Fitness and Sex: Reclaiming Bodily Agency
Let’s talk about sex. At TA, we have many conversations about embracing the hard truth, in order to know who we are in our skin and have a foundation from which we can grow. Sex is only just beginning to enter the wellness space as an integral part of holistic health. We tend to focus on exercise, diet, and sleep (and recently, mental health has entered the conversation in meaningful ways). But sex? We rarely talk about sexuality as an integrated part of total-body wellness.
Stripping the layers of taboo from this topic would require an entire thesis, but the hope is to gently illuminate and inspire more awareness around the way sex affects how we exist in our bodies, in ways that are linked to all other aspects of our health.
Sexuality and Physical Wellness
The Tracy Anderson Method is all about integrating and harmonizing the mind, body, and soul. As part of the physical human experience, sexuality requires care and personal investment. This isn’t anything new. In fact, sexual health is an ancient concept. The teachings of Ayurveda, a natural system of medicine that originated in India more than 3,000 years ago, recognize sexual well-being as a pillar of a healthy life.
In Ayurvedic practice, there is a concept called ojas. Ojas is often defined as vitality, vigor, creational power, or life-force. It’s a kind of energy that is considered to boost fertility, sexual prowess, confidence, and attraction. Ayurveda affirms that your ojas is high when you live a healthy life, fuel your body with nourishing food, and get quality sleep. In contrast, ojas is said to decrease if we neglect our bodies, allow stress to accumulate, and consume processed foods. In this way, sexuality can be seen as a dynamic force that is woven into the fabric of your physical, mental, and spiritual wellness.
We at TA strive to decompartmentalize our health. That means seeing every part of the human experience as integrated elements of the same whole. Our sexual health is often kept for the privacy of the bedroom or the doctor’s office. But as with exercise, nutrition, and sleep, sex is a question of showing up for your body consistently, and adopting a holistic approach.
Reclaiming Bodily Agency
The World Health Organization says it best: Sexual health is “a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence.”
Bearing this in mind, sexual health is not just about physical wellness—it’s a question of mindfulness, emotion, connection, and intuition. It’s really about having a conversation with your body, trusting your instincts, and fortifying the mind-body connection (things we cultivate in the practice of the Tracy Anderson Method). Especially in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, nurturing our relationship to our sexuality is more important than ever, as we navigate questions of reproductive health and justice.
Fitness and Pleasure
Now for the fun part! Movement is the cornerstone of the Tracy Anderson Method, so it’s interesting to explore the exciting relationship between exercise and sexual well-being.
Stress reduction
Most of us know that exercise produces endorphins, which reduces feelings of stress and anxiety. That directly impacts the quality of your sex life. Studies have shown that cortisol—nicknamed the “stress hormone”—actually lowers your libido. For men, that could entail erectile dysfunction. For women, that means less feelings of arousal, which could lead to physically uncomfortable or unsatisfactory sexual experiences.
Desire
Sexual desire is a complex balance between feeling attraction, and feeling attractive. When we feel good about ourselves, we automatically operate from a healthy mindset of abundance, and allow ourselves to feel desire. Working out is not about achieving a specific body. At TA, we celebrate bodily awareness and intelligence that empowers you inside your body. When you exercise regularly, you reclaim your physical self, and thereby take ownership over your sexuality.
The Big O
Regular exercise induces stronger orgasms. Movement increases circulation and blood flow throughout your body. Good circulation increases sensation, so you can imagine the possibility for pleasure increases exponentially with healthy blood flow. In addition, having a strong pelvic floor and leg muscles is associated with more intense orgasms.
The relationship between sexual health and fitness is multidimensional, and we hope this gives you food for thought to expand your definition of holistic health. Explore the Tracy Anderson Online Studio for a diverse bank of empowering workouts. It’s total-body health, from the inside out.
