Personal trainer Greg Peterson knows a thing or two about stamina. In his book, Sexual Fitness: The Workout Guide to Better Sex, he explains why focusing on certain exercises and areas of the body can heat things up in the bedroom. We spoke to to Greg to find out more about how getting fit can help improve your sex life.
So you believe that the right kinds of exercise can enhance someone's sex life?
Absolutely, the book would not be very good otherwise. Our society is becoming less and less fit as a whole. A healthy individual feels better about him or herself and has more confidence which in turn will help boost their (sic) sex drive. The better shape someone is in, the more options and variety they can add to their sex life. In the book, I approach sex the same way you would approach training for any sport or physical activity. All activities or sports require a slightly different approach towards training. The demands are always different. Sex is no different.
So people who are in good shape have better sex?
Again, I have to relate this to sports. Does someone really know their full potential as a lover until they train to be better at it? Shape magazine in December 2008 did a survey and had 31 per cent of women and 28 per cent of men who said they were not happy with their sex life. Also the survey said that only 45 percent of women thought of themselves as good lovers or better. I can only hope that these individuals would be happier and better if they and their partners were better prepared for sex through an increased fitness level...Being in better physical shape can only help, but it is not the absolute end all to being a better lover.
What areas of the body do you recommend focusing on?
Well, if you are doing it right, you should be using the whole body. Everyone is a little different. Some people need help in the core, others might be weak in their shoulders or legs. Still other people just lack simple endurance whether it is muscular endurance or cardio. I guess I would have to recommend for people to acknowledge what their own weakness is and focus on improving that.
Are there special physical skills we need to acquire in order to have better sex?
We need to be able to control our body and teach various body parts to work independently from one another. This is where muscle recruitment comes into play. We are teaching the body how to recruit the proper muscles for a movement. This will allow you to conserve energy and also control the blood flow in the body to a point. The nice thing about the book is that this skill is going to be automatically learned if you follow the exercises.
How is exercising for optimum sex different than other types of exercise?
The difference is going to be in the approach that is taken. What I have done is break down the various movements and systems of the body that should be used during sex and designed the exercises to improve them. So the way we approach the exercises is a little different as well as some of the exercises.
From the book, here are the key factors in training for better sex:
1. Cardiorespiratory endurance to improve oxygen consumption and blood flow. This will allow both partners to enjoy a longer and more intense sexual encounter.
2. Balance for the not-so-typical positions. Improved balance will allow both of you to enjoy a wider range of positions without stumbling and falling all over the place.
3. Core training so you are more stable for pushing and pulling. You definitely want to be able to stand your ground and not be overpowered by your partner. Regardless of the position, you do not want to be pushed all over the place.
4. Muscular strength to allow you to support your partner in various positions.
5. Muscle coordination/control to give you the ability direct the blood flow. Blood flow is always increased in the muscles that are being activated. If you can control these muscles, you can control the increase in blood flow through the body. This too will allow a more pleasurable experience for you and your partner.
6. There are many positions where one partner needs to support the body weight of the other person. This takes a certain level of strength to be able to enjoy the position to the fullest.
7. Muscular endurance so you do not fatigue too soon in any position. The last thing you want to is run out of steam in that perfect position before you or your partner are satisfied.
8. Body awareness/kinesthetic awareness so you can feel and know exactly what your body is doing. This can be the most pleasurable of all for you and your partner. The better the body awareness and kinesthetic awareness is, the more efficiently you can use your body to create maximal pleasure for you both.
9. Flexibility. Do I really need to explain this one? Yeah, use your imagination.
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