As members, you get it! I'm talking about the unspoken pull in every straight, bi, or discreet guy, revealing a layer of male sexuality and exploration. This post explores what I am calling the gateway fetish that sparks curiosity and ignites attraction in guys of all stripes. It fueled my core crew, Matt, Adam, Brad, Brandon, and others who went from a hard no to fully hooked; that is how they got here. Back in 2001, I read the room (literally) at my gym and saw a new truth unfolding; not a trend but a raw unspoken truth. The Muscle Mafia and musclematt.com was born, and went worldwide. Now, 20+ years later, studies and stats back what I always knew; it’s an erotic dance of intrigue, seduction, and tapping every man’s sexual core. I talk about this in detail in my Behind The Masks  (BTM) episode “Controlling The Game Season4, Episode2”.  I also discuss it in a 2 part series there on my Bromance with Brandon.  

This "gate way"  fetish, is the catalyst that sometimes leads to something deeper: Body admiration, “The Gym Crush” In every instance I know that first initial attention getting glance sets off a domino affect that sometimes leads to erotic interactions (if handeld properly). This fetish has layers, and I’m going to break ‘em down raw in future BTM episodes and writings, but for now this will introduce you to what I have experienced, learned and lived.

Curiosity: Guys of all fitness levels, shapes and sizes share a common spark in the gym: admiration for each other’s physiques. Some end there, others progress organically. A casual locker room comment like, “Damn, bro, you’re shredded, what’s your secret?” might be genuine curiosity or the seed of a hidden crush. This fetish often kicks off innocently but can escalate into intense, hands-on fantasies. You hold the reins, it’s your choice: keep it friendly, swap workout tips and leave it there, or lean into the tension for a more escalating flirty, erotic exchanged; maybe just glances, compliments, or full-on muscle worship. What starts as envy or admiration can evolve into a kink or the fetish we all know: muscle worship.  This has the potential of opening doors to experimental sex or some deeper fetishes.  Studies back this up: 20-30% of straight men report occasional same-sex attraction, often ignited by the intense focus on male bodies in gym settings, fueling, as experts say,  “latent homoerotic curiosity” or what I rather say, “Feeling the itch, but keeping it cool”.   I didn’t need a study to tell me this I have lived it, but Im glad my findings and my instincts are now supported by facts.  At The Muscle Mafia, we’ve spotlighted, encouraged, and celebrated this fluidity in all its forms: alpha, submissive, or mutual worship. It’s normal, and the power to explore this gateway fetish is all yours.

Backed By Stats: A University of British Columbia study backs what I’ve championed for 20 years at The Muscle Mafia: many straight-identified U.S. men engage in same-sex encounters as “try-sexual” flexibility, not closeted bisexuality. They chase the thrill, release, and no-strings fun of our “Code of Silence.” It’s not about switching labels, you know how I feel about that (read here); it’s about redefining “straight” to include muscle worship or body admiration without stigma. Straight guys crave this validation. A buddy or even a stranger’s compliment is an ego boost that fuels gym motivation, unlike female praise which is rare. Fuck ‘em if he can’t handle a compliment, their discomfort might stem from the arousal it sparks. At musclematt.com, 20% of members identify as straight, aligning with porn stats showing 21% of straight men seek content like ours for masculine energy. Kinsey-scale data reveals 37% of men have same-sex experiences, often starting with physique-focused moments like body checks. A Journal of Sexual Medicine survey notes 1 in 5 straight men have visual/physical same-sex attractions, with body worship as one of the leading kinks among fluid straights, outpacing BDSM or gear.


Not a Gym Bod, You Still Have Game!  You play a huge role in this fetish, a key role in fact.  Even if you’re not the jacked beast or the ripped college jock, maybe you’re older, carrying a few extra pounds, or skipping gym days for Netflix, you hold a secret edge in the muscle worship game as the admirer. You’re the spark that ignites the thrill for both sides. Muscle worship thrives on the dynamic between the idol and the idolizer, and your gaze, compliments, or worship fuels the ego boost that drives the fetish. Studies, like those in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, show admiration-based kinks like muscle worship rely heavily on the admirer’s role, with 60% of participants citing the worshiper’s attention as the key to unlocking arousal. At The Muscle Mafia, we’ve seen it firsthand: the admirer’s power shapes the experience, making you just as crucial, sometimes more so, than the ripped guy flexing. Your role as the catalyst turns envy into connection, proving everyone has a place in this gateway fetish.  Some are very turned on by older average guys admiring them.  It is the power play that is the turn on.  The “Stud” gets off on being the stud, the superior being, the supreme “super sperm” there is no competition its a private interaction between the guy who likes to be admired and the guy who likes to admire.  No grand standing, no hang ups, no pissing contest.  That is what some need to get over, there is no room for 2 big egos, confidence yes.  The older or “less muscled” guy or even dad bodied guy should only be confident in what and how he can please the stud, again even it is just playful masculine flirting and verbal admiration.  That may plant a seed the grows into other things.

So, to wrap it up, give the compliments, take the compliments. What is the worst that can happen you make a new friend, you motivate someone, you make them feel good or maybe something more erotic and exciting.  What have you got to loose?  Just don’t be a creep no one likes a creep and it’s boner kill you can’t come back from.