Most of the sex that takes place in romantic flicks have no awkward pauses, mishaps, or muscle cramps. In the end, all parties involved are happy and satisfied. Sadly, that’s not always the case when you have sex in the real world. Real sex is messy, awkward, fun, dirty, and everything in between. But there are ways to work at making things run a little more smoothly.
If you’re looking for an encore performance or a recurring role as a sex partner or friend with benefits, you need to earn your spot on the roster. In other words, you always need to be on your A-game. So if one of these six sex-related issues has, uh, popped up in the past, try one of these fit remedies and prevent it from happening again.
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Your Endurance Sucks
The Fix: More Cardio
“Let’s face it, women take a little longer to achieve an orgasm compared to men,” says Dr. Felicia Stoler, DCN, MS, RD, FACSM. “So cardiopulmonary fitness is important if you’re a guy, because if you don’t have a good ticker or you’re losing your breath and it turns into something fast, furious, and you’re out—that’s no good.”
Another thing: Most women who aren’t into fetishes don’t want to bathe in your sweat. Upping your cardio level might help you prevent that from happening.
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Your Legs Give Out
The Fix: Squats and Wall Sits
Whether you’re thrusting from the standing position, holding someone up against the wall, or doing partial squats as you—you get the idea—your leg strength matters. If you’re walking on two beanstalks, you’re going to run into a problem. “In this case, squats and wall sits are both good choices, because they’re going to strengthen the quads and hamstrings,” says Stoler.
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You Feel Pain During Nonlinear Movements
The Fix: Loosen Your Hips Up
“When you’re more flexible you can get more creative,” Stoler says. “In terms of loosening up the legs and hips, try working leg swings into your stretching routine.” Leg swings can be done forward and backward or side to side. Done properly, they should help loosen up everything from the hip flexors and extensors to the adductor and abductors.
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Your Body Is Stiff
The Fix: Stretch More
That blood-curdling shriek you let out when your muscles tightened up during a failed attempt to invent a new position definitely spoiled the mood. If you’re too stiff to bend or twist, try focusing more on your warm-up and stretching routines.
“Stretch after you exercise, not before,” explains Stoler. “After you train, the muscles are warm and have the opportunity to go through a full range of motion.” Try doing static stretches for 30 seconds at a clip post-workout. Before workouts, stick with a general warm-up to elevate your heart rate and body temperature, or a specific warm-up that targets the specific muscles that will be used during that day’s workout or activity.
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You Have Trouble Holding Yourself Up
The Fix: Pushups and Planks
Pushups work muscles in the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core, and are one of the best bodyweight exercises in the catalog. “Being able to hold yourself up is key,” Stoler says. “Plus, pushups are kind of what guys are doing [when they’re on top].”
Planks will work the core, which will also help you remain more comfortable when you’re bracing yourself against a wall or washing machine.
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You’re Not Rising to the Occasion
The Fix: A Cleaner Diet
There are numerous things that could cause erectile dysfunction (ED), including side effects from certain medications. To minimize the likelihood of this unsettling occurence, you’ll want to eat healthy and exercise often. Dr. Stoler points out that high cholesterol could contribute to the problem. “ED could happen due to circulatory issues or an intake of too much saturated fat, too little fiber, or not enough exercise,” she says.
