Running, squats, and orgasms—why exercise can spark unexpected pleasure
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“[Exercise-induced orgasms] is something that’s actually pretty common. We do not have a ton of research on it, but the research we do have shows that about 10% of women will experience it and about 8% of men.” — Tommy Martin, MD
Find more of your peers' perspectives and insights below.
If you’ve treated patients who orgasm during intense physical activity, you’re not alone. In a now-viral Instagram Reel, internal medicine and pediatric physician Tommy Martin, MD, shared a surprising and often misunderstood phenomenon: “coregasms”—orgasms that can happen during exercise. Sounds wild, right? But it’s more common than you might think, especially during intense workouts like weightlifting, running, or core exercises.
Exercise-induced orgasms (EIO), also known as coregasms, aren’t new, but they’re rarely discussed. According to Dr. Martin, they're caused by increased intra-abdominal pressure, which can stimulate the vagus nerve, leading to a pleasurable response.
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What's also interesting is that while only 23% of women in one study experienced orgasms during exercise, around 46% of participants reported experiencing sexual pleasure while working out, even if they didn’t orgasm.[]
For most, coregasms aren’t harmful, but they can definitely be confusing or a little embarrassing. The key takeaway here? It’s a totally natural response to physical exertion. However, for healthcare providers, understanding what’s going on can help patients feel more comfortable discussing it. It’s all about making sure they know it’s normal and nothing to be alarmed about.
It’s definitely a topic that might raise a few eyebrows, but it’s also something more people are experiencing than we might realize.
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