A new study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior provides the most detailed account to date of women’s experiences with orgasms that occur during physical exercise. Through in-depth interviews, researchers found that these experiences often begin in childhood, are felt as a deep, internal sensation, and can be integrated into a person’s sexual life. This work builds on more than a decade of research that challenges the common understanding of orgasm as a strictly sexual event.
The research was conducted by a team at The Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University, led by Debby Herbenick, a prominent sexuality researcher. The scientific rationale for these studies stems from a desire to understand the full spectrum of human orgasmic response. Before this work began, the phenomenon was mostly a subject of popular curiosity, often called a “coregasm” in magazines and online forums because of its frequent association with abdominal workouts.
While orgasm is almost exclusively discussed in sexual contexts, historical medical literature and early sexuality research, like the Kinsey reports, had occasionally noted orgasms occurring during non-sexual activities. However, these observations were limited, and a scientific gap remained between the popular buzz and empirical evidence. By systematically investigating this phenomenon, the researchers hoped to gain a clearer picture of the physiological and psychological processes of orgasm, independent of sexual fantasy or direct genital stimulation.
This line of inquiry began with a foundational study in 2011. The researchers conducted an anonymous, internet-based survey of 530 women who had experienced either orgasm or sexual pleasure during exercise. The goal was to systematically describe a phenomenon that had, until then, been confined to popular media articles and scattered case reports. This initial study was exploratory, aiming to identify which exercises were most commonly associated with these experiences and what the experiences felt like for the women involved.
The findings from that first survey established a baseline understanding. Among women who reported exercise-induced orgasms, the most common activities were abdominal exercises, climbing poles or ropes, and lifting weights. A large portion of these women reported feeling self-conscious about their experience, particularly when exercising in public.
The data also showed that sexual thoughts or fantasies were rarely associated with these orgasms, suggesting the experience was primarily physiological rather than psychological in origin. For women who experienced sexual pleasure without orgasm, biking or spinning was frequently identified, along with abdominal exercises and weight lifting.
Seeking to understand the prevalence of this phenomenon in the general population, the research team conducted a follow-up study using data from the 2014 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior. This survey involved a nationally representative probability sample of over 2,000 U.S. adolescents and adults, allowing for a much broader and more generalizable analysis. This study was the first to provide population-level estimates for exercise-induced orgasm and included men in its analysis.
The 2021 study revealed that approximately 9% of the survey respondents reported having experienced an orgasm during exercise at least once in their lifetime. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence between men and women. The researchers did find a gender difference in the age of first experience, with women reporting a mean age of about 23, while men reported a mean age of about 17.
The types of exercises associated with the first experience were consistent with the 2011 findings and included abdominal exercises, climbing, and weight lifting for both genders. The analysis also identified an association between having an exercise-induced orgasm and having an orgasm during sleep, but not with having an orgasm during a recent partnered sexual event.
The most recent study, published in 2025, moved from quantitative surveys to qualitative interviews to capture the rich, lived experiences of women. The research team conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 women, ranging in age from 19 to 68, who had a history of exercise-induced orgasms. The interviews took place in a setting equipped with exercise mats and a Roman chair, allowing participants to demonstrate, if they felt comfortable, the specific movements that led to their experiences. This method allowed for a detailed exploration of their personal histories, physical sensations, and emotional responses.
A key finding from these interviews was that the first experience with exercise-induced arousal or orgasm often occurred during childhood or early adolescence. Many women recalled feeling these sensations as young as five or six years old while climbing poles on a playground, doing gymnastics, or performing sit-ups in physical education class.
At the time, they were often confused by the sensations, with several participants describing the initial feeling as a sense that they needed to urinate. They lacked a framework for understanding what was happening to their bodies, but they recognized the feeling was pleasurable and, in some cases, sought to reproduce it.
The participants often described an “aha” moment, which typically occurred later in adolescence or adulthood, when they gained more sexual knowledge from peers, media, or their own sexual experiences. It was at this point they connected their childhood sensations with the concept of arousal and orgasm. One woman recounted how making out with someone for the first time made her realize, “This is the same feeling, how strange.” This moment of recognition helped them make sense of a long-standing, and sometimes bewildering, bodily experience.
The interviews provided detailed descriptions of how an exercise-induced orgasm feels physically. Many women characterized it as a deep, internal sensation, originating in the lower abdomen between the belly button and the pelvis. They often contrasted this with orgasms from direct clitoral stimulation, which they described as more external.
Some participants noted a progression of sensations, starting with a warmth or tingling in their core that would build and radiate downward. The experience was often predictable, with women learning that orgasm would occur after a certain number of repetitions of an exercise, such as after 50 leg lifts or during the third set of pull-ups.
The emotional responses to these experiences were complex and often evolved over time. Embarrassment and shame were common, especially when the orgasms occurred in public spaces like a gym or during a group fitness class. Participants worried that others might notice their facial expressions or hear them make sounds.
Some developed strategies to mask the experience, like keeping a serious facial expression, or to avoid it altogether by choosing different exercises. These feelings were sometimes rooted in cultural or familial taboos around sexuality, which made experiencing an orgasm in a non-sexual, public setting feel inappropriate or wrong.
Despite these negative feelings, many women came to accept and even enjoy their ability to have orgasms through exercise. Some viewed it as a motivator to work out, an “added perk at the end of the 100 reps.” Others described it as an empowering experience that gave them a sense of control over their own pleasure, independent of a partner. One woman explained that if she was not getting the attention she needed from her husband, exercise was another way to achieve the stress release of an orgasm.
A significant finding was how some women integrated their knowledge of exercise-induced orgasms into their sexual lives. After learning which muscle contractions produced pleasure during exercise, they were able to apply similar movements during partnered sex. One participant explained that she could tense her core muscles to achieve a stronger or faster orgasm, sometimes allowing her to climax at the same time as her partner. For some, exercise became a form of masturbation or foreplay, and for one woman, it was the only way she had been able to experience orgasm until recently.
These studies have some limitations. The initial survey used a convenience sample, which cannot be used to determine prevalence. The new qualitative study involved a small number of participants who were mostly young, white, and living in the United States, so their experiences may not reflect those of a more diverse population. Future research is needed to explore these experiences among men, gender-diverse individuals, people from different cultural backgrounds, and older adults.
A major direction for future research is to understand the physiological mechanism behind exercise-induced orgasms. It is still not known precisely how muscle contractions during certain exercises trigger an orgasmic response.
Subsequent studies could involve biomechanical analysis, neuro-imaging, or other physiological measures to investigate the roles of muscle tension, nerve pathways, and the sympathetic nervous system. A better understanding of the mechanism could have practical applications for physical therapists, personal trainers, and even military personnel who must pass rigorous fitness tests.
The study, “Exercise-induced orgasm and pleasure among women,” was authored by Debby Herbenick and J. Dennis Fortenberry.
The study, “Exercise-Induced Orgasm and Its Association with Sleep Orgasms and Orgasms During Partnered Sex: Findings From a U.S. Probability Survey,” was authored by Debby Herbenick, Tsung-chieh Fu, Callie Patterson, and J. Dennis Fortenberry.
The study, “Women’s Experiences with Exercise-Induced Orgasm: Findings from Qualitative Interviews,” was authored by Debby Herbenick, Callie Patterson Perry, J. Dennis Fortenberry, Ruhun Wasata, Jodi Wilson, Owen Miller, Kayla Willens, Alyssa Williams, and Georgia Frey.
