The relationship between training and sex – a man's perspective

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2013-01-29

Hello everyone. I decided to touch upon the topic of sex again. Partly because this topic is always popular. Partly because both training and sex take up a significant place in my life. And I believe the same goes for many of my readers (and female readers) as well. By the way, regarding girls, I partially touched on this topic in the article Why Girls Should Go to the Gym.

Physiologists have determined that workouts in general, and strength training in particular, increase testosterone levels in the body. Systematic sex also boosts testosterone levels.

In general, it becomes clear: to maintain high testosterone levels, one needs to continuously train and engage in sexual activity. The importance of testosterone for both of these activities is undeniable. It is the primary hormone responsible not only for strength and muscle mass but also for our libido, both male and female.

From my personal experience, I can say that when I don't have a girlfriend (which also happens sometimes :-)), and consequently, there is little to no sex – it does not affect my training. Neither positively nor negatively. Although it might seem that I’m saving energy!

On the other hand, when there's a lot of sex – I do not observe any decline in my training performance.

However, if you engage in sex right before a workout, you will feel a sharp drop in strength. Essentially, you can forget about the workout. Why does this happen?

The thing is, immediately after sex, there is a drop in testosterone levels. This occurs due to a significant release of the hormone prolactin, which temporarily reduces testosterone levels and causes drowsiness. This phenomenon is temporary and lasts for several hours. A similar temporary drop in testosterone is also observed after a workout.

Our body is designed in such a way that after depleting any resource, it strives to replenish that resource, often exceeding the previous levels. This characteristic is the basis for increasing training capacity and physical qualities.

Therefore, in the long term, both sex and training lead to increased testosterone levels. But in the short term (for a few hours), it leads to a temporary drop.

Conclusions

1. Do not engage in sex immediately before training.

2. Don’t think that prolonged abstinence contributes to improving your physical qualities. I emphasize – PROLONGED ABSTINENCE. If you do not have sex for several days to 2 weeks, it will indeed help in increasing your strength, etc. For example, I abstain for about 3 days before competitions.

3. Sex and training positively influence each other by increasing testosterone levels. But only if you know your limits. Frequent and intense workouts simply leave no energy for sex (I know this from experience). On the other hand, constant multi-hour sexual marathons can also make you unable to train fully.

I apologize if anyone feels that there is too much fluff in this article. It turned out to be more of a personal reflection than scientific analysis. For more concrete and detailed information, read the article The Impact of Training on the Quality of Intimate Life.