The 8 Gym Exercises You Need to Master to Significantly Boost Your Bedroom Performance
When it comes to any physical activity, being strong and athletic always helps-and sex is no exception. (It also likely increases the odds of it happening in the first place, but you already knew that.)
"Regular exercise is one of the most effective non-medication interventions for improving sexual health in men," says Seth D. Cohen, MD, MPH, a urologist at NYU Langone in New York City. "It improves erectile function, cardiovascular fitness, libido, energy levels, body composition, and psychological well-being."
That's because, at the most basic level, getting hard depends massively on the health of your cardiovascular system. The exact same network of arteries responsible for powering your workouts is what controls your performance under the sheets. In fact, clinical research shows that boosting your aerobic fitness significantly improves erectile function even for men dealing with severe performance issues.
"An erection is fundamentally a vascular event," explains Dr. Cohen. "Healthy arteries release nitric oxide, allowing blood vessels in the penis to relax and fill with blood."
Why Your Cardio Fitness Dictates Your Bedroom Stamina
Another huge benefit of exercise? Better endurance during sex. According to Cohen, studies that measured oxygen consumption found that sexual activity is similar to climbing several flights of stairs. In other words, if you're out of breath after a few flights of stairs, that's probably not a great sign for your sex life.
But it's not just your cardiovascular endurance that can help your sex life. Strength training carries over to the bedroom, too.
"Being stronger, more flexible, and better conditioned can improve comfort, stamina, movement efficiency, and confidence during sexual activity," says Cohen. Specifically, he recommends targeting muscles like your core, hips, glutes, upper-body stabilizers, and pelvic floor.
After all, a lot of sexual positions are damn-near like gym exercises. So to help you boost your performance, we'll share some of the best moves in the gym that can massively support you in common "intimate" positions. (Just use your imagination.) Even better, they offer a great cardio benefit to get your heart pumping so you can pump more-elsewhere.
The Best Exercises to Spice Up Your Sex Life
How to Do Renegade Rows
- Start in a high plank, gripping a pair of hex dumbbells, with your feet set wide for stability.
- Keep your entire body taut from your shoulders to your glutes.
- Lower yourself into a controlled pushup, then press back up to a rigid plank.
- Maintaining square hips, row one dumbbell up to your ribcage, pause briefly, and return it to the floor.
- Perform another pushup, then row with the opposite arm to complete one rep.
How to Do Barbell Hip Thrusts
- Sit on the ground with your upper back against a bench and a barbell over your hips.
- Drive your hips up, squeezing your glutes until your torso is parallel to the ground.
- Lower your hips back down under control and repeat.
How to Do Zercher Squats
- Start with a barbell in the crook of your elbows and hands held together in front of your chest.
- Stand shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly out.
- Squat down by sitting back, spreading your knees, and keeping your weight on your heels.
- Once your hips are below parallel, drive through your heels and rise.
- Keep your lower back flat and your shoulder blades squeezed together throughout.
How to Do Stability Ball Jackknifes
- Get into a pushup position with your shins resting on a stability ball (or in TRX handles).
- Pull your knees to your chest in a controlled manner while keeping your upper body as still as possible.
- Return your lower body to the starting position and repeat.
How to Do Reverse Crunches
- Lie flat on your back with your arms at your sides for support.
- Bend your knees and lift your legs so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your calves are parallel.
- Engage your core and curl your hips off the floor, bringing your knees toward your chest.
- Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position without letting your lower back arch off the floor.
- Breathe in as you curl up and out as you lower.
Pro Tip: Use a band (as seen in the photo) for extra resistance.
Related: Male Fertility Is Quietly Declining-Now Men Are Trying to ‘Optimize' Their Sperm
How to Do Mountain Climbers
- Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
- Drive one knee up toward your chest as far as you can.
- As you extend that leg back to the starting position, immediately draw your opposite knee forward.
- That 1 rep. Continue alternating legs at a brisk, fluid pace.
How to Do Kettlebell Swings
- Stand with feet between hip- and shoulder-width apart and hold a kettlebell (or dumbbell) with both hands.
- Bend your hips back so the weight swings between your legs and behind you-keep your lower back in its natural arch without overarching.
- Now explosively extend your hips and allow the momentum to help you raise the weight to eye level.
How to Do Crab Walks
- Start in the crab position with your hands and feet flat on the ground, chest facing up, knees bent, hips an inch from the ground, arms straight, hands directly underneath your shoulders, and fingers pointing behind you.
- Crawl forward by taking a tiny step with your right arm and left leg at the same time, and then another step with your left arm and right leg.
- Alternate while keeping your hips low and your chest up.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 5:01 PM.