How physical activity affects hormones. Basic exercises and hormonal response Strength exercises to strengthen the hormonal system

Without serious training there will be no progress in results. But it can be difficult to assess how “serious” they are for your body, especially for us amateurs. Sometimes an athlete works, works, performs a huge training volume, but the results do not improve. He begins to blame himself for not training enough, adds more, and eventually an adaptation breakdown occurs. The body is a very complex thing, and all processes are regulated at different levels.

Many people realize that training affects hormonal status, but few take into account the opposite: that hormonal status requires correction of training.

First of all, we will talk about amateurs, since doctors monitor professionals (at least they should). Regular medical examinations and constant selection of tests enable professionals to build a training program taking into account their current condition. But amateurs who do not perform so many medical procedures on themselves also need to know some important principles. Otherwise, sport can turn into self-torture, without any significant results.

Waterline.

Do you think the ship in your training has positive or negative buoyancy? If it’s negative, it’s clear that the craft will sink, even with a properly working engine and a hardworking crew. To put it another way: even an ideal training program and complete dedication in the fight for sports results can lead not to an increase in fitness, but to degradation or stagnation only because the trainee has driven himself below the waterline. Which? Yes, the same one that defines the boundary between anabolic and catabolic hormonal status; the one that qualified athletes and coaches are well aware of, calling it for simplicity the “T/C ratio” (“testosterone/cortisol”). And although in fact there are much more hormones that determine the corresponding state, these two will be quite enough for you and me to get a superficial acquaintance with the topic. After all, we are not writing a dissertation with you, but we need to train properly.

The testosterone/cortisol ratio fluctuates depending on the nature of training loads

The dark and light sides of the force.

It's no secret that almost everything in our body is controlled by hormones, many of which have complex, complex effects on us. However, now we will only talk about the energy function of two hormones: testosterone and cortisol. The first of them is anabolic, that is, promoting formation, growth, accumulation. The second is catabolic, that is, promoting decomposition, excretion, and consumption. For clarity, here are a couple of examples.

Example one: An athlete overcomes the distance of a marathon or even an ultramarathon. This is the third or fourth hour of highly intense competitive work. More than 3,000 kilocalories were consumed - this is clearly more than the reserve of carbohydrates that the body could have stored (besides carbohydrate reserves are never completely used up). The average heart rate of a competitor is, let’s say, 170 beats per minute (that is, the mode is far from aerobic). People who consider themselves fitness experts often say that fat cannot be burned in this mode..Then what drives this marathon runner - the holy spirit? Of course, he eats at a distance, but even taking into account what he ate and drank, it still turns out that by the third hour of work, fats very actively flew into the firebox. Due to what?

You probably guessed that we are giving an example of the work of catabolic hormones, which the body begins to actively produce as easily accessible glycogen reserves are depleted. When the hormonal status changes to catabolic, everything goes down the drain. In particular, fats are used well, which in a neutral or anabolic status (background) cannot really be made to “burn” at a high pulse. But the muscles in this state also “sag,” so if you constantly push yourself only in such modes (without recovery work), your strength potential will gradually fade.

Example two: A loader works day after day, unloading wagons with some kind of heavy loads. He has been working for a year, then another... He is in better physical shape than office workers who are deprived of physical activity. But the loader does NOT become pumped up like a bodybuilder, although he has a very large total tonnage. But as soon as he or even an office worker goes to the “rocking chair”, after a few months of appropriate training, the muscles will begin to grow noticeably. What is the reason? After all, obviously, not in the amount of weights lifted! As in the previous example, hormones work. The body begins to actively produce anabolic hormones in response to short-term muscle stress, into which they deliberately drive themselves into a “rocking chair”, performing exercises according to the formula “until “I can’t”, plus one more time.” This creates an anabolic hormonal state, so active muscle mass (involved in this work) begins to grow.

On a carousel swing.

So, we have established that hormonal status changes under the influence of different types of stress(and not only). The T/C ratio can be large or small (in fact, other hormones are also “walking”, which sometimes even professionals forget about), which will determine the corresponding hormonal status - anabolic or catabolic. We deliberately do not give specific numbers, since the borderline state (waterline) varies from person to person. But it doesn’t matter to us - we’re not professionals, no one takes blood tests from us several times during a workout.

