Testosterone Boosting Workouts: A comprehensive review to raise Testosterone levels in the gym.

Keywords: Testosterone exercises, HITT, Gym exercises boosting testosterone levels, How to raise testosterone levels in the gym, Workouts to increase testosterone levels, Androgen Receptor, IGF-1, Growth Hormone, Type 1 and T2 Muscle Fibers, Testosterone and Muscle Growth, Size and Strength Enhancement.

The Best Testosterone Boosting Workouts and Exercises: A comprehensive review of the best gym exercise to raise testosterone levels.

· HITT (High Intensity Interval Training)

· Compound Movements

· Resistance Training Exercises

Resistance exercise is potent stimulus that can enhance muscle performance and fuel muscle growth. Exercise and resistance workouts cause muscle growth by inducing muscle fatigue, muscle repair and up-regulation of the androgen receptor (AR) with muscle . Strain on skeletal muscle due to lifting weight causes a cascade of events that activates the endocrine system to remodel damaged muscle fibers and synthesize new proteins that lead to muscle repair, growth and enhanced strength. Principle to this process of muscle growth are the hormones testosterone, insulin like growth hormone (IGF-1) and growth hormone.

The principle hormone responsible for muscle growth is testosterone. Testosterone has been shown to increase muscle size and circumference by directly enhancing Type 1 and Type 2 muscle fiber (myofiber) size and growth. Testosterone causes muscle growth, strength and size my activating the androgen receptor in muscle tissue. Activation of the androgen receptor in muscle tissue by testosterone causes the following:

1) Testosterone causes an increase in glucose transport and deposition into the muscle tissue and glycogen synthesis for muscle use. This process is important for the muscle to fuel itself for repair, growth and obtain increases in strength.

2) Testosterone promotes protein synthesis, preventing catabolism, in muscle tissue. Protein synthesis is necessary to rebuild myofibrils and myofibers the structural component of muscle. New muscle tissue is added during muscle remodeling and repair from strenuous exercise and lifting thereby inducing muscle growth.

Within as much as 30 minutes of exercise the acute phase response to resistance training can stimulate testosterone elevation and activation of the androgen receptors (AR) in skeletal muscle. Paramount to raising testosterone exhibited during and after gym workouts are the following: the type of exercise, duration of exercise, rest between exercise, nutritional intake before and during exercise, intensity and volume (weight) involved during exercise. Consider the following to asssit in boosting testosterone in the gym.

When performing exercises that will boost testosterone, consider the following:

1) High intensity, – rapid succession movements moderate weight.

2) Exercises that involve multiple muscle groups

3) Exercises that involve the largest muscle groups in the body such as Back, Quadriceps, Hamstring, Shoulders/Trapezius

4) Compound movements that recruit multiple muscle groups to perform an exercise (squats, bench press, deadlift…etc.)

Compound Movements That Raise Testosterone Levels

· Bench Press (Barbell or Dumbbells)

· Squats

· Seated or Bent over Rows

· Overhead press (Dumbbells or Press Machine)

· Hack Squats

· Deadlifts

· Kettlebell exercises

· Barbell Clean and Jerk

· Heavy Battle Ropes

High Intensity Interval Training, also known as HITT, provides condensed volumes of exercise to illicit an increase in muscle power, cardiovascular, and metabolic health. In a study by Hayes et.al, HITT exercises can improve testosterone levels by 17%. HITT is training technique that involves giving 100% maximal effort during short runs of training, followed by short recovery and rest periods.

Nutrition Intake suggestions to replenish glycogen stores after resistance training and enhance muscle growth and recovery.

1) Carbohydrate intake within 4 hours after exercise

2) Caffeine ingestion ( 3-8mg/kg)

3) Addition of protein to carbohydrate can improve glycogen deposition

Nutrition Intake suggestions to replenish glycogen stores during high intensity resistance training.

1) 30-60gram of carbohydrates/hr in a 6-12 fluid ounces during workout of high intensity

2) Adding protein to the solution can assist in increasing performance, reduce muscle damage, and promote glycogen synthesis ( Kersick CM et.al.)

3) Consider repetitions of 8-12 repetitions, 3-6 sets targeting major muscle groups- promotes improvement in glycogen store with the above nutrition intra workout nutrition recommendation.

4) Use of Amino Acids 10grams, enhances and stimulates muscle protein synthesis.

Nutrition before sleep to enhance muscle growth and protein synthesis

1) Consuming 30-40grams of protein can enhance muscle protein synthesis and improve basal metabolic rate while sleep.

To learn more about raising your testosterone naturally visit with a REGENX Health provider today at REGENXHealth.com.

Hayes LD, Herbert P, Sculthorpe NF, Grace FM. Exercise training improves free testosterone in lifelong sedentary aging men. Endocr Connect. 2017;6(5):306-310. doi:10.1530/EC-17-0082

Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Nindl BC. Recovery responses of testosterone, growth hormone, and IGF-1 after resistance exercise. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017 Mar 1;122(3):549-558. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00599.2016. Epub 2016 Nov 17. PMID: 27856715.

Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33. Published 2017 Aug 29. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4