# Will Masturbation really afffect your Gains?



## squatster (Jun 27, 2021)

A Top Trainer Explains Whether Masturbation Can Really Affect Your Gains
Jeff Cavaliere looks at the hard science behind the myth.
BY PHILIP ELLIS JUN 26, 2021

It used to be common advice in the world of sports: coaches would "forbid" athletes from having sex or masturbating before a big game, to ensure peak performance. But is there any truth to the belief that sexual release can actually harm the results you're chasing in the gym? And if men avoid self-pleasure altogether, will their increased testosterone lead to physical changes? 


Trainer and strength coach Jeff Cavaliere C.S.C.S. addresses this question in a new video on the Athlean-X channel, and references the resurgence of this idea as a result of the "NoFap" online movement. "When you abstain from masturbation, these increases in testosterone they're claiming will lead to more 'manliness,' more attractiveness to the opposite sex, the ability to become more aggressive and pursue the things you want in life... and the ability to build more muscles," he says. "I don't know if I believe it."

Cavaliere points out that the research backing up these claims consists of two studies, one of which only included 10 test subjects. "There have been just as many studies that have shown the direct opposite," he says.

What the research also fails to consider, he continues, is that the body is constantly maintaining a state of homeostasis, meaning that even if an individual's testosterone levels were increased, their body would then release a hormone called SHBG to counterbalance it.

Conversely, there is some anecdotal evidence which which suggests that masturbation actually has the potential to help your ability to build muscle. For example, an increase in serotonin after orgasm can make a person feel more relaxed. Cavaliere hypothesizes that masturbating as a pre-bed activity might promote a more restful sleep, thus maximizing muscle recovery.

This would be especially applicable, he says, to people who don't train at a high intensity level and end their late-night workouts feeling highly alert, and in need of bringing into a more relaxed state before sleeping.


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## bbuck (Jun 28, 2021)

Getting a pump is never a bad thing.


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## D.A_B (Jun 28, 2021)

I've had some of my best work outs after blowin a load.


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