Fitness

I nearly had a ‘coregasm’ in my fitness class — the triggering exercise I now have to avoid

Published

5 months ago

January 29, 2026

I nearly had a ‘coregasm’ in my fitness class — the triggering exercise I now have to avoid

A model was left red-faced after almost nearly climaxing in her Pilates class while engaging her core.

Fitness model Sarah Lloyd is no stranger to intense training, having competed in ultramarathons and being an avid gymgoer.

The 25-year-old, who hits the gym every day without fail, normally loves working out — but during a recent group session, she “panicked” after a specific ab exercise saw her oxytocin levels rise as she fought back an orgasm.

Lloyd was so “freaked out” by the experience that she is now too afraid to try the same exercise again.

“I found out about my magic orgasm technique by accident,” said the influencer, who has 131,000 Instagram followers.

“I work out every day; normally, I’ll just hit the gym, but occasionally I’ll take a group class.”

It was at a group class that things started to go a bit different.

“We were doing leg raises and after doing about 10 of them, I started to feel a tingle in my body,” she said. “I thought, ‘Surely that’s not how it’s meant to feel?’

“I was sweating and could feel a similar sensation to what I’d normally experience in bed. As I noticed the climax building, I panicked and had to stop. I don’t know if my heavy breathing gave me away.

“Obviously it felt good — but not right for ab exercises in a gym!”

Coregasms

Nicknamed “coregasms,” exercise-induced orgasms are fairly rare — but certainly not unheard of. Debby Herbenick, a sex researcher and author of “The Coregasm Workout,” estimates that roughly 10% of people have them.

“They generally feel similar to orgasms from vaginal intercourse, but they tend to be more dull, less intense and more tingly,” she told Self.

“They seem to last about the same length of time as orgasms during sex. They occur from exercises that heavily engage the core abdominal muscles.”

People don’t usually have one on the “third or fourth crunch,” she said, but rather when they fatigue their core muscles.

According to Healthline, the most common exercises to cause them are crunches, leg lifts, knee lifts, hip thrusts, squats and hanging straight leg raises. Situps, weightlifting, climbing, pullups and chinups may also work for men.

Passing on Pilates

Lloyd, from the Gold Coast, Australia, now has to avoid certain classes to ensure she doesn’t accidentally enjoy herself a little too much during a workout.

“The worst is if I’m in a Pilates class,” she said. “They’ll say to do leg raises but I just have to refuse. I can’t do them or I will literally orgasm.

“None of the instructors have questioned me on it yet and I really hope they don’t.”

Lloyd confided about what happened to a friend who was “baffled” by the confession.

“I’ve never seen her look so shocked,” she said. “My friend had never heard of anything like it and neither had I before I discovered the skill myself.

“We don’t know anyone else that can do it — or maybe they’re just too afraid to tell us.”

As for her new challenge — avoiding orgasm — Lloyd can “laugh” about what happened in the class but now carefully structures her workouts to avoid triggering the reaction.

“I’m very structured with my training now, so I know exactly what I’m doing each session. I stick to a routine that works for me and avoids any awkward situations,” she said.

“I always do cardio, followed by two leg days and one arm day. Plus, I’m really in tune with my body after years of intense training. It’s just one of those strange things that you discover about your body.

“You don’t expect surprises like that from ab exercises, but here we are. I can laugh about it now.”

Lloyd has taken part in six ultramarathons, but she was forced to stop doing them due to a stress fracture in her back.

“I’ve always been into fitness and it is a huge passion of mine,” she said. “Ultramarathons are super hard, hilly and you have to be quite fit to handle them. A lot of them are also on trails, so that makes it harder.”

Related Topics:ABS Exclusive Exercise fitness health orgasms Pilates Sex & Relationships weird but true

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Fitness

When is the best time to exercise in the heat?

Published

42 minutes ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

When is the best time to exercise in the heat?

The sun is a welcome addition to our exercise routines come summer – but the novelty of a sunny run or hike can quickly wear off as the temperature climbs. With heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures already this year, it’s important to know the best time to exercise in the heat for the weeks ahead.

Obviously, if you don’t like the heat and would rather be inside, then you can exercise in an air-conditioned gym or studio at any time of day. A good swimming workout is another way to stay cool. However, if you enjoy running, hiking, cycling, or a garden strength training workout, it makes sense to choose the coolest times of day. In the peak of the summer, this is before 10 am and after 5 pm, but the earlier (or later) you can go, the better.

The body reacts differently in the heat, making exercise above 20°C degrees feel harder, even if you’re doing the same workout you did in the cooler months. As the temperature climbs, blood vessels dilate to push blood towards the surface of the skin to cool it down, which means there is less in the muscles. This means your heart has to work harder and beat faster.

Fitness

Kylie Minogue, 58, shares how she stays fit without a strict exercise routine – ‘I don’t really work out’

Published

11 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Kylie Minogue, 58, shares how she stays fit without a strict exercise routine – ‘I don’t really work out’

Kylie Minogue has stayed active her whole life, but, refreshingly, she doesn’t follow a punishingly strict routine to stay fit.

‘I wish I was one of those women who do their exercises first thing in the morning, or run straight to the fitness studio as soon as they get up,’ she told Star Magazine. ‘But unfortunately, I’m just not that disciplined!’

