To have sex? Or to not have sex? That is the question.

If there are two things I can claim in this article that I like, sex and fighting would be it. Sex is great; it’s natural and it’s a necessity of life. Fighting is… well, I will argue it is pretty much the same.

Fighters are a funny breed, aren't they? Usually these guys have very specific routines that work for them. Sleep patterns, diets, training, meditation, visualization, supplements... most fighters find what they like and what works for them, and they stick to it. 

I was a fighters girlfriend loooong before I competed myself. Obviously at that point of my life, I needed to learn where sex fit into the routine. Umm, hello? I had standards that needed to be met. I needed to know... sexy time before a fight or not?

If you have ever lived with someone cutting weight, dieting, coming home broken and bruised and being mentally focused on one thing, and one thing only... you know enough about the lifestyle to agree there is a really good chance your sex life is going to change leading up to a fight.

I knew from my own experiences what sex was like before fight nights... but what were other people experiencing? I guess it sounds a little bit pervy, but I wanted to know.

If you type ‘sex before fight’ into Google and you are not short on articles already written about the subject. (Damn. And here I thought I was onto something… ) And after checking out what science had to say, it sounds like giving up sex is truly more of a superstitious thing, then anything scientifically proven as having a negative impact. In fact, doing the deed doesn’t have a negative influence at all, apart from possible lack of rest.

Most of the articles out there point to studies which suggest sex the day before can actually boost testosterone levels. Heyo! Going into a fight with higher levels of testy is a great thing. I smell a knock out coming on! (And in my experience, being apart of sex the night before one fight, this held true. Just saying.) 

It is obvious that higher testosterone is what most male fighters would be down for. It is nothing but an advantage. And guess what lady fighters, we can also benefit.

“ESPN decided to test the myth on the show Sport Science. A professional male and female fighter were tested on cardiovascular endurance, lower and upper body strength and power using impact sensors designed by the United States Boxing Association. The fighters were asked to abstain for a day in order to run the first series of tests and then after engaging in sexual intercourse with their spouse, the athletes were retested. The results indicated that physiologically, testosterone levels were higher in both the male and the female fighter after having sex. According to the numbers, the female boxer’s punch registered at 632 pounds of force pre-sex. She then registered 876 pounds of force after sex. That’s almost a 30% improvement.” Well, hot damn. To read more, check out the full article .

But what if you happen to be single, like yours truly? Hooking up with a random dude, a day before my fight would certainly not be something I would be interested in. Well, don’t you worry my single friends… Georges St Pierre reminds us, we can still have sex with ourselves. Ah yes, improvising. I can handle that. 

All you fighters out there, how down are you? Do you stick to a superstitious routine and cut all dirty business out? Or do you get it on, like regular life, believing it to help distract and relax you? I put my inquiry out on Twitter and on Facebook. To say I got a good response back would be an understatement.

Banging or no banging? You know my thoughts. I say game on. But I’m not the only one… check out what these gentlemen shared with me… (Sidenote: you should have seen what was shared through private emails sent to my facebook inbox after I posted my inquiry ...wow... there are some messed up/crazy/funny/wild stories out there.)

@fightshark_com (Mark Miller) But it takes your legs...

@Mike_Davis135 (Mike Davis) I never do. The week before fight I have no sex... maybe more superstition cause I have lost two fights where I did have sex before.

@uselessgomez (Ulysses Gomez) I've done day before and day of. Won both times

Ryan Jimmo Try not going for 2-3 weeks and see how angry you get... lol... going with out is the way to go, in my personal opinion.

Allan Lee Nope. Not usually 3 days before. I mean I'm going to have a fist fight in a few days with somebody who's training to hit me until I stop moving. My mind is on making war with a man. Not making love to a woman.

Terry Nichol Nope… not even in the mood.

Nick Moghaddam It’s a ritual!

Jordan Bill Yes for sure. Can't bring excess tension into the ring. Need to stay loose and smooth. Having tried both, I recommend getting it on.

Michael Davis  ...too focused to get in mood, most of time.

Jordan Mckay  …Science says it doesn't matter but here is a quote for you from one of my coaches Bibiano Fernandes "If your walking through the jungle and you have to go through a pack of lions, would you rather walk through a pack where they all just had sex and have eaten a big meal? Or walk through a pack where they were starving and looking for something to fuck?" Haha... he makes a good point. I don't think he said fuck maybe he said "starving and horny" I can't remember but either way he has a point, no?

John Incorvaia I do the day of the fight... living life to the fullest.

Ryan Brigham I agree on the pre-fight sex. But you shouldn't go all porn star about it… her on top. Or just a good ol' bj works! My personal favorite.

Nic Grandbois More focused, relaxed... I do it before I train weights even.

Well, there you have it folks. Ultimately, it comes down to the individual. At the end of the day, whether you are a fighter or not, I hope you are doing whatever makes you smile. Between the sheets or in the cage.

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