Working Out: How Does It Impact Your Sex Life?
Lifestyle

Working Out: How Does It Impact Your Sex Life?

By Emmeline Peaches, 18.02.2021

A healthy workout regimen is objectively beneficial for you. It improves cardiovascular health, strengthens bones, increases flexibility and balance, and helps maintain a healthy BMI…but what does it do for your sex life?

In theory, sex and fitness go hand-in-hand. There are clear benefits to being flexible, for example, and we all know that it pays to have a good grip and stamina during certain activities, but is that all there is to sex and working out? Not necessarily. 

Considering the Pros and Cons of Working Out

As we discussed, the benefits of working out in a safe and sensible manner far outweigh any cons that may occur. Yes, you might get the occasional injury if your posture is not right (or if you’ve overdone it or pushed yourself) but it is generally recommended that everyone maintains a weekly strength and cardiovascular routine. 

However, if you’ve suddenly increased your exercise, or have started working out routinely for the first time, then there are some things you will need to consider…

DOMS

The first is definitely DOMS, and we’re not talking the BDSM-type. 

DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle soreness, and it can happen 24-48 hours after an exercise session. The type of soreness that DOMS will make you feel is dull, persistent, and heavy. It’s also good – it’s a sign that your muscles have been worked and your body is in the process of adjusting and strengthening itself, but it sure doesn’t feel good at the time. 

Needles to say, DOMS may make you feel like you don’t exactly want to be jogging your body all over the place, or even spreading your legs slightly. In fact, at times a flight of stairs to sitting on the sofa might seem like too much of a stretch, but DOMS do fail and should become significantly less severe the more you work out. 

The best way to accommodate DOMS in your sex life is adaptability. When those muscles are sore you might not want a rough romp, but you would likely benefit from (and enjoy) an alluring massage session, some gentle fondling, mutual masturbation, or time with a good vibrator. A wand vibrator, in particular, would be good for a DOMS play session, as it will double to massage and stimulate…Just make sure you get the order of play right to avoid introducing harmful bacteria to sensitive areas. 

Feeling the Z’s

The next big consideration with working out is fatigue. A new regimen is likely to be tiring and tiredness can lead to a decrease in libido or sexual arousal. 

If you’re not used to working out (or have increased your workload) then you will likely feel an increase in fatigue for a while until you adjust accordingly. And, in this case, adjustments are important. 

If your body is tired it’s not something to work around – it’s something to address. Your body is trying to tell you something with fatigue and it’s important to listen. 

It could be that you’re using more calories than usual and need to adjust. You might need more sleep or to work your sessions better around your natural sleep cycle. Alternatively, you may be lacking in vital vitamins and/or minerals. 

The best way to prevent workout-based tiredness from ruining your enjoyment is not sex-related but lifestyle related. It may take some time to identify what’s lacking and how to address it but both your sex life and your exercise routine will benefit from it. 

A well-rested body is a healthier body, after all. Never forget this cardinal rule. 

Drawing a Short

The other concern with increased workouts is one that may surprise you…an impact on your flexibility. 

Working out will have an impact on your muscles and a poorly planned workout routine can lead some muscles to become tighter, knotted, or shortened over time. This, in turn, will impact your flexibility, potentially making some previously enjoyed sexual positions inaccessible. 

As with fatigue, this one is best addressed as opposed to worked around. 

If you find your flexibility dwindling then, chances are, you’re forgetting some key stages of a workout. The main session is important but so is warming up before hand (with dynamic stretches), cooling down afterwards (with static stretches), and making sure to put in some movements that boost flexibility. 

Yoga is a great supplement to many workout routines and can even serve as a strength session. It is one of the best types of flexibility workouts and will benefit you greatly in the long run. 

Investing in a foam roller is also beneficial, especially if you feel your muscles are inflexible and knotted. A foam roller will allow you to self-massage in a horrifically painful but highly beneficial manner. 

As with DOMS, sexual massage is also a great way to address muscle tightness, but it can only solve the symptoms, not address the problems. 

If you are investing in your health then it’s important to look at the bigger picture and not skimp on stretching, warming up, and cooling down. 

The Long and Short of It

As you can see, working out might impact your sex life more than you imagined, but it will also give you a lot of confidence and health benefits which are not to be avoided. Be sure to know what to expect when taking up a new form of exercise and your sex life will not fall to the wayside as you work to make a healthier and more physically capable you.

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