That whole for-the-health-of-it thing not enough to get you exercising? Would you do it for the sex?

A recent University of Arkansas study found that not only does working out improve sexual function, but it also is a great boost to sexual self-esteem.

Exercise has long been valued by the medical community for its ability to ward off chronic diseases (ex. cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension), its help in combating conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity, and its overall ability to improve mental health through stress reduction. Not so well documented is exercise’s effect on this study’s focus: “… perceived sexual desirability and sexual performance.”

The study involved 408 students who were enrolled in health science courses at a southeastern university. All the students filled out a 130-item questionnaire dealing with their fitness/exercise routines and their sex lives. Of those students that worked out four to five times a week, 88% of women and 69% of men rated their sexual performance above average or way above average. The also viewed themselves as more sexually desirable. I bet many could do very passable Saturday Night Live “Pump You Up” impressions as well.

The study appeared in the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality.

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