We’ve heard it from every coach, teacher, and parental figure all our lives. Practice makes perfect. If we want to get good at something, we need to practice. There’s a popular notion that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to get really good at something. While there’s reason to believe that’s a gross oversimplification, it still emphasizes the value of practice.

We encourage practice to anyone who seeks to master a skill. When it comes to sex and love-making, though, we’re a lot more tepid. Some of that is due to long-standing taboos about sex. Some of it is also due to potential health risks. Then again, you could say the same about practicing other skills like juggling, driving, or contact sports. Whatever the case, we do a lot of special pleading when it comes to sex.

I think that’s both a disservice and a missed opportunity. We’re expected to practice for every other skill, but when it comes to one of the most intimate acts two people can experience, we’re supposed to just know. That’s a problem and a likely contributor to the ongoing orgasm gap and the decline in sexual satisfaction.

We clearly want our lovers to be good at sex, but we get anxious whenever we contemplate them practicing too much. I believe that should change. For the sake of our collective love lives, we should embrace and encourage practice the same way we do with every other skill. The following Daily Sexy Musing is my attempt to sweeten the idea. Hopefully, it inspires and encourages many amateur lovers out there.

I’m ready, my lovely coach. I’m rested, energized, and ready to show you what I’ve got. It’s not the night of a big game. There isn’t even a game scheduled. This is just us, taking the time to hone our skills. I want to be better. I know you want it too. We can only do that with practice, albeit a very intimate kind of practice. It’s not enough to just be decent at making love to you. It’s not even enough to be consistently competent. I seek to master such a powerful skill. I don’t just want to make the team. I want to win the championship and make your hall of fame. I want to raise the bar for loving you. I want it so high that others tremble at the thought of attempting. To do that, we must practice our lovemaking. By practicing, we get better at it. By getting better at it, we enjoy it more. By enjoying it more, we want to do it more. By wanting to do it more, we want to keep getting better. It’s the ultimate cycle, one in which practice need not make perfect. It need only fuel the passion that’s already there. Like any skill, it helps us channel what we already feel. It emboldens us to strive for something greater. Anyone can simply take their clothes off and entwine their bodies. It takes a special kind of skill to entwine body, heart, and soul. Such skill requires great practice. It means listening and learning, pushing ourselves and trying new things. At times, there will be failures and setbacks. That’s okay, though. Amateurs may get discouraged, but masters learn and work harder. With time and dedication, we gain greater mastery. There are many skills one can learn. There are many ways to master such skill. When it comes to making the best possible love to you, no other skill is worth greater mastery. When it comes to mastering the skill of lovemaking, no other skill is warrants more practice.