the other squats down from above. Squeeze those glutes and you’ll feel like you’re on fire.
There are so many more positions, it’s mind boggling. If none of these are doing it for you, keep looking! We’re sure you’ll find one that’s both fun and great for staying fit.
Staying safe, both physically and mentally
These positions might sound super fun! Still, it’s important to keep a couple things in mind.
Like any other activity that helps with staying fit, it’s critical to stretch before jumping in. It might not sound like the sexiest thing, but pulling a muscle isn’t exactly hot, either. Take five to ten minutes to limber up. Do a sexy striptease during the stretching, that’ll make it even better! 🤣
Sex involves vulnerability. That’s why having a shared trust amongst partners is so important, and why consent is king. No one should be unsure, or confused, and everyone should be on the same page. Nothing is sexier than good communication! If you want to know more about safer sex for a stress-free mind, check out our blog here.
And that’s it! Have fun. 😉
Tracking your health
If you want to take your health and fitness goals further, why not try the Positive Peers app? It has a built-in wellness tracker, with ways to monitor and take care of one’s body, mind, and spirit. 😯 The app also is a great place to connect with a wider community of people. Check out the Positive Peers app here!