I thought I'd seen it all, but this took my breath away: JANA HOCKING reveals the 'miraculous' move that will whip you and your sex life into shape

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Ever had a vigorous romp in the sack with your partner and then joked that it felt like you'd just run a marathon? That blood pumping, bodies slick with sweat, both of you panting like slightly unfit beasts who maybe should have stretched first, moment.

It's a glorious post-coital feeling. But once the deep breathing subsides and you lie there, wondering whether to reach for electrolytes, a question sneaks in: Was that a genuine workout?

Like, could more regular sex sessions help rid the winter weight we so indulgently acquired over the holidays?

Well, the answer is yes, sort of. But don't cancel your gym membership just yet.

A decent, energetic sex session can burn some calories and get your heart rate up. But, researchers say, while you may feel like you're giving it your all, your actual exertion is likely more comparable to a brisk walk than the spin class from hell.

Of course, it depends on how long it goes on for and how much movement is involved. Take it up a notch and that stroll can turn into a power walk. Especially if you're switching positions, engaging your core and doing a bit more than just your best impression of a starfish.

But the truth is that, while sex can feel like exercise, the actual workouts we do in gyms, parks and in front of free YouTube videos are the things that truly make us better in bed.

So how best to pick your poison? I put a call out to my followers asking what forms of physical exertion had improved their sex lives - the best sexercises if you will - and the responses were glorious.

Ever had a vigorous romp in the sack with your partner and then joked that it felt like you'd just run a marathon?

One man told me that hip thrusts at the gym completely changed things for him. He said they gave him more control and rhythm and he added that his wife was very happy with the results.

Then there's the Pilates crowd. One woman swore by reformer Pilates, saying it strengthened her pelvic floor so much that she could contract and squeeze at key moments, sometimes catching her partner delightfully off guard.

A middle-aged mom told me that yoga transformed her sex life. Especially the deep squats and hip-opening poses. She said they didn't just make everyday life easier; they helped her find positions and angles that she had never felt comfortable with before.

Spending extra time in deeper stretches built her leg strength and hip mobility, which translated into a more fluid and confident sex life. A perimenopausal friend told me she started going to spin and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) classes once a week just to feel fitter and get rid of the extra weight that comes with hormone changes and age.

A couple of months in, she said she noticed she isn't getting winded halfway through sex and her partner even commented she seemed more energetic and engaged.

I put a call out to my followers asking what forms of physical exertion had improved their sex lives - the best sexercises if you will - and the responses were glorious 

Many others agreed that getting your heart rate up regularly makes sex feel less like a desperate sprint and more like a sustained activity.

If you think this all sounds a bit far-fetched – or too much like hard work! – listen to the experts. Plenty of fitness influencers have admitted strange things can happen when you engage the right muscles.

Australian model and wellness influencer Steph Claire Smith once revealed on her KICPOD podcast that certain ab exercises, particularly leg lowers, had actually caused her to orgasm a few times in her late teens.

Turns out it's totally normal. Yes, the exercise you dread because it torches your abs might also be quietly firing up your libido. There's even a name for it. A 'coregasm': an orgasm triggered by engaging the lower abdominal and pelvic muscles during exercise.

Not everyone experiences it, but enough people do that researchers have studied it, particularly in relation to Pilates, leg raises and deep core work.

But the best sexercises are not the flashy ones – ironically, they're the unsexy basics. Squats and lunges for strong gluts and legs, core stability and hip mobility work so that nothing cramps, pulls or seizes at the wrong time and, yes, pelvic floor training, really do seem to be the secret.

The best sexercises are not the flashy ones – ironically, they're the unsexy basics

But word to the wise, my wonderful doctor warned me that for people who are already carrying a lot of tension, overdoing pelvic floor work can make sex uncomfortable or even painful.

Control and relaxation matter just as much as strength, so don't get too carried away with it. Twenty reps a day is more than enough. Heck, you can do that while you idle at a red traffic signal.

But while sex alone isn't about to erase the cheese boards and champagne that quietly tightened your jeans, it does have some other very real benefits.

Studies have found that regular sex can lift your mood, calm your nervous system, help you sleep better and, perhaps most importantly, make you feel desired again. And that's a powerful thing.

It can help you feel at home in your body again, take the edge off your stress, help you sleep properly and give you that sexy post-coital glow.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to learn how to do those miraculous stomach crunches that give you a coregasm. They sound like a treat.