Testosterone and training
In our last article, “Testosterone and nutrition,” we discussed the devastating effect that being overweight has on levels of the male sex hormone. As you may remember, obesity reduces testosterone levels by up to 50%!
Alongside nutrition, physical training is a good way to keep your calorie balance within the desired range
At the same time, certain training routines themselves also increase the body’s production of both testosterone and growth hormone. In this article, we look at the best ways to achieve a healthy hormonal balance.
Don’t be afraid of hard workouts
Research shows that heavy resistance training increases both testosterone and growth hormone levels. This type of training mainly involves compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and pressing movements. While compound exercises are usually performed with a fairly low rep count of 4-6 per set, the recommended rep range for this routine is 8-15 reps.
It is extremely important to perform every exercise with proper technique, because during compound exercises that engage the whole body, you can often start compensating for a weaker muscle group by relying on a stronger, more dominant one. Although this approach may help you increase the weights you lift for a while, it is still a fairly sure route to injury.
HIIT – high-intensity interval training – aerobic exercise that raises testosterone levels
It is a little-known fact that conventional cardio, such as walking, running, or cycling at a steady pace for a long period, such as an hour, lowers testosterone levels. This does not mean, however, that you should avoid cardio if you want to look after your male sex hormone levels. This type of cardiovascular training is called high-intensity interval training, or HIIT.
HIIT consists of a series of all-out bursts of aerobic exercise, each followed by a rest interval. The optimal duration of the exercise and rest intervals depends largely on your fitness level, but as a beginner, you could start with 15-second all-out bursts, with 1 minute of rest between each burst. You could begin with 6 bursts in total. Once your body has adapted to this training method, you can lengthen the bursts and shorten the rest intervals. You can also increase the total number of bursts.
The term “rest interval” is also relative here. During these intervals, you should significantly reduce the intensity rather than stop moving altogether. For example, if you choose running sprints as your form of HIIT, it makes sense to walk after an intense sprint rather than sit on the ground.
Too much of a good thing can be harmful
It is fairly easy to become overly fanatical about training, since physical exertion increases dopamine release in the brain. As a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in reward-driven behavior, dopamine creates a strong sense of achievement and satisfaction that makes you want to repeat the experience.
Although physical activity benefits both body and mind, you need to avoid overtraining. Insufficient rest and recovery raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which, as described in one of our earlier articles, lowers testosterone levels.
To avoid overtraining, you need to listen closely to your body. The first clear signs are mental fatigue and having to force yourself to work out. In addition, if your strength numbers have already been declining rather than improving for a week or two, this is an unmistakable sign of overtraining.
If you are already overtrained, this does not mean you need to give up physical activity altogether. Hiking, swimming, or another form of light physical activity helps maintain muscle tone and gives your mind a rest. The right time to return to the gym is when you feel the urge to lift weights again.
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In the next article, we will discuss whether and how lifestyle vices such as smoking and drinking alcohol affect male sex hormone levels.
If you want healthy testosterone levels and are already applying the information from the articles published so far, we also recommend taking King of Spades, a supplement produced in Estonia using only the highest-quality raw ingredients, to achieve significant changes more quickly. In studies, the supplement’s active ingredients have shown significant positive effects on male sex hormone levels, fertility, and oxidative stress.
References:
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Craig BW1, Brown R, Everhart J. Mech Ageing Dev. 1989 Aug;49(2):159-69.
3. Reproductive hormonal profiles of endurance-trained and untrained males.
Hackney AC, Sinning WE, Bruot BC. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise [1988, 20(1):60-65]
4. Impact of high-intensity exercise on energy expenditure, lipid oxidation and body fatness.
Yoshioka M, Doucet E, St-Pierre S, Alméras N, Richard D, Labrie A, Després JP, Bouchard C, Tremblay A. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Mar;25(3):332-9.
5. High-intensity aerobic interval training increases fat and carbohydrate metabolic capacities in human skeletal muscle.
Perry CG, Heigenhauser GJ, Bonen A, Spriet LL. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2008 Dec;33(6):1112-23.
6. Testosterone responses to intensive interval versus steady-state endurance exercise.
Hackney AC, Hosick KP, Myer A, Rubin DA, Battaglini CL. J Endocrinol Invest. 2012 Dec;35(11):947-50.
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Sutoo D, Akiyama K. Neurobiol Dis. 2003 Jun;13(1):1-14.
Author: Testosteroon
Come work out! ArtGym
