You stretch before a long walk or your cardio class at the gym. But what about before sex? “Stretching isn’t just about enhancing flexibility — it’s an essential activity that boosts blood

circulation and prepares the body for more enjoyable and comfortable intimate experiences,” in the bedroom, says Linda Borgmeyer, an occupational therapist, geriatric exercise specialist and

cofounder of Palm Beach, Florida, in-home physical therapy service Novoleo. Stretching before sex not only increases your range of motions, says Borgmeyer, you’ll be able to access more

positions more easily — making the experience all that much more enjoyable. Plus the old adage rings true, says Caryn McAllister, a physical therapist and president and CEO of High Quality

stretch allows your pelvic floor, hip adductors and deep gluteal muscles to relax. “When these are tight, movements needed for sexual activity can be painful,” says McAllister. A shallow

squat, she says, works to tighten those muscles, while a deep squat is a sex exercise that can relax them. To do a deep squat, spread your feet a little wider than hip distance apart and

slowly squat down as low as you can comfortably go. “Aim for your crotch/buttocks to be between 1-2 inches from the ground,” says McAllister. She notes, however, that if your pelvic floor,

hips or legs are tight, this might be difficult, so it’s important to listen to your body and not to push yourself too hard. For extra support, hold on to the bed while lowering into this

position, then relax into the stretch. “The last thing you want to do is injure yourself when you are trying to be limber for you-know-what!” jokes McAllister. Illustration: Vidhya Nagarajan

PIGEON POSE  This is a yoga position stretch that targets the deep glute muscles and relaxes the piriformis muscle, a flat, narrow muscle that runs from your lower spine through your butt

to the top of your thighs. Your piriformis extends to each side of the body and aids in almost every movement of your lower body. “The sciatic nerve most commonly runs underneath the

piriformis, and when the piriformis squeezes on the sciatic nerve, [this] can cause pain in the back running down the leg,” says McAllister. And this pain, she stresses, can cause anxiety

and get in the way of bedroom activities. She suggests staying ahead of butt muscle and piriformis tightness by practicing this sex workout daily. To perform a Pigeon pose, start on all

fours, then bring your right knee forward towards your right wrist. Next, slide your left leg back and point your toes, your heel pointing up to the ceiling. Scissor your hips together by

drawing your legs in towards each other. “Use support under your butt cheek if needed,” says McAllister. Lean over your front leg and breathe into the stretch. Try holding for 15-30 seconds.

Repeat with the other leg and do the whole sequence 2 to 4 times. Another variation of this is the Figure 4 Stretch, which McAllister deems “a light version of the Pigeon pose.” To do this

version, lie on your back with your legs bent and feet planted. Next lift one leg and place it over your opposite knee. Reach under that opposite knee and pull your leg towards you,

stretching the top leg. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. Do this with the other leg and rotate through the stretch with both legs 2 to 4 times.  Illustration: Vidhya Nagarajan HAMSTRING

STRETCH “Tight hamstrings are associated with low back pain, and low back pain is a common preventer of bedroom activities,” says McAllister. Thus, you want to keep them nice and limber. You

can do this sex exercise sitting or standing.  For a standing hamstring stretch, lean over and reach for your toes. “If you need to bend your knees slightly, go for it,” says McAllister. Be

careful not to push yourself too hard and overdo the stretch, so if you can’t reach your toes, that’s perfectly OK. “Muscles relax when given the opportunity to, but they tighten up if

pushed too hard too abruptly,” says McAllister. You can also perform this stretch while sitting. “Check in with your hamstrings and stretch them daily, holding for 15-30 seconds and

repeating 2-4 times,” McAllister adds.