Q: I always stretch and warm up before working out. I constantly hear that sex is a workout. So, um, should I be warming up before sex? —Raymond S., Chesapeake, VA
A: Believe it or not, yes. A 2010 study found that about 18 million people, roughly a third of the country’s adult population, have suffered a sex-related injury. The top culprit? Pulled muscles. “Try some relaxation exercises,” advises Susan Block, Ph.D., a sexologist, sex therapist, and founder of her eponymous Institute for the Erotic Arts & Sciences. “Maybe a little yoga that emphasizes stretching.” She also recommends a massage, both giving and receiving. It’ll get those muscles loose and ready for action, and it won’t be as awkward as doing a bunch of quadriceps stretches as your partner watches.
