Can yoga really improve your sex life? You bet it can. Yoga is so beneficial not just on the mat but outside in the real world too. If you don’t practice yoga regularly, perhaps this is your hint to get into it. Regardless of how much or little you practice yoga, these stretches can certainly spice things up and make your time between the sheets more interesting, exciting, and well, relaxed.
How can yoga improve your sex life?
Yoga has a number of benefits that can improve your sex life so the next time that you’re on the mat, be sure to take what you learn when flowing through your practice into the bedroom.
Flexibility
The most commonly thought of benefit of yoga for sex is flexibility. While being flexible is not necessary in order to have great sex, it certainly can help spice things up between the sheets and make things more interesting. Flexibility can allow you to not only try new sex positions but stretching and being more active in general increases oxygen and blood flow, which is good for added sensations throughout your body.
Strength
Yoga helps strengthen your body overall which means you could try some more difficult positions if that’s what interests you. Many yoga poses also engage and strengthen your pelvic floor, the group of muscles that contract during female orgasm. It’s quite common to hear that having stronger pelvic floor muscles means that your orgasms are better, but there isn’t proof that this is true. Either way, having a strong pelvic floor is beneficial (especially as you age) and you can be the judge as to whether or not your orgasms improve or not.
Communication
Yoga draws extra attention to your body in a way that many types of exercise don’t. Yoga is about connecting your mind, body, and soul, and being aware of how you feel both mentally and physically in each pose and as you move. Through your yoga practice you’ll be able to notice how you feel in each pose, which easily translates into the bedroom. The better you’re able to understand your thoughts and how your body feels in a given position means that you’ll be able to use the same practice in bed. The better you’re able to understand and communicate with yourself, the better you’ll be able to communicate with your partner. And as we all know, communication is key in the bedroom to ensure that all parties are having a good time.
Reduced Anxiety and Stress
There’s no argument that yoga assists greatly in reducing anxiety and stress. And do you know what happens more easily with lower levels of anxiety and stress? Orgasms. Sex is just as connected to our minds as it is to our bodies. The more mindful you can be means the better orgasms you can have. Practicing yoga means that you’ll be able to carry any mindfulness techniques you learn on the mat into the bedroom too. Yoga is great at getting you out of your head and into your body. And when having sex or about to be getting it on means that getting out of your head, forgetting about what’s on your mind for now, and focusing on your body is essential for a pleasurable experience.
Can I use these yoga poses as sex positions?
Most of them, yes! While each pose was picked specifically for stretching to make sex great, most also double as literal positions for sex. It’s indicated at the end of each pose if it’s ideal as a sex position or not.
Yoga Poses to Improve Your Sex Life Video
I break down the top 7 yoga poses that are amazing for stretching your way into a better sex life. Don’t love video? Each pose is described with a picture below.
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Yoga Poses for Better Sex
Trying adding one or a few of these yoga poses for sex into your stretching routine (or just do them in the morning or before bed) to help improve your sex life.
Reclined Butterfly
Reclined butterfly is a great position as it helps flexibility in your hips and is a very vulnerable position as your heart, tummy, and sex organs are exposed, all parts of your body that are normal to tend to close off and want to hide and/or protect. Reclined butterfly can open you up and bring you and your partner, quite literally, closer.
Begin lying on your back. Bring the soles of your feet to touch and allow your knees to fall open to either side. The closer you bring your heels to your groin the more intense the stretch will be in your groin, inner thighs, and hips. The further away you push your heels, the more relaxed it will feel (but don’t worry, you’ll still be stretching!).
Allow your arms to span out from your sides, palms facing up or bring one hand to your tummy, your other hand to your heart. Relax into the mat and hold for 10 deep breaths.
A variation with the assistance of props can be used if you find holding this pose for long too intense on your knees or hips is to place a block or pillow under each knee or outer thigh.
And yes, reclined butterfly is great in bed as a variation of missionary position.
Happy Baby
Happy baby is another ideal position as it also doubles as a variation of missionary. It’s a great pose for relaxation and also stretches your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
Being lying on your back and hug your knees into your chest. Allow your thighs to widen to either side of your stomach. Keeping the tops of your thighs parallel to the ground, extend the soles of your feet towards the sky and grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands. Gently pull your feet as you guide your knees closer to the ground for a deeper stretch.
Hold for 10 breaths in stillness or rocking gently from side to side. Option to extend one leg, then the other, or both.
If holding the outer edges of your feet is intense, try holding the inside edges instead or the backs of your thighs.
