"Sex certainly counts as a form of exercise, and sometimes even reaches the level of moderate exercise," says Tina M. Penhollow , PhD, MCHES, associate professor in the Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion at Florida Atlantic University. But this entirely depends on the consistency and vigorousness of your usual sexual activities, she says. For example, slow or gentle sex is going to elicit a very different bodily response than, say, standing sex . And when it comes to improving your cardiovascular health and endurance, there's a big difference between having sex once a month versus a quickie once a day.