Music created by fitness experts is aimed at getting couples working up a sweat and burning up to 100 calories between the sheets, Jaine Blackman reports

Need some extra exercise... well, stay under that duvet.

For the secret to dropping a few pounds may be a lot more pleasurable than pounding the pavements for an early morning jog.

Following research which shows that couples can count love-making as moderate exercise, health and beauty retailer Superdrug has commissioned a unique music track as a way to help them improve their fitness.

And with Oxford region couples having sex an average of twice a week - higher than the national average of 1.88 times per week - and 80 per cent prepared to change their usual sexual routine if it would help them keep fit or lose weight, it seems the track may deliver what they’re after.

Superdrug claims it's the world's first-ever "sexercise" music track designed to sync perfectly with calorie-burning sex sessions and encourage couples to work up a sweat between the sheets.

"Over the years the many health benefits of sex have been well documented, from beating stress and relieving pain, to bringing couples together and boosting confidence, as well as, of course, as a form of aerobic exercise," says Caris Newson, head of retail health for the chain, which has a branch in Market Street, Oxford.

"We commissioned this track as a fun way to show the health benefits an energetic love making session can have.

"It's an easy way for couples to incorporate exercise in to their daily routine."

The track was created by a team of fitness experts who first developed a choreographed sex routine to ensure optimum calorie burn and get the best bedroom workout.

Then music producers analysed the sexual habits of 2,000 British couples to produce a continuous 22 min 48s sexercise track that compliments the average length of a UK sex session and encourages couples to pace their love-making movements to the changing beat of the music.

Starting with a soft synth tune intro at 90 beats per minute (bpm), then comes a steady 110bpm build, leading to a crescendo at 130bpm and then a drop to a 100bpm to finish, it's claimed the track incorporates the sexercise version of stretching; warm-up; low, moderate and high intensity exercise and cool-down.

"I think it's a fabulous way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine," says Dr Pixie McKenna, TV presenter on Embarrassing Bodies and brand ambassador for Superdrug.

"I recommend people aim for half an hour of exercise every day and sex can definitely play a part in this along with getting off the bus a stop early or taking the stairs instead of the lift. It needn't all be hours spent sweating down the gym for it to be effective."

But Oxford personal trainer Chris Hall, of Hall Training Systems, isn't convinced.

"It still astounds me the lengths scientists will go to persuade people to exercise, and Superdrug's latest effort is no exception," he says.

"It's claimed that the track will help men burn 101 calories, and women burn 69 calories, but while this is all well and good, you'd need to have the CD on repeat to rival a proper gym session.

"Yes, sex burns calories, and it'd be a dream come true to be able to avoid the gym in favour of the bedroom, but without upping the frequency or the duration to burn more calories it's just a drop in the ocean.

"Sex should be a pleasurable experience, not a means to getting lean.

"If you're serious about losing weight, then I advise you drop the duvet for the exercise bike and perform some HIIT training. You'll burn double the amount of calories in the same amount of time, saving the fun for later."

And with the store's research suggesting the average Oxford couple's love making sessions lasting 25 minutes, it seems like the city's couples are already ahead the game.

As well as being available to stream free from Spotify, the new sexercise track can be downloaded free from superdrug.com/sexercise

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