In bed, from happy baby you can wrap your legs around your partner for added intimacy in missionary or extend your legs towards your head and place your legs on your partner’s shoulders for deeper penetration.
Bridge Pose
Bridge pose is one of the best yoga poses for strengthening your pelvic floor which is important for your health as you get older, not just for sex! Bridge also helps to strengthen your glutes and hamstrings, and stretches your hip flexors. All of this strengthening and stretching can aid in sustaining certain positions for longer.
Begin by lying on your back with your feet planted on the mat, about hip-width distance apart, toes pointing towards the top of your mat. Have your arms lying long by your sides. Press into your feet evenly and lift your bum off of the mat, pushing your hips towards the ceiling, engaging your glutes and hamstrings.
Engage your inner thighs by pushing into an imaginary block or book between your thighs. Hold for 10 breaths or move your hips up and down, releasing your back onto the mat before lifting once again with each long breath. Inhale to lift, exhale to release, slowly.
Bridge pose is also a great option as a sex position. For added ease, place a pillow under the receiver’s bum to prop your hips up for a supported bridge so you don’t have to hold bridge for a long period of time. Bridge pose is said to be great for g-spot stimulation.
Downward Facing Dog
Downward facing dog is a great pose to warm up for sex as it is an inversion, which gets blood flow going, and stretches your hamstrings. It’s a great pose to do especially after a day of sitting.
Begin on your hands and knees. Tuck your toes and while firmly pushing into both hands, raise your hips up and back. Keep your knees as bent as feels good with a slight micro bend in your elbows.
Allow your head to hang naturally in line with your spine. Push your hands into the mat and pull your tailbone back in the opposite direction to lengthen and stretch your spine. Feel your sit bones spread wide. Hold for 10 breaths.
Downward dog itself can also be used as a position during sex as a variation of doggy-style. Be sure to only do this on a grippy surface and be sure to communicate intensity with your partner to avoid falling and/or injury.
Child’s Pose
Child’s pose is amazing for reducing stress and anxiety as it is a very grounding pose that opens your hips in a gentle way.
Start with your shins on the mat, sitting on your heels. Bring your knees to the edges of your mat and walk your hands forward until your forehead and your chest come to the mat. If your bum comes off of your heels and it’s uncomfortable, place a rolled blanket or towel between the backs of your thighs and calves to sit on.
Hold for 10 breaths as you allow yourself to melt into the mat and release any worries.
As for using this pose during sex, it’s a top option for anal play.
Cat/Cow Pose
Cat and cow poses warm up and help flexibility in your spine, as well as strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Start on all fours with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips stacked over your knees. Inhale, allow your belly to melt towards the mat as you look forward and your chest opens. Exhale, pull your belly button towards your spine as your head falls towards the ground and the space between your shoulder blades reaches up.
Repeat this pattern 10 times or as many times as feels good.
Cat pose is in other words, doggy-style for the receiver. It’s a great option for greater penetration for both vaginal and anal sex.
Pigeon Pose
There’s no doubt that having tight hips can limit what’s available to you in the bedroom in terms of positions and it can also make things uncomfortable. Pigeon is a great pose for loosening up your hips and bringing you into the moment, fully aware of your body, which is great to be aware of when doing the deed too.
From your hands and knees, bring your right knee behind your right wrist, allowing your right shin to rest at a 45-degree angle, parallel to the top of the mat, or somewhere in between (whatever feels good and is accessible to you).
Walk your left toes back, as far as you can, and is comfortable. This is pigeon pose. You can stay here and if your left bum cheek doesn’t touch the ground and it’s uncomfortable, you can place a block, pillow, or blanket under your cheek for added support. Keep your hips square to the front of your mat and breathe.
There is also the option to take it further and come down onto your forearms or stack your hands on top of each other and rest your forehead on them. Hold for 10 breaths and breathe deeply into where you feel the stretch the most. Repeat on the opposite side.
If this doesn’t feel accessible to you, try reclined pigeon. Lay on your back, knees bent, and feet on the floor. Cross your right ankle over your left knee with a flexed foot. Reach your right hand through your legs and your left hand around the outside of your left thigh to clasp your hands behind your thigh or on top of your shin. Gently pull your left leg towards you. Hold for 10 breaths and then repeat on the other side.
Neither of these poses are recommended as a sex position, just for stretching!
Give these poses a go and see how your body feels on and off the mat, in and out of bed! Enjoy getting frisky!
Yoga for Better Sex Flow
Combine all of these poses and more into a juicy 30-minute yoga practice.