Stretching for better sex? Yes. You heard right. Stretching can be relaxing and can also prepare you for a long, enjoyable sex session! Our newest staff writer and stretching enthusiast, Brittany Meyer, is here for the first in a two-part series on stretching for better sex.
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Comedienne Lynne Koplitz jokes that sex when you’re younger is an event—you prepare, stretch, eat lighter meals, etc. We find it laughable but why don’t we put more effort into preparing for sex? It is easy to see how needing to eat a lighter meal or going to the gym earlier that day could make obvious improvements in our sexual endeavors but so many people take these small tasks for granted. I can understand that we have many things happening in our lives ranging from fun to obligations that we cannot commit everything we do to our sex lives but we should all be taking small steps to help improve it.
While we use all the muscles in our body for sex, there are five muscle groups you should be focusing on: Hips, hamstrings, back, stomach and buttocks. The last three will be continued in the next article but try beginning with these two basic stretches focusing on the hips and hamstrings.
#1 Hips
This one is a personal favorite and will need to be adjusted based on your flexibility and possesses some cross over with stretching your thighs and back. It also takes a little longer than the other recommended stretches but once you take the time to open these muscles up, they will feel open for hours. This is a great stretch and has noticeable improvement the more you do it.
Sit on the ground with your feet pressed against each other and (within you limits) bring your feet in as close to your groin as you can. The shape your legs make will resemble anything from a square to a sharp diamond depending on your flexibility. Cup your hands over your feet and lean forward as far as you can. You will want to hold this for at least 1 minute. Take a break, stretch your legs forward, stretch your arms and repeat. The longer you can hold this and the closer you can bring your legs into your groin area the more you open up your hip muscles.
#2 Hamstrings
Nobody wants to pull a hammy and there are many exercises designated to prevent this. Below are two exercises, one more low impact and one that is a little more intense.
First: Sit with both legs straight in front of you. Start slow by pointing and flexing your toes towards the ceiling and forward. Once you feel comfortable, slide your arms forward down your legs as if you are trying to grab your feet. Go your own pace—if you can grab your feet, great! If not, make a goal to touch your knees or your mid calves. Hold this for 30 at a time and then relax. Repeat 2-3 times or whatever is within you comfort zone.
Second: This can be boiled down to being called a modified lunge. Stand with both legs together and step one of your feet out in front of you, forming a 90 degree angle with your bent knee. Place your hands on your hips for balance and do your best to keep your body straight. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat with opposite leg. I recommend doing 5 on each leg to feel results but do not overexert yourself, this can be a physically draining exercise if done too much.
Doing these exercises regularly will improve energy levels and enable you to have longer, more sensational sex. If you feel awkward about warming up in front of your partner, allot yourself some private time when you get home from work to try these out or wake up early and try them in another room. Even better, this could be a good way for the two of you to get more active together! The more comfortable you get with these, do some research to add another stretch every week. Regular upkeep with this routine will open the doors to a gym schedule and you will feel more comfortable and in shape than just starting from scratch. Just remember to work at your own pace and that this is a commitment to more gratifying sex for both of you.
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