I have several questions to ask.
I don't know what people think of Freudian studies on sexuality...heck other than the psycho sexual stages, what was Freud's contribution to sexuality?
My second question: I was wondering if there were non sexual ways that a person could feel aroused.
Let me explain this further. When I was four, I used to work out...frequently. At the age of 14, I found working out to be extremely arousing. I don't do this often now, I have to work out in my room.
Somehow, these two questions are linked to one another and I'd like to come back to this later.
But let me post this final general question to all members: Is sexuality all in the mind? Is it purely physical? Or is it an integral mix that could possibly mean more than the human comprehension??
For the first question you will have to have a person more well read than I to answer that.
For non sexual arousal; with your example I do feel more sexual somewhat when working out. My blood is going and my muscles are pumped up larger than normal from the heavy weights. So I feel a little aroused but not to the extent you express. I don't get an erection, I would certainly have to workout alone like you if that happened:o I think something else is triggering your high arousal like hot guys or girls in the gym. Unless direct stimulation to the body I think one must be thinking about sex to me fully aroused. If you don't mind me asking, do you feel the need to masturbate during or right after working out?
Your last question; the mind is the most important sex organ in the body. It releases nitric oxide to dialate the vessels and increase blood flow. Even though the mind is the most important, it still is a mix of both. The nerves in the body are how the mind gets its information. Sending pleasure or pain signals so your body won't be in danger. With saying that it means one can be stimulated and pleasured even if one is not mentally into it. Rape victims can become aroused and have an orgasm. It may be an emotional nightmare but the nerves dont discriminate if something feels good unforntantly.
Answer to you question:intensely during work out sessions and sometimes afterwards.
I mean I wasn't certain whether to classify it as a fetish or something like that, but it was a question that was on my mind for years. For some reason there are certain activities that I find sexual. Dancing, naturally is one of them and that's just the animal kingdom biology part.
But working out...
There was a discussion about how as a woman, we are conditioned to feel ashamed of our bodies and I know that in turn spawns a woman's reluctance into allowing herself embrace sexuality.
Case and point, the things that are least sexual (anything that requires full and active usage of the body) have always been a turn on for me, regardless of hot people in the vicinity.
I take zumba lessons, sometimes my mothers comes in with me. So if she's around, i don't do a lot of the moves lest some insensitive comment comes out of mother's mouth... (oh, don't jump so high your breasts are too big)
So I do feel inclined to work out more at home, but then sometimes it feels like a chore...
And then lo and behold this bitter cycle starts.
other than that, I'm not sure what or how to classify this phenomena...
Freud came from the biological school of the late nineteenth century and approached his subject from that angle. He was also "late" to become sexually active (his early thirties) and was not for long because his wife died early and he appeared not to find anyone else. His thinking on sex has generally been discredited. Even his disciples such as Adler, Karen Horney, Jung and a few others, rejected his thoughts. His thinking was still important as it began the scientific approach to the study of sex. Thesis, anti-thesis, synthesis. He provided the first thesis that got the ball rolling.
His peers, especially Kraft-Ebing, who would even touch the subject were writing "marriage manuals" and mentioned some taboo topics such as "genital kissing" but were for couples rather than scientists. Freud, with a very limited sample size, tried to be objective (his own hang-ups ruined that in a small sample). That stimulated others to really measure and in the 1940s, the Alfred Kinsey published his massive, data based study and we have been at is ever since. Mostly with crap studies but with some really good stuff from the Guttmacher Institute and a few others.
One thing we think we know: Virtually anything can be a sexual turn on. Physical exercise included. Join me for my 150 miles a week on a bicycle.
Yes anything can be arousing to someone. As far as your working out arousal. Its common (although not widely aknowledged) to feel some sort of sexual arousal. When I work out, like big said, my muscles are pumped, blood is flowing, I'm sweating and breathing heavy. The surge of adrenaline and testosterone from a big lift makes me feel incredibly confident. I mean its hard not to feel aroused. Everything that is happening is basically a "symptom" of sex
There is also the fact of increased, total body, blood flow. When you work out arms, blood doesn't go straight to the arms and only the arms, it goes everywhere (granted more towards the arms, but still). Some of the best sex usually occurs in the post workout shower (when I have a fwb, and no not at the gym showers). Also there have been several studies showing that women who are more physically active, be it lifting, cycling, rock climbing, all have a greater sexual response and sexual appetite.
What hasn't been discredited was Freud's contention that we humans are blind to our real motivations.
Anything that jumps your hormones will bring along with it an intense sexual arousal.