When it comes to any physical effort, those who train have the most success. So why should sex be any different? “Depending on the position, sex is truly a full-body workout, demanding incredible power, stamina, and coordination,” says Brynn Putnam, personal trainer and founder of Refine Method in NYC. “Strong hips, specifically, are necessary to produce a powerful, sustained hip thrust, clearly integral to enjoyable sex.” Plus, training the hips puts heavy emphasis on the glutes, and what lady doesn’t love a nicely filled-out pair of jeans? This workout hits all the high notes, so you can, too.The Workout: Perform exercises 1 through 5 as a circuit for a total of three rounds. Finish it off with five straight reps of exercise 6. SEE ALSO:The 30 Best Arms Exercises of All Time
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Spiderman Plank
“Without adequate hip mobility, your body can’t get into the position necessary to turn on your glutes,” Putnam says. (And if they’re not turned on…) This move improves flexibility of your nether regions and strengthens the abs and arms. Begin in a long-arm plank position, shoulders directly over wrists and hips and shoulders level to each other. Step one foot forward towards the outside of the same-side hand, but don’t put it down. Step back to plank, and continue, alternating sides, for 60 seconds.SEE ALSO:The 30 Best Back Exercises of All Time
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Single-Leg Hip Thrust
“The hip thrust improves your hip thrust!” explains Putnam. “You spend most of your day sitting on your butt, which makes it hard to fully activate your glute muscles. This exercise teaches you to fire your glutes, so you can thrust with more power.”Sit on the floor in front of a bench or sturdy chair. Rest your shoulders on the bench’s edge and align yourself so that your feet are directly beneath your knees when you press your hips up into a bridge position. Begin with your hips lowered. Raise one foot off the floor and use the base leg to press your hips up so they’re level to your shoulders. Lower down, then switch feet. Continue, alternating, for 60 seconds. If it’s too easy, add a sandbag across your hips, heavy enough that you’ll complete 10 to 12 reps in a minute.SEE ALSO: The 30 Best Shoulder Exercises of All Time
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Kettlebell Swings
“The swing builds explosive power in your hips, while also building stamina in your heart and lungs,” says Putnam. And who doesn’t want explosive power?For this you’ll need a kettlebell or a dumbbell, which you’ll hold by one end. Place it on the ground in front of you (upended for the dumbbell), and stand just behind it with your feet slightly wider than hip-width and parallel. Hinge your hips back, as if you’re doing a deadlift, so your arms come down, maintaining a flat back. Hike the kettlebell back between your legs, then powerfully thrust your hips forward, sending the weight to belly-button height. Hinge your hips back again and repeat for one minute—your weight should be heavy enough that you get in 15 to 20 reps.SEE ALSO: The 30 Best Leg Exercises of All Time
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Sandbag Squat
A lower-body workout is incomplete without a squat, which also requires the core to activate for stability. “Holding an unstable load [the sandbag] is also helpful for supporting your partner in many sexual positions,” Putnam says.Grab a heavy sandbag and hug it vertically in front of your chest. With feet shoulder-width apart, sit back and down, as if you’re aiming for a chair behind you—and don’t let your knees shoot out past your toes. Press your feet into the ground and, taking care to keep your knees parallel, stand up. Do these reps slowly and with control and use a hefty enough sandbag that you complete just 10 reps in 60 seconds.SEE ALSO: The 30 Best Abs Exercises of All Time
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Trap Bar Deadlift
Now’s when things get heavy. “Learning to pick things up with your glutes and hamstrings instead of your back is integral in preventing low-back injury during daily life,” Putnam says. “Don’t be the guy who throws his back out during sex; lift your lady with proper form.” Use a trap bar, which allows neutral grip in your arms for even heavier loads. Step into the bar and set your feet parallel and about hip-width apart. Initiate the movement by sending your hips back, such that you hinge at the waist. Grasp the bar’s handles, brace your abs, press your shoulders down and back, and engage your glutes to stand up. Load the bar with enough weight that you complete just 8 to 10 good reps in a minute.SEE ALSO: 10 At-Home Workouts to Build Muscle in Under 20 Minutes
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Sled Push Intervals
Once you’ve nailed the above circuit three times through, it’s time to take it home and leave yourself spent. “The sled push is a killer full-body exercise that will elevate your heart rate and get you breathing hard,” says Putnam, who recommends intervals. “Pushing as hard as you can, then resting until you recover will seriously increase your stamina in the sheets.”Get a sled (or, in a pinch, a box atop an old towel, or anything else that will slide with friction on the floor) and load it with weight equaling 10 percent of your body weight. Stand behind it and hinge at the waist to grab hold. Run full-steam ahead pushing the box for 50 yards. Rest until your heart rate comes back down (30 to 90 seconds). Do it five times.SEE ALSO:8 At-Home Workouts to Lose Weight and Build Muscle
When it comes to any physical effort, those who train have the most success. So why should sex be any different? “Depending on the position, sex is truly a full-body workout, demanding incredible power, stamina, and coordination,” says Brynn Putnam, personal trainer and founder of Refine Method in NYC. “Strong hips, specifically, are necessary to produce a powerful, sustained hip thrust, clearly integral to enjoyable sex.” Plus, training the hips puts heavy emphasis on the glutes, and what lady doesn’t love a nicely filled-out pair of jeans? This workout hits all the high notes, so you can, too.
