Boosting Your Testosterone Levels


The male growth hormone testosterone plays a critical role in determining your muscle-building potential. When you exercise hard, your body releases a torrent of testosterone. During an intense workout, your testosterone levels can spike by 1,000 percent!

Some of the hormone stays in your bloodstream after your workout, helping to repair muscles and get your body ready for your next training session by helping your muscles grow.

Best exercises to elevate testosterone levels

Studies have shown that the body releases either more testosterone in response to strength training with weights, but the amount it releases can vary greatly depending on the specific nature of the exercise - the heaviness of the weights, the amount of muscles involved in the movements, etc.

In order to get the maximum testosterone boost, try the following:
  1. Focus on exercises that require you to use large muscle groups such as your hamstrings, gluteus maximum and pectorals (thighs, butt and chest). Dead lifts, squats and power cleans are all sure-fire testosterone boosters.

  2. Go heavy. A good rule of thumb is using weights that are about 85 percent of your max-out weights. For example, if your max bench press is 215 pounds, work out with 180-185 pounds.

  3. Put in the time and work necessary to get the testosterone flowing. Try doing supersets, where you combine multiple movements and exercises.

  4. Minimize break time. Rest half a minute to a minute between sets. Keep the blood flowing and the testosterone will flow with it.

  5. When you reach fatigue, lower your weights and bang out a few extra reps using light weights.
But don't try to do it all in the same workout. It's simply impossible to lift heavy supersets of large muscle groups with short rest periods. If you do it, you might boost testosterone, but you'll probably pass out from exhaustion or cause yourself a major injury as well. Instead, try one of the above recommendations at each workout. Remember, it's important to vary your workout routines periodically. This helps to "shock" your muscles with new growth stimuli.