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ON YOUR MARKS
Three couples time themselves having sex to see how long they REALLY last (and one woman wishes her partner would ‘hurry up’)
FANCY a quickie? Or maybe for you, sex should be more of a marathon than a sprint.
Recently, Love Island champion Jack Fincham admitted he put in a “disappointing performance” during his long-awaited first time with Dani Dyer.
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Having abstained for eight weeks in the Majorcan villa, Jack said he’d “built it up for a long time” and “tried to make it as romantic as possible", but that, sadly, it all came to an end a bit prematurely.
So how long should making love take? A recent survey revealed 30 minutes is considered the optimum length of time, while sex for most couples lasts for 19 minutes, broken down by 10 minutes of foreplay and nine of intercourse.
According to the Lovehoney study, sex is over too soon for 23 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women.
Here we asked three couples to time themselves getting jiggy to see how long their love-making sessions last for; on your marks, get sexy, go!
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Fashion marketer Apollonia Llewelyn, 18, and semi-professional footballer and salesperson Billy Mole, 19, met at school and have been dating for three years. Apollonia says…
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I was Billy’s first and he was mine. I love the fact we were both were virgins because it made the sex extra special.
Like Jack and Dani, the first time we made love lasted nowhere near the average for sex in Britain! It was more like “Gone in 60 seconds!”
We were both so excited that after all the build-up, the sex itself was over before it started.
There’s so much pressure around sex, everyone builds it up to be this big thing. I thought it was good of Jack to be honest about his and Dani’s experience as it’s reassuring for other couples.
After our first time it was like someone had turned on the sex tap – we had it five times a day, but now after three years together it’s more like four or five times a week.
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We live together at my parent’s house, so three out of five times it’s fast and furious – we’re always listening for cars pulling up, doors opening and people on the stairs.
My brother will knock and just walk straight in and the thought of being busted is mortifying!
We timed ourselves having sex twice. The first time lasted three minutes and 46 seconds. I heard keys in the front door and gave Billy the “hurry up!” look.
The next time I’d carefully checked everyone’s schedules to make sure they were out. Billy loves watching Match of the Day, so I made sure I left enough time for that. It lasted 21 minutes and 14 seconds.
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To be honest I spent the final few minutes wishing he’d hurry up! I’d already finished and had heard my phone beep so was worrying my mum was on her way home and asking if I wanted a takeaway!
I prefer it fast and furious. Save the longer love-making for holidays.
Billy says…
When I heard Jack talk about finishing prematurely I thought, "Mate I feel your pain!" It was very brave of him to admit that.
Being with my girlfriend for three years means I know what she likes and we are not afraid to talk about sex. I’m proud Apollonia is the only girl I have slept with - she’s special to me.
We do find ourselves giggling like naughty teenagers under the covers when we hear other people in the house when we are having sex!
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Having a stopwatch time made me feel under pressure - I play semi-professional football and it felt like I was playing in a final! But I’ve never not been able to finish the job.
Every man wants to be able to brag they can last for hours, but it’s not about the time it takes - it’s the intensity and the quality.
New parents OJ Regan, 27, an actor, and professional carer Kerry Brandon, 23, from Bromley, Kent, have been together two-and-a-half years and say a new baby means bedroom fun is now last on their ‘to-do’ list. Kerry says…
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Before I fell pregnant we’d have sex around two to three times a day.
People say you want sex more when you’re pregnant, but the first few months I was too busy with morning sickness to even think about it!
The birth was 12 hours and ended up being an emergency C-section. I breastfed, then I got sepsis. Sex is only just back on the cards, five months after our baby was born.
I’m not very body confident at the moment, so I prefer quick sex, with lights off and clothes on.
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Timing ourselves made us try extra hard. The first time it lasted 26 minutes and 10 seconds – probably so long because I had one ear constantly listening out for the baby’s breathing.
At one point we rolled over onto one of his squeaking toys and burst out laughing!
We were more relaxed the second time - and it only lasted two minutes and 43 seconds as Freddie woke up and screamed down the house. I reckon this is probably the average time for new parents!
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OJ says…
Every man wants to be seen as a bedroom God, but post-baby sex is something you have to work on. Since Freddy came along, our relationship has changed - he is the focus now.
Normally I like spending longer in the act, so I can ensure I do a thorough job! We try out different positions and I like to build up momentum.
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Now if we can find a spare two minutes in the bedroom before he starts crying we’re lucky. We joke we can’t remember if we had sex or not because we both have “baby brain”!
I love Kerry’s pregnancy body – it’s a real turn on. I was surprised we lasted so long the first time though – but pleased. Though I think Kerry may have been a little distracted!
Personal assistant Gerri MacCarthy, 50, from Windsor, and her husband Danny, 48, a project manager, have been married for 19 years and have slept in separate rooms since 2004. Gerri says…
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I met Danny when he was introduced to me through friends at a nightclub. I was a single mum with a three-year-old son and we married in Cyprus in 1999. Danny became an amazing stepdad to my son.
Three years after the birth of our child, I demanded we moved into separate rooms. Danny snores loudly and I constantly change positions and want more of the bed.
At first Danny told me not to tell people as he was worried they’d think we were breaking up, which they did.
Instead of having a negative impact on our sex life, it boosted it. We both got the sleep we wanted, we spent more time talking to each other outside of the bedroom and when we wanted “quality couple time” we’d invite the other one over.
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I put more effort into the times we do make love. We look forward to it and plan ahead to bring in some wine or chocolates. When the kids see us leaving each other’s rooms there is a lot of eye-rolling!
When we timed ourselves it was like a special date. It took us 10 minutes and 39 seconds – and I didn’t have to tidy up my husband’s clothes afterwards or move his stuff because he went back to his room.
It's less than the average, but I don’t care because to me, aged 50 and married for two decades, spontaneity and quality is what counts.
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Danny says…
Sleeping in separate rooms has definitely been beneficial to our relationship. I think it makes you talk more to each other, and you don’t just assume they know something because you sleep in the same room.
Inviting each other to our individual rooms did take a little getting used too, if only because you initially fear rejection and no one wants that.
Now we have a great routine and it feels like we are dating again - with the bonus of knowing each other’s moods, emotions and bodies.
I wasn’t surprised our session was shorter than the average - quality is what really counts, and the fact I have a wonderful wife.
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MOST READ IN FABULOUS
We previously told how a couple waited two months to have sex like Dani and Jack and it was a disaster, ending in a trip to A&E.
Meanwhile a sexpert revealed 3pm is the best time of the day to have sex… and there’s a very good reason why.
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Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer admit to ‘doing bits’ since leaving the Love Island villa