Does strength training increase testosterone? Boosting Testosterone - Exercises for Men Deadlifts Increase Testosterone Research

The male hormone androgen. It is synthesized in the testicles (testicles). Regulates many functions in a man’s body and is responsible for such indicators as strength, strength endurance, and muscle mass. The more testosterone, the easier it is to maintain muscle cells. When there is a shortage of it, the body tries to get rid of “extra” muscles, as they consume energy and plastic resources.

Nutrition does not directly affect this hormone. It is synthesized from cholesterol. Therefore, men often crave animal fat, be it meat or eggs with yolk. Even if there is not enough cholesterol in the diet, the body will find a way to create testosterone, so nutrition is relegated to a secondary role in this context.

Pharmacological drugs and doping in bodybuilding are closely related to testosterone. It is used as an injection to increase levels. The ampoules contain pure male hormone. PRO athletes thus directly increase its level above normal by 8-12 times, which of course gives an increase in muscle mass along with a number of side effects. In life, using conventional methods, you will never increase testosterone beyond a twofold increase relative to the standard norm.

• The testosterone your body produces is called endogenous, from the Greek word "endo" - inside.
• Testosterone that is obtained from the outside (ampoules, tablets, etc.) is exogenous.

Do you need high testosterone levels?

A small spoiler – no, not needed. Even if you interfere with the functioning of the hormonal system and are able to keep it above normal, for example 1.5-2 times, this will not give the desired result. In endocrinology, there is no term, law or description of the mechanism that would explain the relationship between the concentration of testosterone in the blood and the growth of muscle mass.

Testosterone only controls growth by attaching to muscle receptors. 50%, 30%, 99% or even 125% of the norm are perceived by the body the same way. This amount is enough to “go through” all the receptors. But what about doping and steroids? After all, exogenous testosterone increases muscle mass!

Absolutely right. The answer lies in the concentration of testosterone in the blood. Naturally, you can increase the level of male hormone by a maximum of 1.5-2 times. Taking special medications exceeds the norm by 8-12 times. The number of receptors increases, which promotes growth. This is how steroids work. Just remember that when testosterone levels are high, the body will begin to produce more female hormones. How? - will turn what he thinks is an extra male hormone into a female one. Therefore, doping is the domain of professionals who work together with doctors and specialists.

We just want to say that not everything in the human body is as simple as it is presented by sellers of unique training methods and super-exercises for increasing testosterone. The endocrine system is balanced and is ready to respond instantly to any intervention. And a minute surge of hormones after training is not a trigger that triggers muscle growth. But let's talk about everything in order, so as not to become unfounded in your monitors.

Does exercise increase testosterone?

This stereotype is associated with an old study (Kraemeretal., 2005). Scientists have proven that noticeable hormonal changes occur after training, especially for basic multi-joint or functional exercises. However, the wrong conclusion was drawn: hormone shifts = muscle growth. This is a very serious statement that deserves a Nobel Prize. The researchers' work records surges in hormones, but concludes that there is no reason for the effect on growth. A fatal mistake, but no one began to look for clarification and other research. This was enough to spread the myth.

There is a large study that interests us: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19910330

Here, the researchers found that exercise for testosterone is meaningless in the context of muscle growth. No connection was found with testosterone surges and protein synthesis. We still don't know why straight men grow muscles, but at the same time we can say that it is not the male hormone, since endogenous testosterone is simply not enough to force the body to increase the number of protein receptors on the muscles.

Exercises that increase testosterone

Let's not lie. There really are such exercises. High-volume strength training promotes a maximum surge of testosterone and growth hormone. This was found out here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20959702

Other studies indirectly prove that squats for 15-20 repetitions with a good working weight contribute to a significant surge in hormones, which makes it easier to recover from training, but nowhere has a positive effect on muscle growth been proven.