The Workout: Perform exercises 1 through 5 as a circuit for a total of three rounds. Finish it off with five straight reps of exercise 6.
“Without adequate hip mobility, your body can’t get into the position necessary to turn on your glutes,” Putnam says. (And if they’re not turned on…) This move improves flexibility of your nether regions and strengthens the abs and arms.
Begin in a long-arm plank position, shoulders directly over wrists and hips and shoulders level to each other. Step one foot forward towards the outside of the same-side hand, but don’t put it down. Step back to plank, and continue, alternating sides, for 60 seconds.
“The hip thrust improves your hip thrust!” explains Putnam. “You spend most of your day sitting on your butt, which makes it hard to fully activate your glute muscles. This exercise teaches you to fire your glutes, so you can thrust with more power.”
Sit on the floor in front of a bench or sturdy chair. Rest your shoulders on the bench’s edge and align yourself so that your feet are directly beneath your knees when you press your hips up into a bridge position. Begin with your hips lowered. Raise one foot off the floor and use the base leg to press your hips up so they’re level to your shoulders. Lower down, then switch feet. Continue, alternating, for 60 seconds. If it’s too easy, add a sandbag across your hips, heavy enough that you’ll complete 10 to 12 reps in a minute.
“The swing builds explosive power in your hips, while also building stamina in your heart and lungs,” says Putnam. And who doesn’t want explosive power?
For this you’ll need a kettlebell or a dumbbell, which you’ll hold by one end. Place it on the ground in front of you (upended for the dumbbell), and stand just behind it with your feet slightly wider than hip-width and parallel. Hinge your hips back, as if you’re doing a deadlift, so your arms come down, maintaining a flat back. Hike the kettlebell back between your legs, then powerfully thrust your hips forward, sending the weight to belly-button height. Hinge your hips back again and repeat for one minute—your weight should be heavy enough that you get in 15 to 20 reps.
A lower-body workout is incomplete without a squat, which also requires the core to activate for stability. “Holding an unstable load [the sandbag] is also helpful for supporting your partner in many sexual positions,” Putnam says.
Grab a heavy sandbag and hug it vertically in front of your chest. With feet shoulder-width apart, sit back and down, as if you’re aiming for a chair behind you—and don’t let your knees shoot out past your toes. Press your feet into the ground and, taking care to keep your knees parallel, stand up. Do these reps slowly and with control and use a hefty enough sandbag that you complete just 10 reps in 60 seconds.
Now’s when things get heavy. “Learning to pick things up with your glutes and hamstrings instead of your back is integral in preventing low-back injury during daily life,” Putnam says. “Don’t be the guy who throws his back out during sex; lift your lady with proper form.”
Use a trap bar, which allows neutral grip in your arms for even heavier loads. Step into the bar and set your feet parallel and about hip-width apart. Initiate the movement by sending your hips back, such that you hinge at the waist. Grasp the bar’s handles, brace your abs, press your shoulders down and back, and engage your glutes to stand up. Load the bar with enough weight that you complete just 8 to 10 good reps in a minute.
Once you’ve nailed the above circuit three times through, it’s time to take it home and leave yourself spent. “The sled push is a killer full-body exercise that will elevate your heart rate and get you breathing hard,” says Putnam, who recommends intervals. “Pushing as hard as you can, then resting until you recover will seriously increase your stamina in the sheets.”
Get a sled (or, in a pinch, a box atop an old towel, or anything else that will slide with friction on the floor) and load it with weight equaling 10 percent of your body weight. Stand behind it and hinge at the waist to grab hold. Run full-steam ahead pushing the box for 50 yards. Rest until your heart rate comes back down (30 to 90 seconds). Do it five times.
