About athletic performance, there are many factors that can influence when competing: food, physical training and mental state are three of them. But what about sexual activity before a competition? Is sexual abstinence really determining for good results?
There certainly is a widespread belief around sex and its negative influence on sports competitions, to the point that some coaches and sports doctors have recommended and even forbidden high-performance athletes to have relations with their partners hours before a significant competition. Although they are not the only ones, since some athletes also support this theory, including Zenon Jaskula, winner cyclist in 1993 of the third place in the Tour de France, who says that sexual abstinence was the key to his success. However, it is normal to ask yourself: in what is this affirmation based on?
According to those who support sexual abstinence, the main causes to ban pre-competition sex, lie in the fact that it supposedly would reduce the physical and mental performance. They ensure that, the deep relaxation provoked in the athlete, would produce a loss of concentration and even a substantial decline in their levels of strength and energy.
However, just as there are people in the sports world who share this belief, one could say that an equal number of experts and athletes think that sexual relations have their benefits, claiming that sexual activity does not produce significant wear, if compared with the energy that is lost after a few minutes on the treadmill.
In this regard, the specialist in physical activity and sport Omar Cisneros says that sexual activity can be beneficial for most athletes, as orgasm helps release endorphin; also, creating a sense of well-being helps reduce insomnia and produces a level of relaxation necessary to endure moments of tension proper of a major competition. But, what does science tell us?
Several studies conducted so far, including some made in 2004 and whose results were presented during the Olympic Games in Athens, allowed to clear doubts and tear down the myth. Since its conclusions were categorical in stating that in any case the athletic performance during a competition was affected by previous sexual activity; on the contrary, a sense of physical and emotional well-being was provided, and it even helped them to perform better.
What we can be sure of without studies, is that the alcohol intake, drugs or staying up late will certainly have an impact on the athletic performance. Therefore, do not deprive yourself of having an intimate moment with a partner, but always avoid the combination of these elements. However, perhaps the greatest enemy of an athlete or sportsman is the suggestion; if you think prior sexual practice to a competition will affect you in your athletic performance, then no doubt it will.
ALFA