Style Summary

You can build a training regimen based solely on testosterone exercises, and you will indeed increase its concentration in the blood, but this amount will not be enough to affect protein synthesis and muscle growth. Your goal is obviously a failure, since a natural athlete progresses not on the number of milligrams of testosterone in the blood, but on the type of training and diet regimen.

I would like to note on my own that life at the lower and high limits of the testosterone norm is no different. Without tests, you will not notice the difference, both in everyday life and in strength training.

A natural athlete needs to focus not on blood hormone levels, but on the training process. PRO athletes who use doping are the ones who should care and think about tests and testosterone levels in the blood. You and I have a different fitness.

Testosterone is one of the most important hormones of the steroid androgen group, responsible for the formation of muscle and bone tissue, the development and functioning of the genital organs, as well as the emotional background of a person. Its active production is observed in adolescence, and then androgen levels begin to decline. The hormone has a special role for men, since with its deficiency there is a decrease in sexual function, muscle atrophy, and general fatigue.

You can increase testosterone levels with the help of medications (anabolic steroids) and exercise.

But taking anabolic drugs increases the risk of health problems. As for exercise, it not only helps increase testosterone, but also has a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body.

Exercises to increase testosterone

Any vigorous physical activity leads to an increase in testosterone in the blood.

Experimental studies have proven that the production of this hormone is significantly increased by strength exercises that are performed regularly.

Basic strength exercises:

• exercises with a barbell;
• push-ups;
• exercises with dumbbells;
• pull-up using a bar.

Constant strength training, which promotes the release of the hormone, allows you to maintain excellent physical shape and improves metabolism.

Using dumbbells and barbells can give good results. Some of the most effective exercises are squats and deadlifts.

Before you start exercising, you should consult your doctor. If you take a serious approach, it is recommended to find a professional trainer who will help you correctly master the technique of performing the exercises.

If this is not possible, you can master the technique yourself.

Deadlift technique

The lesson begins with an initial vertical position - feet shoulder-width apart, the barbell is at a distance of 10 cm. Bend over and grab the sports equipment so that the hands are also shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Your knees should be bent and your back should be straight. The chest should be arched forward - like a wheel. After taking the correct position, they begin to slowly lift the barbell up. As soon as the projectile has reached its highest point, it is held for a few seconds and slowly returned to its original position without throwing it.

During the entire exercise, the back should remain straight and the center of gravity should be on the heels. For training, it is recommended to purchase a weightlifting belt.

Squat technique

Starting position - feet shoulder-width apart. The back should be straight and the chest should protrude slightly forward.

Stand so that the barbell is at the level of your trapezius muscles. During the exercise, your hands should be shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Squat down so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Heels should not be lifted off the floor. Once you are fully erect, take a deep breath and slowly lower yourself.

Calculate the weight of the barbell so that you can perform 10 repetitions in one approach.

Bench press

The barbell press is performed using a bench. Lie down on a bench with your knees bent and your feet touching the floor and positioned shoulder-width apart. The shoulder blades are brought together, and the chest is moved slightly forward. After this, remove the bar from the racks, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder level. Raise the projectile until your arms are fully straightened, and then lower it down to chest level. Then the bar is returned to its original position.

It is not recommended to perform strength exercises more than 3 times a week, since in this case all testosterone will be spent only on muscle formation. You cannot overload your body with physical activity, because this will have the opposite effect.

Boosting testosterone with yoga

You can increase testosterone levels not only with the help of strength physical activity, but also with the help of yoga exercises associated with deflection of the spine.
Exercises aimed at deflecting the spine make the adrenal glands, which are responsible for the production of this hormone, work more intensely.

In addition, yoga exercises have a relaxing effect, which in turn helps the body fight stress - the worst enemy of testosterone.

Method of performing the exercise Bhujangasan (cobra pose)

Starting position – lie on your stomach. The legs should be connected, and the arms should be shoulder-width apart and the palms should rest on the floor. The frontal part of the head should also rest against the floor.

