The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices lists sthenolagnia ('sexual arousal from displaying strength or muscles') and cratolagnia ('arousal from strength') as paraphilias associated with the practice of wrestling for erotic purpose, although there have been no studies concerning them. Although muscle worship participants may be of any gender or sexual orientation, the dominant (often a professional bodybuilder, fitness competitor, or wrestler), is almost always an individual with either a large body size or a high degree of visible muscle mass, while the worshiper is often, but not always, skinnier or smaller. The practice of muscle worship can involve various wrestling holds and lifts, as well as the rubbing, massaging, kissing, or licking of a dominant's body. Muscle worship (also called sthenolagnia) is a form of body worship in which one participant, the worshiper, touches the muscles of another participant, the dominant, in a sexually arousing manner.
Bodybuilding competitions are akin to a form of muscle worship, as the bodybuilder exposes their body for an audience.
Men weighing a German bodybuilder before a competition (1995) by Andreas Bohnenstengel.
