Can Sex Be Considered Exercise? Here's The Deal

If you've ever had sex, either solo or with a partner, you know it can be a lot of fun — even if it doesn't end in an orgasm. You also probably know that sex is loaded with mental health benefits, it's great for physical health, and, if you're in a relationship, it's a fantastic way to cultivate deeper intimacy. So, if sex is only comprised of so many physical benefits, does that mean sex can be considered exercise? After all, it does involve a lot of movement, gets your heart rate up, and can even lead to breaking a sweat, if you're giving it your all.

"When we go to the definition of exercise, at its very basic level, it is moving," doctor of physical therapy Valerie L. Bobb, PT, DPT told Well + Good. "Any movement is better than no movement." In other words, yes! Sex is absolutely exercise and just knowing that this is true is going to make the day so many people's days. However, this topic has a lot of grey area and we can't accurately rely on a definitive "yes" or "no." Especially if you're someone who values your heart-healthy exercise and its endless benefits — benefits that are equally important to those that come from having sex, but aren't exactly quite the same. 

Any type of movement burns calories. Even walking to the kitchen to get a bowl of ice cream burns calories, just as sitting on the couch eating that ice cream burns calories. However, when it comes to exercise, it's about whether or not the calories being burned are benefiting the body.

According to a 2013 study published in Plos One, sex can burn roughly 150 calories an hour. But let's not kid ourselves: who's having sex for a full hour? If you're engaging in PIV (penis-in-vagina intercourse), you can expect it to last somewhere between five and 10 minutes, with a 5.4-minute average based on 2005 findings published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Although that's a far cry from a full hour's worth of sexy time, the kicker is that a 2008 study also published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that sex therapists agree that 10 to 30 minutes of intercourse is considered far too long. Based on their research and knowledge on the subject, the money spot is the seven- to 13-minute range of sex. But when you take into consideration that the American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week, sex ends up not being the most efficient way to burn calories — no matter how fun it is.

While we know an hour of sex — if you ever experience such a thing — pales in comparison to the health results of an hour on the elliptical, it doesn't mean you can't make changes to your sex life for it to more closely resemble a proper workout. The easiest way to do that is to extend those sex sessions that you're currently having. Go as long as you can, take a breather, then dive in for round two, three, or even four.

If you and your partner usually stick to the same few positions, now's your chance to explore other ways of experiencing pleasure together. Standing up, for one, will give you more of a workout than missionary can, and embracing being on top is going to burn more calories than being on the bottom. If you're determined to make your sex life resemble your exercise life, then you can download Sexercise. As the site explains, the app was "designed to sync perfectly with calorie-burning sex sessions, the track aims to help couples to work up a sweat between the sheets." If you've been wondering how to make your sex more cardio-like, you've found your platform.

Is sex exercise? Absolutely. Is it effective enough to burn your gym membership card? Sure, if you're willing to spend the majority of your time gettin' down in the name of fitness. If you are, kudos! We need more go-getters like you.