Inhale and slowly begin to raise your head. Bend your upper body back as much as possible, tensing all your back muscles. Hands should not be involved in lifting the body - they play the role of support. Freeze in this position as much as possible, and then smoothly return to the starting position.

This is one of the most effective yoga exercises.

Other methods to increase testosterone

In order to achieve the best result, an integrated approach is required.

Doing any type of exercise to increase male hormone will not be enough.

Lifestyle and daily diet play an important role.

Important factors for testosterone production:

• healthy sleep;
• absence of bad habits;
• proper nutrition;
• taking vitamins;
• active sex life.

Adequate healthy sleep is directly related to the natural production of testosterone. Its absence leads to a decrease in activity, a feeling of fatigue, and stress. The latter, in turn, produces cortisol, a hormone that suppresses testosterone production.

And alcohol, due to its toxic effects, suppresses the production of a vital hormone in the body. Abuse of bad habits can lead to impotence.

A man's diet should include foods high in protein and omega fats. It is recommended to minimize the consumption of fried foods, as they contribute to the accumulation of waste and toxins, which also reduce the production of the hormone.

Vitamins and minerals also play an important role in testosterone production. One of the main minerals that promotes men's health is zinc. The mineral is responsible for the production of the hormone and prevents its conversion into tarragon (the female hormone).

The consumption of vitamins A, C, D also has a beneficial effect on hormone production.

Excessive consumption of sweets and starchy foods also has a detrimental effect on men's health, since carbohydrates lead to a decrease in androgen in the blood.

An active sex life is the best exercise to increase male hormones. During sexual intercourse, there is an increased production of testosterone in the body. The lack of sex life leads to stagnant processes and entails impotence.

Conclusion

Regular exercise, combined with a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, can have a beneficial effect on the production of testosterone, which ensures men's health.

Testosterone, a hormone produced primarily by the testicles, is often associated with masculinity, although it is also produced in women. Below are 9 ways to increase testosterone levels in men naturally.

In fact, testosterone plays a big role in a man’s sexual and reproductive function and is responsible for increasing muscle mass and hair growth. In addition, it has less “noticeable” but no less important functions: maintaining bone density, maintaining the number of red blood cells at the desired level, and many others.

From about age 30, testosterone levels in men begin to decline naturally. A variety of chemicals, including the use of drugs such as statins, have a negative impact on testosterone levels in men. At the same time, estrogen levels tend to increase due to the widespread occurrence of estrogen-like compounds in food, water and environmental pollutants. The question immediately arises, how to increase testosterone?

If you are experiencing erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating and memory, and you think it is due to low testosterone levels, this can be easily checked by taking a blood test. Because hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day, you will need other tests to get a true picture of your body's condition.

If testosterone levels are truly low, there are a number of synthetic and bioidentical testosterone products available, as well as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is the most common androgenic prohormone (precursor) in the human body. This means that it is the most important "raw material" that the body uses to produce other hormones, including testosterone in men and estrogen in women.

More physiological is the use of bioidentical hormones. They should only be used under the guidance of a doctor, who will monitor their levels to be sure that you really need hormone replacement therapy.

But before you opt for synthetic substitutes, here are a few ways you can use to boost your testosterone levels naturally. They are suitable for almost everyone, since they have only positive “side effects”.

9 Ways to Increase Testosterone Naturally

1. Lose weight

If you're overweight, losing those extra pounds can boost your testosterone levels, according to research presented at the 2012 Endocrine Society meeting. Overweight men are more likely to have low testosterone levels, so losing excess weight can be an important factor in helping to increase the body's production of the hormone.

If you're serious about losing weight, you'll want to strictly limit the amount of refined sugar in your diet, as excess sugar and fructose have been shown to be a major factor in making obesity an epidemic. So, stopping your consumption of sugary sodas will be just as important as limiting your intake of processed foods containing fructose, fruit juices, fruits, and so-called “healthy” sweeteners (like agave).

