IS SEXERCISE A MYTH?

Some weeks ago I was asked to give some input for an article freelance writer Luke Malone was writing called:

“SEXERCISE: Science suggests you might have your next orgasm at the gym”.

He wrote about the results of a recent study by Indiana University scientists which concluded that some women who visit the gym sometimes experience sexual pleasure. Sexuality teacher and research leader Debby Herbenick, author of Because It Feels Good and Sex Made Easy decided to conduct an anonymous, cross-sectional survey with her team, to find out how many women had experienced exercise-induced orgasm or sexual pleasure.

A total of 530 participants were surveyed and the result revealed that 124 women reported exercise–induced orgasm and 246 experienced exercise-induced sexual pleasure. Nearly half of these women had experienced the symptoms on more than 10 occasions.

Herbenick found that some exercises are more likely than others to trigger a sexual response. The most common are abdominal exercises, weight lifting, yoga, cycling, climbing poles or ropes, sitting on exercise balls. She also said: “This data is interesting because it suggests that an orgasm is not necessarily a sexual event and they may also teach us more about the bodily processes underlying women’s experiences of an orgasm”

A well-toned pelvic floor with strong muscles will contract more intensely. Some exercises create an increase in pelvic vascularity which means more blood flow in the pelvic area which can lead to clitoral and vaginal sensations which can lead to orgasm.

The increased blood flow might also play a part and the combination of these factors in addition to the endorphin rush often experienced at the gym which produce feelings of euphoria and pleasure.

Sometimes the visual aspect in the gym watching other hot sweaty bodies working out can create fantasies and sexual thoughts?

Herbenick said that the mechanism behind exercise-induced orgasm and exercise-induced sexual pleasure remain unclear and in future research they hope to learn more about the triggers of both. I also believe that more research needs to be done to get a clear picture.

I contacted some female gym owners and asked their opinion but nobody could confirm the phenomenon or even heard of it. One personal trainer got very excited and wondered if she should look into it and maybe start a special “orgasm class”!

As long as there are no obvious noises coming from the ladies working on gym equipment, like in the restaurant scene of the movie “When Harry met Sally” we will never know if those sweaty contended faces hide the real pleasure of a Gym-gasm – now there is a new word to digest!.

Seriously though, have any of you gym enthusiasts ever experienced this unexpected “side effect”?

I love to hear your responses!