Articles > Men training Optimization
Men training Optimization
Testosterone is the hormone we want to focus on to get the best results in training for men. This does not mean go inject steroids now, God forbid. With simple changes such as resistance training before endurance training or separating them into different days, you can improve your training results. In this article there are tools and tips for more precise tuning of how to train to achieve optimal results.
The realization that there is a substance in the testicles that works for male health began in 1849 with a researcher studying castrated roosters. These lost their cock's comb strength, the male aggressiveness disappeared and also the interest in hens. Towards the end of the 19th century, a 72-year-old researcher at the time, injected himself with an extract (you understand from where), he noted "his vigor and sense of well-being were noticeably restored but these effects were transient" and he suggested that there is a biochemical substance in the extract that promotes well-being . Within a year, 12,000 doctors started injecting this extract to patients. It became clear from animal studies that the injection of what we now know to be testosterone improved physical & mental strength, promoted better sleep and other youth-restoring effects. The need to produce and synthesize the hormone was born. However, today testosterone is mainly used to treat testosterone deficiency in men.
What does it have to do with improving training efficacy in men
This article discusses what this means for my training as a man. Normal blood levels of testosterone are 300-1000 ng/dl. This is a difference of up to 400% between different men, the reason for this is very tangible, those who have more testosterone have more physical strength. A study shown it on body-building athletes by showing that athletes who injected testosterone without training got results close to those who train without injecting. But this hormone affects other things that are outside the physical body, proper levels in shown by more focus, willpower and perseverance. In addition, the sense of fear is deminished, because testosterone binds to the amygdala directly and inhibits the feeling of fear. Plus there is more creativity.
Nature did this intentionally to create a hierarchy of who gets more resources because resources as they are limited. Also testosterone, unlike other hormones, varies depending on the situation. A research envolviing monkeys who don't know each other and placed in one area, the monkeys fought to occupy territories, what is interesting that they found that according to the new hierarchy that formed, their testosterone levels increased up to 10 times or decreased up to 10 times compared to before ingaging.
Testosterone insights
– The optimal amount for men is 700-900 ng/dl.
– Changing the base level brings big changes, a study showed that men who went from 500 ng/dl to 800 ng/dl were able to increase muscle and lose fat very quickly, without changing diet or training.
– Effects of low levels:
* Damage to memory and cognitive abilities.
* Loss of hides and bone density – responsible for their construction.
* Low Libido that may can lead to impotence – mainly caused by stress-related decrease in testosterone.
* Raises depression and anxiety.
* Metabolic diseases.
* Tiredness.
Testosterone levels maintainance Do's
– Prefer heavy resistance exercises and preferably those that recruit as many muscle groups as possible. Example exercises are: pull-ups, deadlifts, push-ups and Squats. The larger the muscles, the more testosterone is released, which again reduces fat and helps increase muscle mass. If you think about it, the biggest muscles in the body are of the lower part: quadriceps, gluts and most men put less emphasis on them and prefer to work on medium sized muscles individually, such as biceps, deltoids, triceps, etc…
– Keep 10-15% body fat. The more fat there is in the body (especially abdominal fat), can turn testosterone into estrogen. Estrogen in men leads to accumulation of abdominal fat , replacement of testosterone leads to obesity and insulin and leptin (the hunger hormone) resistance. How do you do it it article 5 tips for losing weight
– Sufficient and deep sleep – disruption of sleep for a week in men (they slept 5 hours a night) resulted in a decrease in testosterone equal to a natural 5-year decrease when you sleep well. So good sleep for men is very important for maintaining testosterone levels.
Testosterone levels maintainance Don'ts
– Too much endurance training – don't panic, you can still go for a run! These is related to men who train for marathons and longer races, and run for more than an hour several times a week. In a study done on people with a sedentary lifestyle who trained for 6 months and got to a point where they run 56 km a week, a 5-year drop in testosterone levels was found (similar to the previous study) and this despite their weight and fat loss. So if you are training for a marathon or longer races, make sure you get tested for testosterone and in any case, take breaks between such training and running and focus on strength training. This can lead to impotence if not monitored.
– Endurance training before resistance training – following endurance training there is a decrease in testosterone levels, so it is recommended, if you do these two types of trainings the same day, first resistance and then endurance. If there is enough time it is best to do them on separate days. If we do them together we can focus on different groups of muscles, for example if we are doing resistance of the upper body then we can run or ride a bike after (lower body) and if we are doing resistance of the lower body then afterwards we can train row or swim.
Fine tuning using nutrition and behaviour change
Micronutrient deficiency
These micronutrients – if they are lacking – will make the biggest difference if you improve.
Zinc (beef, oysters, shellfish, chicken breast, lentils, pumpkin seeds, cashews)
Vitamin D (20 minutes sunlight)
Magnesium – leafy vegetables, the darker the better, well-absorbed magnesium salts bisglycinate/chloride/malate/l-threonate
selenium (nuts)
Remember that the raw material for testosterone is cholesterol. Eggs and olive oil are good sources that can support the testosterone generating process.
Behavioral change
Lifting heavy weights – as I already wrote
Increasing sexual behavior – testosterone increases in the morning after a nightof sex, a conversation with a woman increases by 30% and even a short erotic video raises the amount of testosterone and improved the power in a resistance training. So no, don't go watch porn before the gym, but this just shows you that it's a two-way stream, testosterone levels rise both before sexual activity and following sexual activity or interactions with the other sex.
Leadership and prestige – those who are in a position of leadership and high in the hierarchy have more testosterone. The one who has more responsibility and grows more, who cares and provides for others has more testosterone. So focusing on giving to others is the kind of behavior that is not only good for everyone, but also good for your testosterone levels.
All of these are improvements to your training as men, but before all of these it is more important for your health, to lower your fat percentage – this will lead to the greatest improvement in all indicators.
So if we summarize:
Improving training in men includes:
1. Testosterone is the hormone in men which provides a feeling of strength, energy, fearlessness and is important for building muscles and losing fat.
2. Deep and satisfying sleep.
3. Focus on working with high weights and large muscle groups.
4. Stay between 10-15% to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to estrogen.
5. High volume endurance training reduces testosterone.
6. A combination of supplements (if deficient), increased sexual behavior and goals with a sense of giving and a place of leadership in society further improve testosterone levels to optimize men training.
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