Ideally, you should consume less than 25 grams of fructose per day (this includes fruit). This is especially true if you have developed insulin resistance, are overweight, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

In addition, it will be vital to eliminate all grain products and milk (even unprocessed) from the diet. Milk contains a sugar called lactose, which has been shown to increase insulin resistance. So, it would be a wise decision not to drink it if you want to lose weight.

Refined carbohydrates such as breakfast cereals, bagels, waffles, muffins and most other processed foods also quickly turn into sugar, increasing insulin levels and causing insulin resistance. And this is the most important factor in the occurrence of almost all chronic human diseases and conditions, including weight gain.

If you eliminate these foods from your diet, you need to replace them with healthy foods - vegetables and fats (including natural saturated fats!). Your body prefers the carbohydrates in nutritious, hard-to-digest vegetables over grains and pure sugar because they convert more slowly into simple sugars (glucose, for example) and lower insulin levels. If you eliminate grains and sugar from your diet, you'll have to radically increase the amount of vegetables in your diet, and make sure you're also regularly consuming plenty of protein and healthy fats.

The foods you choose will be the driving force towards your weight loss goal. And short, high-intensity exercise such as Peak Fitness two to three times a week, combined with a full-time exercise routine, will have additional positive effects on your body (see below)!

2. Do high intensity exercise (especially when combined with intermittent fasting)

Both intermittent fasting and short, intense exercise can increase testosterone levels. This is in contrast to aerobics or long-term moderate exercise, which have a negative or no effect on testosterone levels.

“Short bursts of intense exercise have a proven positive effect on increasing testosterone levels and preventing their decline.”

Intermittent fasting increases testosterone by increasing the expression of satiety hormones, including insulin, leptin, adiponectin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), cholecystokinin, and melanocortins, all of which are known to enhance the effects of testosterone, increase libido, and prevent age-related decrease in male sex hormone.

Consuming whey protein post-workout may further increase satiety/testosterone effects (hunger hormones have opposite effects on testosterone and libido). Here's what a typical high-intensity workout might look like:

• Warm up for three minutes;
• Do it as hard and fast as you can for 30 seconds. You should feel as if you would collapse exhausted;
• Recovery: Build up to a slow to moderate pace for 90 seconds;
• Repeat the high-intensity exercise and recovery cycle 7 times.

As you can see, each workout lasts only 20 minutes. Twenty minutes! And it really works! During these 20 minutes, 75% of the time is spent warming up, recovering or cooling down. You only work really hard for four minutes. If you've never done it, it's hard to believe that you can get much benefit from four minutes of exercise. But this is true.

Keep in mind that you can use almost any type of activity for this - elliptical, treadmill running, swimming, long-distance running, including outdoors (be very careful to avoid injury) - as long as while you exert maximum effort for 30 seconds. But first, make sure you've stretched enough and to avoid injury, start slow. Do two or three repetitions at first and gradually increase the number. Don't expect to do all eight reps the first time, especially if you're out of shape.

3. Get enough zinc

It is an important element for the synthesis of testosterone. Taking zinc supplements for just six weeks has been shown to cause a noticeable increase in testosterone in men with low testosterone levels. In addition, it protects a person from a reflex decrease in testosterone after exercise. Conversely, studies have shown that limited zinc intake leads to a significant decrease in testosterone levels.

It is believed that up to 45% of adults over the age of 60 take zinc in much lower doses than needed; Even when taking nutritional supplements, it is estimated that 20-25% of older people continue to receive insufficient zinc.

Your food is the best source of zinc; Along with protein-rich foods such as meat and fish, other sources of zinc include unprocessed milk, unprocessed cheese, beans, yogurt, or kefir made from unprocessed milk. It is difficult for vegetarians to get enough zinc from foods. This problem is also true for meat eaters, in large part due to agricultural practices that use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals destroy nutrients in the soil (including zinc) that need to be absorbed by plants and then released into your body.

Very often we ourselves reduce the amount of nutrients in food during its preparation. In most food products, when cooked, the amount of nutrients is sharply reduced, especially with excessive heat treatment.

