Benefits to Exercise: Libido-licious!
November 28, 2009 by Joe Gigantino
“To talk about adults without talking about their sex drives is like talking about a window without glass.” ~ Grace Metalious 
Winding down this series on the benefits to exercise, we’ve discussed how consistent exercise can improve your mood, immune and cardiovascular system, and help you lose weight. But did you know that an equally important benefit to exercise is improving your sex life? We’re all adults here, so I’m not going to dance around the topic.
What’s a normal thing you hear as far as a barrier to sexual function? If you said stress and fatigue, then you’re right on the mark. Back to the first of this five part series when we talked about the effects on your moods when you exercise, let’s recap – when endorphins are released, they combat the “stress hormone” cortisol and help promote an overall sense of well-being. Hmmm, maybe that explains the “high” you feel after a good love-making session!
The production of another hormone – testosterone – is increased naturally when you exercise. This hormone is the primary hormone which drives the libido in both men and women. Testosterone is best known for its affects on increasing lean muscle mass, reducing body fats and slowing down the aging process, but it also plays a central role in promoting sexual desire.
With males, testosterone enhances the sex life by producing more frequent erections, increasing sexual urges, helping sustain the bone density, mass and muscular strength necessary to make love-making pleasurable. It reduces depression and chronic fatigue, which also obstruct a good, healthy sex life. Normal levels of testosterone for men are about 300-1,200 ng/dl.
Women enjoy sex more often when their testosterone levels are normal, which are approximately 20-100 ng/dl. Of course, she also needs estrogen, which binds with testosterone and helps influence her sex drive and mood.
Cardio endurance is key if you’re looking to have enthusiastic sex – shoot for three to four days of cardio exercises a week like running, walking, swimming or anything else that gets your heart pumping.
Great sex also requires a little endurance so conditioning your body can be a plus for longer lasting sex. For endurance, you’ll need to lift lighter weights for more repetitions. Check out some endurance workouts on my site to help get you conditioned for great sex. Don’t forget about muscular strength either – as you’ll need it since your muscles will be contracting. There’s nothing like getting a leg cramp in the middle of a “moment!”
Why not try a little Yoga to help get you in the mood as well? If some of those positions don’t get your juices stirring, I don’t know what will! It will also make it easier to get into your favorite positions without throwing your back out.
So if you’ve been procrastinating about starting an exercise program and just haven’t found the right motivation, perhaps the thought of increasing your lure of a little “boom boom pow” might do the trick!!
"Boom Boom Pow" video
Check out my site to find all kinds of stretching, endurance, and cardio workouts. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate to strenuous exercise, along with some stretching and deep breathing should be enough to help see an improvement. Studies have shown that getting physically fit promotes a healthier body image, which in turn can increase your feelings of desirability. Your partner and your libido will thank you!
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