Women who practice yoga regularly report a marked boost in sex drive, according to the
Journal of Sexual Medicine
. You’ll find some yog alike moves later in this chapter, as well as
yoga-specific workouts
in
Chapter 15
.

COREGASM WORKOUT

The
what
workout? We know, it sounds strange. But when
Women’s Health
asked readers if anyone had ever experienced an orgasm during a workout, women fessed up: yes, many claimed, usually when doing leg-lifting core exercises. And the notion of the COREgasm was born.

How does it work? “When some women exercise, the release of endorphins and dopamine, which are necessary for orgasm, combined with the tension in the abs and lower extremities, can cause the clitoral stimulation that is needed,” says sex therapist Victoria Zdrok, PhD, author of
The Anatomy of Pleasure
. Whether you experience an added surprise while doing this workout or not, it’s still an amazing routine of waist-whittling moves that will help flatten your belly and give you the pelvic and core strength you need for the main event.

START HERE:

Do one exercise after another without rest for the recommended number of repetitions. When you’ve finished the final move, take a 30-second break, then repeat the circuit.

LESS WEIGHT, GREATER PLEASURE

Being overweight can depress your sex life. Researchers studying 1,210 people at Duke University Medical Center say obese people are 25 times more likely to report dissatisfaction with sex as healthy-weight people. The good news is that good sex can be achieved without a huge change in body composition. Other studies report that people can significantly improve their sexual satisfaction with just a 10 percent reduction in bodyweight.

Hanging Straight-Leg Raise

• Hang from a pullup bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and your hips centered under your body so there’s a straight line from your hands to the bottom of your hips.

• Keeping your legs and back straight and using a slow, controlled motion, raise your legs until they’re parallel to the floor. Concentrate on keeping your butt down, as if you're sitting on a chair. Slowly lower your legs. That’s 1 rep.

• Feeling a little Cirque de Soleil? Try to raise your feet above 90 degrees. As you raise your legs, don't swing them or let momentum do the work.

REPS:
Do 4 to 6.

Hanging Side Crunch

• Hang from a chinup bar, holding it with your palms facing forward, and bring your knees up so that your thighs and torso form a 90-degree angle.

• Next, pinch at your right side, curling your right hip up toward your right shoulder.

• Use your core to keep yourself from swinging, and repeat to the left. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10 to 12.

TIP:
To make it easier, use a machine that allows your elbows and arms to support your body weight, or use straps on the chin-up bar to add support.

Single-Leg Hip Raise

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest and raise the lower half of your right leg until it’s in line with your left thigh.

• Press your left foot into the floor and contract your glutes as you lift your torso so it’s in line with your thighs. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankle.

• Hold for 3 seconds, then repeat, raising the opposite leg. That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10 to 12.

Arm Pullover Straight-Leg Crunch

• Grab a pair of lightweight dumbbells and lie on your back with your arms behind you. Extend your legs at a 45-degree angle. Hold your feet together.

• Bring your arms up over your chest and lift your shoulders off the mat while raising your legs until they’re perpendicular to the floor.

• Return to the starting position (don’t let your legs touch the floor). That’s 1 rep.

REPS:
Do 10 to 12.

Medicine Ball Blast

• Set an adjustable abs bench at a 45-degree angle. Lie down on it with your head toward the floor, and hook your feet under the padded support bar. Hold a medicine ball at your chest as you lower yourself.

• As you curl up, chest-pass the ball straight up.

• Catch it at the top of the movement, then lower yourself.

REPS:
Do 12 to 15.

PRETZEL POSITION WORKOUT

This routine primes you for all sorts of between-the-sheets configurations—pretzel position (a twisty tangle of legs as the name implies), reverse cowgirl, wheelbarrow…bring it on! It also incorporates some yoga poses to open your hips and stretch your spine to give you flexibility, and it strengthens all those key sex muscles in your pelvic floor, core, and legs.

START HERE:

Do the workout as a circuit. Rest for 1 minute after completing the last exercise in the circuit, then repeat the circuit two more times.

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