If you choose to use zinc supplements, stick to a dosage of less than 40 mg per day, as this is the recommended upper limit for adults. Taking too much zinc can interfere with the body's ability to absorb other minerals, especially copper, and can also cause the side effect of nausea.

4. Don't forget about strength training

In addition to high-intensity training, strength training is also known as a way to increase testosterone levels, but only if you apply enough force. To increase testosterone during your workout, you need to increase the weight and decrease the number of repetitions, and also focus on exercises that involve a large number of muscles: deadlifts, squats, and others.

You can increase the benefits of strength training by doing it more slowly. By slowing down the movement, you turn it into a high-intensity exercise. Super-slow movement helps your muscles, on a microscopic level, open as many cross-bridges as possible between the protein fibers on which muscle contractions depend.

5. Maintain Vitamin D Levels

Vitamin D, a steroid in structure, is essential for the healthy development of the sperm nucleus and helps maintain sperm and sperm quality. Vitamin D also increases testosterone levels, which supports libido. In one study, overweight men who took vitamin D supplements had significantly higher testosterone levels after one year of regular supplementation.

Vitamin D deficiency is now epidemic in the United States and many other regions around the world, largely because people do not spend enough time in the sun to support the synthesis of vitamin D.

So, the first step to knowing if you're getting the full benefits of vitamin D is to measure your blood levels of 25-(OH)-D, or 25-hydroxyvitamin D.

To reach the healthy range, all you need to do is get more sun exposure. Irradiating a large surface area of ​​the skin at midday until it turns a slight pink tint will usually be sufficient to achieve adequate vitamin D synthesis. If lying in the sun is not an option for you, opt for the safe tanning of a tanning bed (with an electric ballast, not magnetic to avoid unnecessary exposure to electromagnetic fields).

As a last resort, vitamin D3 supplements can be taken in pill form, but research shows that the average adult needs to take 8,000 IU of vitamin D per day to keep levels above 40 ng/ml, which is the absolute minimum for disease prevention. .

6. Reduce stress

When you're stressed, your body releases a lot of the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone actually blocks the effects of testosterone, presumably because, biologically speaking, testosterone is associated with behaviors (mating, competition, aggression) that can reduce the chances of survival in an emergency (hence the fight-or-flight choice). cortisol).

In today's world, chronic stress and resulting elevated cortisol levels can mean that the effects of testosterone are blocked in the long term.

One successful way to cope with stress is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), which is called “acupuncture without needles.” It's a convenient, free way to let go of emotional baggage quickly and painlessly, and it's so easy that you can even teach it to children. Other ways to quickly relieve stress are prayer, meditation, yoga, positive emotions, and learning relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and positive visualization, which are the “language” of the subconscious.

When creating a visual image (how you would like to feel), your subconscious mind will begin to help you by making the necessary biochemical and neurological changes in the body.

7. Limit or eliminate sugar from your diet

Testosterone levels decrease after you consume sugar. This is likely because sugar increases insulin levels, another factor that leads to decreased testosterone.

The USDA estimates that the average American consumes 12 teaspoons of sugar per day, which is about two tons of sugar over the course of a lifetime.

Why we eat so much sugar, it's easy to understand: it tastes good, and we get pleasure by triggering the development of an innate reflex through dopamine and opioid signals.

What what it does to us on a physical and emotional level is a completely different story, and most people's health improves significantly after reducing or eliminating sugar from their diet. Remember that foods with added sugar and fructose, as well as grains (bread and pasta) should also be limited.

If you are struggling with sugar addiction or have problems with sweet cravings, you should try the psychological technique Turbo Tapping, which has helped many sugar addicts break their “sweet habit.” It works with any type of sweet tooth.

8. Eat healthy fats

“Healthy” means not only mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which can be found in avocados and nuts, but also saturated fats, as they are necessary for testosterone synthesis. Research shows that a diet with less than 40% of energy in the form of fat (and mainly from animal sources, i.e. saturated fat) leads to lower testosterone levels. Experts believe that an ideal diet should contain about 50-70% fat.

