This week, Sports Illustrated model Jessica White said in an interview that she once came while doing squats at the gym with her personal trainer. 'He’s the only trainer that’s gotten my ass out of the bed at like 7 a.m.,' she told Bikini.com. 'I was doing these squats one time, and I was like, "Oh my God, this is orgasmic.". Maybe I was squeezing, and doing my kegels? I don’t know what it was … but I had to go to the bathroom. That’s when I realized my body was bigger than me.'
Turns out, she's not the only one. After a brief whip round the Debrief office, it turned out pretty much everyone knows someone who knows someone who had a big ole O while working out. And after a brief google, it turned out that it's actually a thing and is known as EIO (exercise induced orgasm); in 1953, Alfred Kinsey wrote in Sexual Behaviour In The Human Female that 5% of women orgasm while exercise. Whether from crunches, Spin class or squats - it certainly got us asking a lot of questions.
What's the best exercise I can do to make myself come?
If you fancy have a go on yourself at the gym, then according to a study conducted by Indiana University a few years ago, abdominal exercises are the way to go. The next most popular orgasm work out was weight lifting, followed by yoga, cycling and running. Climbing poles and ropes also got an honorary mention, and after a brief search on Reddit, we can confirm that a fair few guys have had orgasms rubbing up and down those ropes. The fact that running is on that list is a little bit off - as someone who regularly goes running and fucking hates it, I can't fathom how anyone would get off from being that bored. But different strokes (literally) for different folks. One thing though: a strong pelvic floor also seems to be key, so get squeezing those kegals, yeah?
Of course, 'abdominal exercises' is a bit vague so thankfully, the study went into specifics - and it's specifically the 'captain's chair' that is most likely to get you off. The one that looks like this:
Maybe next time you're at the gym, get someone to show you how to work it? Honorary mentions also go to abdominal cycling, where you lie on your back and pedal the air with your legs. Or you could just go home and use a vibrator.
Why does this happen?
Interestingly, it's purely physical. The research found that most of the women weren't fantasizing or thinking dirty thoughts, but got orgasms mainly from what's going on with their bodies. Known as a 'coregasm', it's all down to the abdominal contractions that come from, erm , abdominal exercises (obviously) and many women report that it happens after a fair few reps when their stomachs are knackered and they're totally not thinking about sexy things. It triggers an orgasmic contraction partly because of the physical muscle contractions you've been doing, and partly because exercise boosts serotonin which creates the perfect climate for an O.
Sometimes, though, you can get a clitoral orgasm from the tight clothes, rubbing a certain way on the saddle during spin, or having your pants bunch up. All fairly self explanatory.
What does a coregasm feel like?
From reading a lot of womens' experiences, it feels different from the intensity of a clitoral orgasm but rather like your entire pelvis is coming. It can also go on for ages, according to this woman who had one and consequently did loads of research on it for MindGreen. She writes:
'A clitoral orgasm has a distinct build, climax, and then clear descent — similar to a penile orgasm. But a coregasm is more like an "expanded orgasm" — a term coined by Patricia Taylor in 1995 in her book Expanded Orgasm, based on her Ph.D. research on intense sexual experiences. In this type of orgasm, the pleasure contractions are felt in the abdomen, inner thighs and can extend to other parts of the body as well. Taylor describes women reaching altered states of consciousness, experiencing emotional release, and having profound spiritual experiences from these orgasms. Another benefit of the coregasm is that it can last for a long time, some reporting that it keeps going for hours.'
Despite the gym being one of the least likely place I will ever have an orgasm, second only to 'the frontline of a war', I can't deny that sounds excellent. And sort of made everyone in the office want to quietly sign up for a few core classes.
See you at the gym, then.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.