Can Pilates improve my sex life? I asked an expert

“By reducing stress and anxiety in the mind and the body, you foster a level of relaxation and create a more conducive environment for intimacy.”

When it comes to a satisfying sex life, there are a myriad of factors that come into play. First and most obviously, ‘good’ sex is subjective – what blows your mind may leave much to be desired for someone else. Then there are all the other elements like your mental state, relationships and how you feel physically, both in general and during the act of sex.

It’s no secret that movement in any form is a mood-booster. But can particular exercises have a direct impact on the quality of your sex life? According to Annie Counsel, the Founder of Street Pilates, that answer is yes.

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“Our philosophy at Street Pilates is pretty simple,” she explains. “We want to show the wider community how strong you can really get from practising Pilates.” And it’s not just your core that will reap the rewards. Below, she speaks on how Pilates can help benefit your sex life.

What are some of the benefits of Pilates for your body?

Pilates has so many benefits for the body it’s hard to only name a few, but let’s focus on the big guys. One of the biggest reasons people start this type of workout usually sounds something like “I have really crappy core strength” or “I have a bad back”. These two are weirdly the same thing, just spun differently by the body.

Basically, every exercise you partake in during a Pilates session will be using your core in ways you never even noticed. Upper body set? Core. Lunging? Core. Laying on your back with legs in straps? Core. The biggest benefit comes from emphasising precise, controlled movements in each session.

This targets deep abdominal muscles, obliques, the pelvic floor… the list goes on. It helps to foster stability and enhance awareness within the body. The methodical exercises activate and awaken the core as you’ve never felt before, promoting a strong, flexible centre that supports your overall body strength, posture and ability to push further.

How can the benefits of Pilates help improve your sex life?

It’s no secret that when someone is talking about Pilates, the words ‘pelvic floor’ are… [often] used. That’s because it’s one of the most results-driven forms of movement you can do to help strengthen it… a reason so many doctors tell their clients to start Pilates.

A strong pelvic floor is the missing key to enhancing sexual satisfaction in both males and females. For women, it can help lead to improved blood flow, muscle toning and heightened sensitivity, contributing to stronger orgasms – which we are yet to hear complaints about. A lot of people misunderstand what the pelvic floor is and never consider it to affect males, but it does.

In men, a robust pelvic floor promotes better sexual health by enhancing muscle control, and it can also reduce the risk of dysfunction. Along with benefits like supporting erectile function and ejaculation control, this fosters a more satisfying and fulfilling intimate experience for both partners.

Pilates involves working on strengthening the connection between mind and body. How does that translate in the bedroom?

When you… have a proper connection between mind and body, you start to notice how much the muscles in your body move all the time. Your posture changes, the way you stretch in the morning changes and the position you brush your teeth in even changes.

One of the best things is the way your experiences change when things feel good, too. The connection between mind and body plays a pivotal role in enhancing your sex life by promoting self-awareness, allowing you to be more attuned to your sensations, desires and emotional responses. In basic terms, it allows you to… settle into your body more and it is that mindfulness and presence that can lead to a deeper, more satisfying experience between the sheets.

We all know movement reduces stress levels in the body – this is yet another benefit of Pilates and having a sustainable exercise routine. By reducing stress and anxiety in the mind and the body, you foster a level of relaxation and create a more conducive environment for intimacy.

The harmonious mind-body connection helps you feel better within yourself, but it can also help you feel more comfortable and present with your partner, leading to better communication and in turn, better sexual relationships.

Can you give some specific examples of ways Pilates can help improve intimacy?

It all comes down to strengthening that pelvic floor… we have all heard the usual “go and do hip bridges”, because yeah… they work. But what they don’t tell you is that in pretty much every exercise where you use your core, you’re also strengthening that pelvic floor.

Now stay with me while I spit out some reformer jargon, but the benefits come from exercises such as footwork, legs in straps, scooters, lunges, side splits, knee stretches and spine massage. The list is really endless because it involves pretty much everything, but only if you’re taught how to do them properly.

For more on the benefits of exercise for your sex life, head here.