It's important to understand that your body requires saturated fat from animal and plant sources (meat, dairy, certain oils, and tropical plants like coconut) to function optimally. And if you neglect this important food group in favor of sugar, grains and other starchy carbohydrates, your health and weight are almost guaranteed to suffer. Examples of healthy fats you should eat more of to help your testosterone levels rise:

9. Increase your intake of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), such as from whey protein.

Sports and testosterone are directly related to each other - it is no coincidence that scientists have been studying the effect of the hormone on muscle mass for almost 80 years. Every athlete who strives for new heights in his or her business sooner or later comes to the question of how to increase natural testosterone. But in order to assess how much the sex hormone influences success in sports, it is important to understand the mechanism of action of testosterone and how the level of the hormone changes during training.

How does exercise affect testosterone levels?

Back in 1938, a series of experiments on animals - rats, guinea pigs, mice - began, which demonstrated an interesting fact. Castration of males of all these mammals caused a decrease in skeletal muscle strength, due to a decrease in the biosynthesis of a special protein. But at the same time, testosterone replacement therapy helped eliminate these negative consequences.

These experiments made it possible to study the connection between the male sex hormone and athletic endurance, as well as to develop special hormonal drugs that enhance physical strength and provoke the growth of muscle mass.

Testosterone levels are not constant. The percentage of the hormone in the blood is highest in the morning; in the evening it gradually drops. But a variety of situations can cause a testosterone surge in the male body, and playing sports is one of them.

Testosterone during training increases already during training - depending on the type of exercise and the individual characteristics of a man, it can jump by 15-40% or even higher. The highest level is directly during exercise and after its completion; within an hour the hormone begins to return to its original state.

The reason for this hormonal surge is nerve impulses that go straight from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland and force the gland to secrete testosterone - in the testicles and adrenal cortex.

The body’s hormonal response during sports (that is, the amount of “increased” testosterone) depends on 4 main factors:

1. The number of muscles that are involved in the work.
2. Intensity and duration of training.
3. The correct ratio of the number of approaches to exercises and rest between them.
4. Initial physical training and experience in sports training.

Testosterone in bodybuilding

Sports doctors and trainers convince: in order to maximize the level of natural sex hormone, it is important to choose special exercises for testosterone. And for this you need to build your training program according to the following principles:

• Choose exercises that involve several muscle groups (and not just specific exercises from the “how to pump up triceps” series).
• Give preference to multi-joint exercises (“base”): squats, deadlifts and presses.
• Focus on strength training. They stimulate the release of testosterone much more than other exercises, such as endurance exercise.
• Include various elements in the program, including flexibility exercises, cardio exercises, etc. This will not only balance out hormonal levels, but also improve overall health.
• The duration of classes should be at least 40-60 minutes, rest between approaches - 1-2 minutes.

What happens in the body during sports

Testosterone circulates in the blood in 3 forms: slightly bound and unbound, and only the first two have biological activity (that is, the ability to influence the body).

During sports, the level of the sex hormone in the blood jumps sharply, and biologically active testosterone takes on its daily work with even greater effort.

Receptors sensitive to testosterone (androgen) are found in a variety of tissues and organs - kidneys, nerves, prostate, skeletal muscles, adipose tissue. By the way, today doctors consider adipose tissue to be an active endocrine organ that plays a huge role in the metabolism of hormones, including testosterone.

By binding to the androgen receptor, the testosterone molecule enters the cell and soon moves to the cell nucleus. The “testosterone + receptor” complex intensively performs all testosterone functions (androgenic and metabolic), then the free receptor is selected from the nucleus to the cell surface to again find a testosterone molecule ready to work.

