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Keep your jock on
Exploration into the world of abstinence and sport
By Mary Franzen
Built-up sexual desires could very well travel onto the field and make you go for the gold.
Stop. Dont even think about it.
If you are an athlete, just keep your pants on. Im talking about sex of course.
I have heard a rumor around the old locker room that staying away from sexual activity can increase your aggression or increase your drive. At first glance this rumor kind of makes sense. Built-up sexual desires could very well travel onto the field and make you go for the gold.
Unsure about the rumors validity, I went to my favorite place to check for answers. LuAnn Moraski, an internist (she works in internal medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a specialist in adolescent sports medicine, cleared things up for me.
Its all in your head, she said. Staying celibate before a game or during a season does not have any effect on the physiological performance during an athletic event.
However when I tell you that its all in your head, I am not trying to call you crazy. I am simply saying that if it works for you, then you should do it. If it makes you feel mentally focused, then hey go for it.
On the other end of the spectrum, when someone does engage in sexual activities before going on the court, it could help them maintain a certain amount of relaxation. If you dont know, reaching an orgasm rushes the calming and content hormone, called serotonin, through your brain.
So if ridding your head of sexual thoughts and desires suits you, then thats the way you should play. If you can have guilt-free sex before a game and feel relaxed and calm about it, then go play your heart out in that style.
It is whatever works for you, like so many other aspects in life. A little unknown fact about women athletes, though: many are leaders in sexual performance and there is a lower rate of teen pregnancy among them, Moaski said.
So, in the spirit of Mythbusters, I can tell you that this myth has officially been busted.
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