No sex for the win? This was the advice given to this years champions.
owner James Dolan addressed the now-champs as they headed into the playoffs in April 2026, acknowledging their high potential to eventually win the championship.
“I dont know if you understand what it would mean for you to win a championship this year ⦠It would be life-changing,” he said. “It will stick with you the rest of your lives, and if you dont win, youll be thinking about it the rest of your lives.”
As Dolans inspirational speech to the team went on, he explained how the next 10 weeks would require each player to make sacrifices â watching their diets, getting proper sleep and perhaps even .
“You need sacrifice and you need to eliminate all the distractions around you,” he said.
“I had this idea that maybe you should for the next 10 weeks,” the owner said. “You don’t have to give up sex for the next 10 weeks â but, like the Spartans ⦠They denied themselves, so that they can have an edge. Get the edge.”
This received a few snickers from the team, and Dolan responded, “Dont tell [your wives and girlfriends] youre not going to have sex and dont tell them it was my idea. But let them know what this is going to be like ⦠and how theyre going to have to sacrifice, too.”
Dr. Anna Elton, licensed marriage and family therapist and clinical sexologist in Massachusetts, confirmed that this belief has been around for centuries, dating back to the ancients Spartans and early .
Avoiding sex can preserve energy, increase aggression and sharpen focus, according to Elton.
But modern research has found little evidence that consensual negatively impacts strength, endurance, reaction time or athletic performance when it occurs at least 10 hours before competition, the doctor countered.
However, “activity very close to competition may affect recovery measures,” she added. What may be more important, according to Elton, is the of abstinence.
“Choosing to abstain can reinforce discipline and total commitment to a larger goal,” she said. “In those cases, the advantage may come more from mindset and focus than from any physical effect.”
“Whether the sacrifice is alcohol, social activities, or sex, the message is often the same: We are all in.'”
This discussion has historically focused on men, which Elton said is often based on “misconceptions about testosterone and energy depletion.”
“Research has not demonstrated that normal sexual activity causes a meaningful decline in athletic performance, and concerns about testosterone depletion have not been consistently supported by the evidence,” she said.
“For women, sexual activity may have additional benefits related to stress reduction, and relationship satisfaction.”
In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Anthony Puopolo, a men’s health expert and lead medical provider for RexMD, echoed Elton’s assessment that research largely does not support abstinence as a performance enhancer.
This is despite a small amount of evidence that suggests engaging in sexual activity within two hours of competition could pose a risk to .
“Unfortunately, nearly all studies (99%) have been conducted in males aged 20 to 40, so there is virtually no data on female athletes, older athletes or diverse populations,” said the Puerto Rico-based expert. “We know what to tell the Knicks, but we are not sure what to recommend for the New York Liberty.”
Elton said abstinence may still offer psychological benefits for some competitors. “For some athletes, it can become part of a pre-competition ritual that enhances confidence,” she told Fox News Digital.
Some other potential benefits of sexual activity include stress reduction, , mood enhancement, emotional connection with a partner and relief from performance-related tension.
“Strong, supportive relationships are associated with better psychological resili