The release of testosterone during sports training has three main effects:

1. In skeletal muscle cells, the hormone stimulates the synthesis of proteins of contractile muscle fibers - actin and myosin. This ensures endurance and rapid muscle growth.
2. In adipose tissue, testosterone enhances the lipolytic ability of cells, that is, it activates the breakdown of unnecessary fat.
3. In kidney cells, the hormone stimulates the production of red blood cells, which are a kind of hormonal conductors. This allows testosterone to quickly reach receptors in different parts of the body.

How to Boost Testosterone with Supplements and Steroids

Testosterone and muscles are directly dependent on each other. To build muscle mass, increase endurance, and recover faster after grueling exercise, it is necessary to maintain hormonal levels. There are several options for this.

Proper nutrition is the main key to high testosterone. Unsaturated omega fatty acids (nuts, fish, vegetable oil), zinc, calcium, vitamins C, E, B, etc. There are also special products that increase male testosterone:

• eggs;
• beef;
• legumes;
• milk (whole);
• almond;
• broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

To increase testosterone, sports nutrition should include proteins (shakes, bars).

This drug is taken in courses of 8-10 weeks; combined courses are also used. The steroid ensures the growth of muscle mass, strength, pumping (spectacular relief muscles), enhances recovery processes, and helps to avoid physical discomfort during physical overload.

However, rapid weight gain is largely achieved due to the accumulation of fluid in the body, and after administration the effect disappears (rebound phenomenon).

How testosterone levels help you achieve success in sports

Powerful physical strength, strong muscles, the will to win - all these are signs of high testosterone and the qualities of a real athlete. However, here we are not talking about the level of testosterone itself, but about the effect of the hormone on the body.

Scientists have been studying the question of exactly how much testosterone levels in the blood affect sports victories. Recently, another experiment was conducted by specialists from Emory University (Georgia, USA).

Scientists tested saliva for testosterone from professional runners three times during the marathon: before warming up, after the athletes warmed up, and at the finish line. The level of the hormone in all runners grew steadily even before the warm-up, after reaching the finish line it simply went off scale, but... did not have any effect on the victory. The marathon runner with the highest testosterone was generally one of the last to arrive.

But American scientists do not at all claim that testosterone has no effect on athletic achievements. On the contrary, it improves physical fitness, allows you to build muscle mass, creates the necessary competitive spirit in a man, and strengthens the will to win. And as a result, it helps to become the first.

Testosterone is the main male hormone. The abundance of testosterone guarantees you excellent potency and sexual exploits. In the male body, testosterone is constantly produced. As much as nature has measured out, so much will be. But there is a way to get more testosterone. Strength sports provoke increased production of testosterone in the body. Get busy.

When a boy enters puberty, testosterone begins to be produced. First of all, it stimulates muscle growth. A lot of testosterone means massive muscles grow. So that a man can work hard and fight hard. The pattern also works in the other direction. If you load your muscles, your body will respond with a powerful release of testosterone.

A set of three basic exercises from all strength sports will literally drown you in testosterone. And the potency will be stunning.

The complex consists of only three exercises. It is enough to train every other day, one exercise per workout. Each of the given exercises involves the maximum possible number of muscles.

Squat

Squats with a barbell on your shoulders. They are considered one of the three most important exercises in general physical training. The squat is used as an auxiliary exercise in the training of athletes of all sports.

This is because squatting is a multi-joint movement. Plus, a huge number of large and small muscles work - the back and all the muscles of the lower body.

Deadlift

Bend over the barbell and, slightly bending your knees, grab the bar with your hands. Straighten up. Hold the barbell in your hands. Lower the bar into place. Repeat the movement.

The deadlift is the most powerful exercise for gaining muscle mass. Accordingly, we conclude that it stimulates testosterone production the most.

But at the same time, deadlifting is the exercise that is the most common cause of injury in the gym. Due to incorrect execution technique, the spine is injured. The heavier the weight, the greater the danger. Don't rush to grab heavy weights. Learn the technique first. Potency is not a joy for an athlete with a crippled back.

Press

The most spectacular exercise with a barbell. But at the same time, it is deadly if the working weight is incorrectly selected or the technique is incorrect.

