When you slid down the pole on the playground as a kid, did you ever turn around and climb back up? As you heaved your body upwards with the sheer strength of your arms and thighs, was there a moment when you hit a sweet spot and felt a rush between your legs? And then did you repeat those steps until the other kids waiting at the top lost their patience?
Well, we’re here to tell you, you were having an orgasm. Maybe your first one was a lot earlier than you thought.
This phenomenon is unofficially named a “coregasm” or, scientifically, an “exercise-induced orgasm” (EIO). Other orgasms occur because of friction on the genitals, penetration or sexual thoughts, but that’s rarely necessary for exercise-induced orgasms. Specific muscles usually have to be engaged for the magic to happen.
Not everyone experiences orgasm or sexual pleasure through exercise. Those who do have EIOs (including all genders) often say exercises that are demanding of core abdominal muscles do the trick if they are sustained long enough or done just right. This is why people often stumble upon an exercise-induced orgasm by accident at the gym or while playing in childhood.
What works for someone else might not work for you, but here are some exercises that commonly cause EIOs:
- Rope, pole or tree climbing
- Leg raises and knee ups on the Captain’s Chair or lying down
- Sit ups and crunches
- Lifting weights
- Pull ups
People have reported orgasms in other activities too, from treadmill walking to vacuuming, but the common ones listed above all share one thing: they intensely activate core muscles.
What can we learn from this?
- Not all orgasms are caused by intrinsically sexual activity or thoughts.
- Some bodies are capable of all sorts of orgasms that require more creativity than old mate penetration.
- More research certainly needs to be done to understand and maximise our orgasmic potential.
Oh, and exercise can be fun. Who knew?