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9 Workouts for Better Sex

Here, the fitness classes and crazes to help you tap into your sensual side, boost confidence and look good naked
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Burlesque
What It Is: Burlesque is a dance with roots in vaudeville performance. "There's a lot of stuff that calls itself 'burlesque' that would be better classified as 'go-go dancing' or 'dirty dancing,'" says Nicole LaBonde, burlesque instructor and creator of CA*BARRE*ET Fitness. Her hybrid burlesque-fitness class consists of a leg warm-up at the ballet barre, moving onto a vintage-inspired cardio dance session, where you learn full burlesque routines (which sometimes use fun props like chairs, boas and gloves). "We must remember, burlesque is about the tease," says LaBonde. "It's tongue-in-cheek."

Bedroom Benefits: Burlesque is great for women who need to work on their confidence when taking control in the bedroom (as opposed to being controlled). "Burlesque is not about him. It's about you: You in control, you feeling good, you expressing," says LaBonde. This is important for women who have a hard time putting their sexual needs first.

Burlesque also "emphasizes coordination and gracefulness, which help you carry yourself better in the bedroom," says LaBonde. "Developing a sense of your own sensuality, and knowing how you like to express that through your body, will lead to a healthier intimate life."

Who Should Do It: Burlesque choreography is simple and easy to pick up, but it's best suited to those with an interest in dance. The workout is aerobic and involves a lot of legwork, so women focused on toning their legs can especially benefit.

Pinned by: Kenra Winkler

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Barre
What It Is: "Barre workouts entail tweaked ballet moves, Pilates, light hand weights and deep stretches," explains barre instructor Jennifer McCamish of Dancers Shape studio. "After warming up the muscles, you work each body part to the point of fatigue -- starting with your arms, then moving on to thighs, glutes and hamstrings and finishing with your core." The workout incorporates a small range of precise, controlled motions to help stabilize joints and strengthen the core.

Bedroom Benefits: "Great sex is all about controlling the strength and flexibility around your hips and your pelvic floor," says McCamish. (The pelvic floor is the muscular area that contracts during orgasm -- "the better you can control these muscles, the better and more intense the orgasm," says McCamish). Barre's precise exercises acutely target these areas. Second Position alone works the inner thighs, glutes, quads, knees and pelvic floor -- all important for exploring "more adventurous sexual positions" and being able to hold them.

Who Should Do It: Women who are interested in a "longer, leaner, more lifted aesthetic," says founder of Miami's Barre Motion studio, Dr. Julie Jacko. "Women love it because of its excellent toning results," adds McCamish.

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Yoga
What It Is: In case no one ever laid it out for you, yoga is a spiritual and physical discipline involving breath control, meditation and postures.

Bedroom Benefits: You might not instantly connect the meditative nature of yoga with sex. But "by practicing yoga regularly, you can expect to have more awareness of your own body and feel more relaxed in the bedroom," says King. "This relaxation can lead to being more in tune with your body, which will help you achieve sexual satisfaction." Not to mention yoga "can improve your flexibility, stamina and staying power" -- great for broadening your repertoire of go-to sexual positions. For example, plank pose strengthens your core and shoulders, "which will help you stay on top longer and look good while doing it." The breath training in yoga can also help you last longer.

Who Should Do It: "Anyone looking to relieve stress, tension, anxiety and achieve more balance and physical fitness in their lives," says yoga instructor and co-founder of SweatGuru, Jaime King. It's also a good activity for people looking to improve their sex lives, who aren't comfortable using poles and boas to do so.

Credit: Top9HomeRemedies.com

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Belly Dance
What It Is: "Most classes include a dance-style warm-up, learning some techniques and moves, then doing follow-the-leader style dancing or learning choreography," explains Bollywood dancer and instructor Samira Shuruk. Picture those fun, sensual shimmy drills.

Bedroom Benefits: "Belly dance addresses self-confidence," says Shuruk. "It's very freeing for Western women especially, because it helps them 'make friends with their jiggle,' and let their bodies move in a sensual way." In everyday life, we have to tone down our sensuality, but "this dance form liberates sensuality in an empowering way."

Not to mention belly dance is a real workout. "It tones the entire core from thighs through torso... It's also a cardio-vascular workout, which can help with bedroom stamina," says Shuruk.

Who Should Do It: There are forms of belly dance that can appeal to almost any age and experience level, though the sensual, curve-flaunting movements can particularly benefit women who struggle with body image.

Pinned by: Nicole Wildman

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Pilates
What It Is: Pilates is a mat-based workout system involving exercises that strengthen and stretch the whole body, providing control, balance and body awareness. The exercises themselves aren't sexy, but the benefits can be.

Bedroom Benefits: "Pilates targets your core, strengthening your abs, back, butt and pelvic floor muscles," says Shuruk. So you can expect stronger orgasms. Since Pilates is such a great overall workout, you can also expect circulation improvements, great for "people who have blood flow issues in the pelvic region." Ultimately, the strong core gained specifically from Pilates helps you feel physically powerful, which can rejuvenate emotional and sexual power.

Who Should Do It: "Pilates has the reputation for sculpting hard-bodies," says Shuruk, who also teaches Pilates. But more importantly, it's also great for those looking to "relieve pain, keep back issues at bay and improve posture" -- all extremely important for enjoying intimacy, especially during and after middle age.

Pinned by: Diana L

BY AMANDA MONTELL | JUN 21, 2016 | SHARES
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