Classic pressdone while lying on a bench. In the starting position, the athlete holds the barbell with outstretched arms above the chest. Lowers the barbell to his chest and presses it up again.

If there is not enough strength to press the barbell, then the barbell falls on the athlete’s throat or ribs. To prevent injury, the athlete is insured by his comrades who are ready to pick up the barbell.

During each set, an assistant helps remove the bar from the racks. And at the end of the set it helps to return the barbell to the racks.

If there are no assistants, then the barbell can be pressed inside the power frame. The frame has adjustable stops at chest level. The bar presses against them. And in case of danger, it also falls on the limiters.

The bad thing about the press is that it is extremely dangerous and requires a constant assistant, or even two. But it works the entire shoulder girdle. And in terms of stimulating testosterone production, it is not inferior to the squat.

How to choose working weights

For each exercise, its own working weight is selected. Because different muscle groups work. The working weight is selected according to this principle. With which barbell did you manage to do eight repetitions in a row - and you won’t have any strength left for the ninth repetition? work with such a barbell in the future. In the future, add loads as needed. The warm-up weight is half the working weight.

If you don’t know where to start, here are approximate numbers to guide you in choosing working scales:

squat -90 kg (or your own weight)

bench press - 60 kg

thrust - 90 kg

If it's too easy, you can add more. If it's hard, then reduce the weight.

Each gym must have an instructor. He will help you choose weights in accordance with your build and physical fitness.

Don't listen to others

Just don’t focus on gym regulars under any circumstances. They have been training for a long time and lifting serious weights. Your task is not to compete with them in terms of toughness, but to optimally work out your body.

Each athlete in the gym has his own goals and objectives. One wants to lift a record weight, the other is engaged in bodybuilding. Each task has its own exercises, its own weights, and its own training complex. Your task is to load the body in a reasonable way. Your main interlocutor in the gym is the trainer-instructor. The rest of the talk is idle talk.

A smart barbell alternative

If exercises with a barbell seem dangerous to you. And, simply, my heart doesn’t belong to her. Then you have three alternatives.

First, dumbbells. They can be practiced not only in the gym, but also at home. There are many exercises with them. With the help of athletic discs (“pancakes”), the weight of the dumbbell can be varied over a wide range. I recommend that you start with 12 kilograms. This is the weight of one steel dumbbell bar and two five-kilogram “pancakes”. In a sports store you can assemble a smaller or larger dumbbell. It’s a question of money.

The second alternative to barbells is strength training machines. They are bad because they have a rigidly defined trajectory for the movement of arms and legs. And when working with free weights, the body works as it wants, as it is most convenient. But the simulators are less traumatic.

The third alternative to the barbell is running, push-ups, abdominal swings on the floor and pull-ups.

By and large, it doesn’t matter what you do. The main thing is that the male body experiences regular tension, to which it will readily respond with abundant testosterone production.

Training mode.

You need to do one basic exercise per workout.

Conduct training, preferably every other day. If it doesn’t work out in a day, then do it as best you can. But still, alternate exercises. Muscles must be allowed to rest and recover.

Training plan.

The training consists of three stages.

Stage one - warming up.

Warming up can begin with jogging or jumping rope. Then you can do some basic exercises with an empty bar, or some exercises on machines (except exercise bikes and cardio equipment). The goal of warming up is to increase your heart rate to 130-160 beats per minute.

Stage two - warm-up. We work with a warm-up weight - half of the working weight. We perform with him the basic exercise that is planned for today. 3-5 sets of 7-12 repetitions. The task is to prepare the muscles for serious work. Pump them up with blood. If they swelled beautifully during the warm-up, then the warm-up was successful.

Stage three - strength training. Let's do a basic exercise. Several sets of eight repetitions. We work until we run out of energy. After this we take another approach. In order for testosterone to be produced in abundance, you must be “deadly” tired during training. Don't strain yourself, but get tired.