For athletes the answer is simple: mylėtis is not a competition so it is not a sport. But for those of us who are reluctant to put on our sneakers to run a half marathon, is it possible to combine business with pleasure?

If we are to believe the WHO (World Health Organization), physical activity includes leisure activities, trips by bicycle or on foot… but also “play activities”. To stay in good health, the institution also recommends practicing the equivalent of 2h30 of moderate endurance activity or 1h15 of intense activity per period of at least 10 minutes every week.

Kai mes tai žinomean average report lasts 7,3 minutes¹ (study carried out shows in hand) and that the French devote themselves to it a little more than once a week² (6 times a month), we are still far from the mark. But it doesn’t cost a thing to try.

Sex: a cardio training exercise like any other?

It goes without saying that science has been slow to take an interest in the exercise that has delighted us for millennia. The modest veil of morality was not lifted until 1956 in the United States, by Dr. Bartlett³. With a certain sense of observation, the scientist noted “A striking parallelism” between the physiological response of man and woman during intercourse. Both partners’ hearts beat faster and their breathing quickened, especially around the time of orgasm. 

But fans of the American series Sekso meistrai (Showtime, 2013) know that the scientific conclusions don’t end there. Far from being fictional characters, sex therapists William Masters and Virginia Johnson did indeed exist. In 1966, they reported the results of 11 years of study including nearly 700 women and men, aged 18 to 89.⁴. According to their observations, the respiratory rate increases gradually during intercourse until it reaches 40 cycles per minute (normal rate: 12 to 20 cycles / min) and the heart rate can climb to 110 to 180 beats per minute, with a peak during orgasm. We have here a first element of comparison with sport. But that’s without counting on the mystery ingredient … the aistra ! The two researchers are clear: the intensity of the physiological response is proportional to the degree of sexual tension.

What degree of intensity can we expect from a širdis ? To find out, a research team put 32 volunteers through a stress test.⁵. After making them climb on a conveyor belt, they gave them free rein to climb the curtains. Results: Lovers can expect to reach around 75% of their maximum heart capacity (heart rate and blood pressure) but are usually around 50%. Another conclusion of the study: the greater the resistance to physical effort, the greater the duration of the report is important (2,3 minutes of somersaults gained per minute of sport at maximum intensity performed). Physical training is therefore not trivial.

Rather fishing or hedge jumping?

Let’s say that a part of the leg in the air is a physical exercise. Is it more the equivalent of a good fishing trip or a 400-meter hurdle? According to women’s magazines, we burn on average 200 kcal during the frolic, 400 kcal for the most naughty.

But Julie Frappier, an anthropologist who graduated from the University of Quebec in Montreal, doesn’t just read magazines. However, in 2012, few studies established with precision energy spent under the duvet. She therefore decides to equip 21 young heterosexual couples with a connected bracelet.⁶. Their instructions are clear: to have sex a week for a month by activating the device during foreplay.  

Is “400 kcal sex” realistic? Not in line with the findings of the study. The energy expended would rather be around 100 kcal for men and 70 kcal for women. Or the equivalent of 25 cl of beer for the gentleman, and a glass of brut champagne for his partner …

And from a sporting point of view, where do we stand? The study suggests that a part of the leg in the air is a vidutinio intensyvumo veikla^*. By comparison, the intensity of the exercise would be higher than walking at 4.8 km / h but lower than jogging at 8 km / h. We are therefore talking about a good walk in the forest. 

For Julie Frappier and her colleagues, the act of love could be considered a significant physical exercise for health. If we stick to the recommendations of American health institutions⁷, it would take 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 5 times a week to maintain good physical shape. A moment of intimacy would spend a third of the energy and two thirds of the intensity^* a 30-minute session. Importantly, the study’s findings highlight that participants had much more fun to indulge in sexual activity than physical activity. Is this not the main thing?

*Light, moderate or intense physical exercise ? To determine the intensity of an exercise from the number of calories expended by an individual, scientists calculate the metabolic equivalent (Metabolic Equivalent of Task, MET) and compare the result to reference tables. For example, watching television is a 1 MET (light intensity) activity, "Žaibo" is 3,4 MET (moderate intensity) and push-ups is 10 MET (intense activity). Julie Frappier and her colleagues estimated the intensity of intercourse at 6 METs for men and 5,6 METs for women, or an activity of moderate intensity. In 2011, 821 everyday activities had their metabolic equivalent.