Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Sex and Relationships
Jess Hardiman
We’ve all heard that sex can burn the odd calorie or two, but some moves are going to be more effective than others when it comes to getting a good workout in bed.
To find out what works best once and for all, the folk at men’s digital health clinic From Mars have crunched the numbers to create a ‘Sexercise Calculator’, helping you work out which sex positions burn the most calories.
From Doggy Style and Reverse Cowgirl, your favourite moves may be burning more calories than you realise – some burning up to 211 calories in just half an hour. Definitely beats sweating it out at a HIIT class, doesn’t it?
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From Mars said: “From running and cycling to lifting weights and exercise classes there are many ways to shift that extra weight. But what about sex? We wanted to find out how many calories sex can burn on average, split by position and duration as well as looking into the impact weight can have on your sex life.
“That’s why here at From Mars we have looked into which sex positions are most likely to take inches off your waistline. You can also use our calculator to estimate how many calories you could burn in a single steamy session!”
The Butter Churner – 211 calories
At the top of the list, this one is a move that’s also known as the ‘squat thruster’. It sees the woman lying on her back with her legs raised above and behind her head, with the man penetrating from above – a set-up that works out best when it comes for burning calories, compared to other moves.
From Mars said: “This position comes first on our list, burning the most calories for men at 211 for every half hour of sex, or 7 calories every minute.”
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Standing – 198 Calories
Standing is the second-best sex position when it comes to burning calories, but while it may boast strong exercise potential, the same can’t be said for pleasure.
From Mars said: “Behind the butter churner, burning 198 calories every 30 minutes, or 6.6 for every minute of sex, is the standing position.
“However, according to previous research, this position results in one of the lowest rates of orgasms for women at only 17%.”
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Doggy Style – 182 calories
Doggy Style is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin, with the woman on all fours while being penetrated from behind. And it's as good for burning calories as it is for orgasm, with From Mars saying: “Completing the top three positions is doggy style, with 182 calories burned for men, which makes 6.1 per minute.
“According to previous research, doggy style is the position that makes the most women orgasm, at 79%.”
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Sixty-Nine – 78 calories
This one may be a popular move, but it won’t be burning many calories compared to some of the others. However, the benefit here is that it's all about mutual benefits, as it involves both partners giving oral sex on one another simultaneously, their bodies entwined to resemble the number 69.
Reverse Cowgirl – 48 calories
While the Cowgirl burns just 39 calories, flip things round to Reverse Cowgirl and you’ll shed an extra nine calories per half hour. Both are relatively low impact, taking the lowest and second-lowest spots on the list, followed by The Squat, which burns 50 calories.
Try the Sex Calculator out for yourself here.