As you sit on your couch reading this you might be thinking to yourself, I should really get up and do some of that exercise that’s all the rage these days. Well, researchers might offer a glimmer of hope for those uninclined to join a gym.
Anyone who has enjoyed a sweaty night with a great partner knows how great that out of breath feeling can be. But how does it compare to a traditional session at the gym? Professor Kevin Netto puts it this way:
“[I]f you believe exercise should change human physiology for the better, in the long term, then perhaps no. This is because, for most of us, sex isn’t sustained long enough nor occurs frequently enough for a true physiological change to happen in the long term.”
Ok, so in the short term sex can get your blood going, but it’s no long term strategy for getting buff. What about solo love? Netto says this:
“What about masturbation? Increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure have been reported during masturbation. But both the level and duration of these increases weren’t as high or long as with intercourse. Judging by measurements of heart rate, masturbation really only equates to light exercise, such as slow walking.”
There you have it couch potatoes. If you need to get your heart pumping try a little love making or onanism, but if you want to stay in shape long term don’t give up that gym membership just yet.
h/t Raw Story