Instead, the ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ singer partly relies on her hectic schedue to keep her moving. ‘I don’t really work out, but I’m constantly on the go,’ she told Express.

‘My guilty confession is that there isn’t [a routine]!…I think I stay in shape with an active (read, exhausting!) lifestyle,’ she continued on Reddit. ‘My fitness is really sporadic. I have to thank my mum for good genes.’

Kylie Minogue’s go-to exercises

Despite her self-professed low-key approach, the global multi-platinum recording artist incorporates several workout methods into her day, preferring mainly low-impact and moderate-intensity exercise.

‘I do Pilates,’ she continued to Star. But she’s careful to keep things balanced. ‘I don’t overdo it,’ she clarified.

‘I like to at the very least do 15 minutes on the Yoga Studio app. I know how to do it without the app but the tone of the woman’s voice and that it’s timed, it goes by so quickly,’ she told WSJ. ‘Then I feel like that’s done and I feel good.’

Often, her exercise of choice also depends on what equipment is available.

‘If there’s a treadmill nearby, I like to do that. We say in my family, “Minogues don’t run.” None of us run. But we like to walk, so that works for me,’ she added. ‘If I’m somewhere where there’s Pilates, I love that.’

Workouts that provide holistic physical and mental benefits are often a favourite.

‘I’ve also tried Gyrotonics; that was really fun,’ she continued, referring to the gymnastics-and-swimming-inspired movement system developed by Julia Horvath in the 80s. Designed to decompress the body, build strength and flexibility, and improve posture, it’s increasingly being adopted by Olympic athletes and celebrities alike.

‘I loved aerobics and I used to do Callanetics,’ she added to Express. Created by classical ballet-trained Callan Pinckney around 40 years ago, Callanetics uses ‘small, precise pulsing movements’ to ‘activate muscles’. ‘I would travel everywhere with this home workout on a VHS tape and put it on in hotel rooms,’ Kylie revealed.

However, being the ‘Princess of Pop’ does mean that the physical demands are considerable, and often her endurance, coordination and overall fitness are put to the test when she’s on stage.

‘I would say my ultimate workout is being on tour. I’m never as fit as when I’m on tour, so I can’t wait to tour again. My body needs it.’

One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.

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Fitness

Alison Hammond lost 11st and transformed her health by quitting these 3 habits – here’s how

Published

21 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Alison Hammond lost 11st and transformed her health by quitting these 3 habits – here’s how

Exercise played a pivotal part in Alison Hammond, 51, losing 11 stone. The This Morning presenter hired personal trainer Ellis Gatfield five years ago, and while introducing regular strength training helped her hit her goal, there were a few fitness habits she was also required to quit.

Below, Gatfield shares exactly what she stopped doing, how doing so helped her lose weight and build muscle and her full weekly workout routine.

A quick caveat: sustainable weight loss isn’t driven by exercise or nutrition alone. Movement helps preserve muscle, support metabolic health and improve how your body uses energy, but what you eat still matters. The most effective approach combines smart training with nourishing, realistic nutrition habits you can maintain long term.

@luimancini//Instagram

1. She stopped doing long treadmill sessions

Gatfield says: ‘She never particularly enjoyed traditional cardio, so instead of forcing long treadmill sessions, I focused on raising her heart rate through resistance training performed in a circuit format, using mainly compound movements. This allowed her to get the cardiovascular benefits while also building strength and shaping her body. The biggest mistake from her training before was believing that exercise had to mean long, boring cardio sessions to lose weight. That mindset made training feel like a chore rather than something to enjoy.’

2. She stopped forcing exercise she didn’t enjoy

Gatfield says: ‘Once we shifted to a style of training she genuinely liked, everything became easier. Training stopped feeling forced, consistency improved naturally, and results followed. Enjoyment is often the missing piece in successful weight loss and it’s something I prioritise with all my clients.

‘Strength training played a huge role in Alison’s weight loss because it allowed her to burn calories, build lean muscle, and improve her metabolism, without relying on long or exhausting cardio sessions. Resistance-based circuits kept her heart rate elevated while also improving strength and body composition which is key for long term fat loss.

‘Just as importantly, she genuinely enjoyed this style of training. She loved being able to come in, work hard for 30 minutes, feel accomplished, and get on with her day. That enjoyment made consistency easy, and consistency is where results come from.

‘With Alison, the priority was keeping training effective, enjoyable, and realistic around her schedule. Sessions were always kept to around 30 minutes, which meant they were easy to commit to and never felt overwhelming.’

3. She stopped skipping rest days

Gatfield says: ‘Rest was equally essential [to her results]. Scheduled recovery days helped regulate stress, reduce fatigue, and allow her body to adapt and improve. That balance between training and recovery meant she could show up strong, train with intent, and sustain results long term.

‘For most women, especially those new to resistance training, I’d recommend two-three sessions per week. The focus should always be on learning proper technique, moving well, and recovering properly. More isn’t always better – consistency and quality matter far more.’

Alison Hammond’s weekly workout schedule

According to Gatfield, a typical week in workouts for Alison included:

Monday: 30-minute resistance circuit
Tuesday: 30-minute boxing session
Wednesday: rest or low-intensity walk
Thursday: 30-minute kettlebell circuit
Friday: 30-minute boxing session
Saturday: rest or low-intensity walk
Sunday: rest

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As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.

After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!

Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.

She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.