Sex and athletic performance is a subject area that has been surrounded by myth and misinformation for thousands of years. Dating as far back to 444 B.C., in Plato’s writings, it has been said that sexual intercourse prior to any style of athletic competition can be disadvantageous to the athlete’s performance. It is not known how the myth began, however; it has continued to impact the pre-competition customs of athletes to present day. It was hypothesized that no link would be found between sex and inferior athletic performance.
Seventy-five competitive athletes in the Tampa Bay area, between the ages of twenty and forty-four years old, were given a short survey on their knowledge and experience with this subject.
The results of the survey supported the theory. Based on the Athlete Perspective Survey and current research no connection has been found between sex and athletic performance. The purpose of this research was to debunk the myth regarding sex and athletic performance and shed light upon the subject matter with the expectation to clear up the misinformation that currently surrounds the subject.