Athletic Performance and Sex

Does Sex Really Screw with Athletic Performance?

Because some guys at the World Cup are having a REALLY lonely month

Warren Goldswain / Shutterstock

If you thought the rules of soccer were complicated, wait till you hear the rules for action off the field. A handful of countries don't allow their players to engage in sex before a World Cup game, while other countries have strange restrictions about when and how you get can get busy, reports E! News

According to E!, some countries do allow players to have sex during the World Cup, including: Germany, Spain, USA, Australia, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Uruguay and England. However, there are other countries who strictly forbid it, like Russia, Chile, Mexico, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. (As if that wasn't strange enough, we have to wonder if there's a designated sex referee somewhere making sure these rules are actually followed.) 

Now, here's where it gets even weirder: Some teams allow their players to have sex before a game, but only in certain circumstances. For example, French players can have sex as long as it doesn't last all night (well, that one seems kind of rational). Nigerian players are only allowed to have sex with their wives, meaning if you aren't married by the time the World Cup rolls around, no sex for you. And get this: Brazilian players are allowed to get frisky as long as it's not acrobatic (um, define acrobatic?). 

So why is the World Cup so weird about sex? Well, we're guessing it's because regulators assume sex has a negative impact on athletic performance—maybe it causes a distraction or tires the players out. The thing is, that's not exactly proven. 

MORE: 9 Reasons Fit Women Have Much Better Sex  

In fact, there is very little–if any–research to support this theory. One study conducted on male athletes in Geneva suggests that the "recovery capacity" of an athlete could be affected by pre-game sex, but only if that sex occurs two hours before the game, or less. So, OK, maybe players shouldn't spend their warm up having sex, but getting busy the night before probably wouldn't have an effect on performance. In fact, that same study also found that sexual activity had no detrimental effects on the work performed or the athletes' mental concentration. And get this: Many studies have found that sex improves athletic performance! A 2009 study conducted in India claims that having sex increases testosterone levels, which cause an increase in strength, energy, aggression and competitiveness. 

MORE: The Better Sex Workout  

So whether you're dating an athlete or wondering if you should steal this World Cup strategy for your next race day, you can relax—an orgasm won't mess with your workout. In fact, here are four ways sex can make your workouts even better

MORE: Hidden Health Benefits of Sex 

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