Six easy exercises to fire up your sex life AND save your marriage by expert health and fitness coach Adam Richardson

Can certain exercises improve your sex life? Do bedroom shenanigans usually involve sleeping? According to Adam Richardson, personal trainer and fitness expert and author of How To Build A Body That Lasts, it’s more complicated than that.

He says: ‘If you are going to satisfy your partner and enjoy yourself, you need a body that will move well. It’s the most intimate time you’ll have with someone, and you have to trust your body not to let you down.’

We don’t think that being unfit can hinder our love life, but as 30-year-old Adam says, ‘There are many people who are afraid to sneeze because they are afraid of rejection.’

You don’t want to be one of those people. Read on for the six steps Adam should take for great sex.

1. Get your hips moving

This is numero uno for both men and women. I think we can all imagine why hip thrust is an important part of making love. But it’s not just the actual form of movement that matters.

Healthy hips have the ability to move smoothly in and out of range (from what is known as forward to backward tilt). The glute bridge is a type of hip thrust that helps increase strength and is great for building amazing abs – great and effective equipment.

The glutes (your glutes) are the largest muscles in the body, and we couldn’t walk without them, let alone give birth, so it’s a good idea to give them some TLC. Just lie down, lift your heels up, then lift your hips off the floor and squeeze your glutes – feel those muscles work! Then lower down slowly. Repeat until you are tired.

2. Start squatting

There is a saying, ‘Strong thighs prolong life,’ and it is true. Most of us squat hundreds of times a day without realizing it, when we sit and rise from a chair – but if we have higher aspirations, such as a healthy love life, the ability to make a deep change – sitting down in a low place, without feeling like we’re going to bump into each other – it’s very important. And two or three or as many sets as you can will boost your heart health and upper body.

In addition, the squat engages all the muscles of the legs and hips. Even holding a deep squat for a minute or two does wonders for your lower body mobility, and that translates well into the bedroom. Do the squat in the right way for your natural shape – some suit a wide squat, for others a narrow one is more comfortable.

3. Strengthen your lower back

Gently bend at the knees, then lean forward from the hips, pushing your bottom back – as if trying to make your back as big as possible. This is a hip-hinge movement and has many benefits in bed, and out of it. You stretch the hamstrings (back of the thighs) and glutes, and keep your upper and lower body still.

Learning to move your hips in this position is actually good for sex – not because it strengthens your walls. It is also great if you suffer from back pain. Back pain can make you afraid to move – not good for a passionate encounter – but this exercise strengthens your lower back.

Start gently, by tilting your pelvis forward and back. Or move around, swinging your hips in a circle.

4. Around the floor

This exercise improves the range of motion of the lower back in just five minutes a day. And with more flexibility in the hips, it can reduce the chance of you exercising while enjoying yourself in bed. Before you float on the sofa – sit down.

After a few minutes, you will probably feel uncomfortable and need to change position. And by doing so, you naturally move your body in ways that you wouldn’t in everyday life – all of which make for better mobility in the bedroom. You can sit down on the floor with your feet, or on your knees sitting down on your heels – try not to make it difficult, but more variety is better – this is where the benefit comes from.

5. Do downward dog

This is great for building strength in your arms (no backbends). It’s also great for increasing strength in your shoulders and elbows, preparing you for any compromising position you find yourself in. bend your knees if it hurts to stretch your legs).

We don’t have to keep our backs stiff, and doing so reduces our sensual movements. Your spine is made up of 33 bones with joints in between, all of which can bend or ‘talk’. And downward dog is very good for improving the spine and extension.

For stronger abs and improved shoulder stability, transition between downward dog and cobra – lie down on your stomach, place your hands on the floor to follow your shoulders, and, until you feel comfortable, raise your chest your down, back. These steps help you feel more in control of your body, which has such an impact. It’s not about looking a certain way, it’s about trusting your body and feeling good about it. And of course, body confidence is pretty cool.

6. Enter your steps

Worst workout of all time? Walking. It might not seem to directly affect your love life – but no one wants a partner who can’t last more than a minute in bed. And if you breathe, sweat in the first 30 seconds, it is possible that your other half will remain dissatisfied.

If you enjoy aerobic exercise – running, skipping, cycling – it’s amazing. If you don’t, walking is an easy, effective way to improve heart health, whether it’s a brisk and gentle walk or on the treadmill. Find your steps. You owe it to yourself – and your partner.

How to Build a Lasting Body – Exercise for Longevity, Strength and Health, by Adam Richardson, Century, £16.99, out now