And now, attention (!), the most important thing! The effect of training depends NOT only on how you loaded yourself, but also on what your hormonal status will be during the subsequent recovery period (after all, all positive changes in the body occur not during training, but after it). If the status is correct, the correct processes will take place and the effect will be high. If the status is NOT correct, there will be no effect (there are options “almost no” and “effect will be negative”).

Which status is correct? For most training purposes (not just muscle growth), the “correct” state will be anabolic. It is necessary for any muscle development (including the growth of muscle oxidative potential, which affects endurance). Catabolic status is useful extremely rarely and only if the stay in it is limited to a short time interval - when “cutting” or when training “fat metabolism” before extremely long competitions (Ironman or ultra marathons). Therefore, it is very important that not only the training performed is correct, but the entire training plan is structured so as not to drive yourself into the catabolic zone. Moreover, this plan is always individual - it must take into account how quickly the body recovers and how it reacts to a particular load. You cannot copy someone else’s plan without adjusting it to suit yourself - the same sequence of training in a weekly cycle can maintain a high T/C ratio for one person, and bring this indicator down for another. Accordingly, one person will develop with such a training plan, while the other will become overtrained and fall through the cracks.

Train less, develop faster.

Every athlete's dream sometimes comes true. Most often, such “miracles” happen by accident when, due to an injury or (in the case of amateurs) due to an acute lack of free time, a person is forced to reduce training volumes. Logic dictates that his form will inevitably fail, but thanks to some incomprehensible magic, he sometimes not only does not lose, but even somehow improves his previous form. This does not happen to everyone and not always. But if this happens, then this is not “magic”, but a change in hormonal status to a more favorable one. Such a miraculous reaction of the body only indicates that before the load was relieved, the person trained more than his endocrine system could “hold.” His hormonal levels were not good enough (only slightly above the waterline). Reduced the load - the T/C ratio increased, and in response to more modest training influences, the body more actively turned on the processes of long-term adaptation. That's all. There are no miracles!

How to manage your hormonal levels.

Now let's move on to practice.

1. Firstly, The body reacts sensitively to the nature of training. It will not be possible to describe correctly what exactly happens under different loads within the framework of an introductory article, but the simplest thing can be formulated as follows: long-term training causes a progressive increase in the production of cortisol, and short-term muscle stress stimulates the production of testosterone. The answers to the question “how long” and “what is short-term muscle stress” are very individual. In addition, you need to take into account the gender and age of the trainee. A woman over 45 years old and a man under 25 years old are two very different organisms in terms of hormonal status. Women and veterans have lower testosterone levels than men and youth, respectively. The production of cortisol is highly dependent on training. The higher it is, the later and more mildly the body reacts to the depletion of its resources by producing this hormone.
2. Secondly, you can control your hormonal status using indirect signs if you look after yourself. Drowsiness, fatigue, lethargy, apathy - indicate that you are very likely to overload yourself (there is a high probability that the status is “bad”). There are fewer signs of a “good” background. If you get enough sleep quickly and have a good sex drive, then most likely your hormonal status is “good.” Other signs are how the body takes the load: “it worked” for you or “it didn’t work out”. But this understanding comes with experience. For a good “feeling of being loved” you need more than a year or two of training experience.
3. Third, don't forget that your the status can be improved a little by choosing a workout. For example, replacing a pre-planned long workout with a short speed or strength workout will stimulate testosterone production instead of the planned dose of cortisol. So, if you have doubts about the correctness of your hormonal status, you can go for such a substitution.
4. Finally, If you look at how professionals build a training plan, you will find that they try to “close” long aerobic work with strength training or alternate it with speed-strength work. For example, several morning hours of aerobic work are often followed by rest and then evening strength training. It’s better to go to bed with a “good” hormonal status.

Follow along, but don’t try to copy blindly. Your body is your own, special. Find an approach to him - he will repay you with kindness. Don't be afraid to rest after the training work done.

Source of information: 1-fit.ru (2014).

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You've probably heard that strength training increases the secretion of testosterone, the main male androgenic hormone. Strength training is recommended for teenagers to help kickstart puberty, as well as for older men to reduce the natural decline in levels of this important hormone.

But what about reality? Can you somehow influence the level of your own testosterone in the blood through training? And what workouts are best for this?

On the Internet you can find many options for “testosterone booster training”, but their validity is highly questionable. Below I will try, based on real scientific studies and reviews on this topic, to derive some general values ​​in the training process that are responsible for increasing testosterone levels.

IMPORTANCE OF TESTOSTERONE

Contrary to popular belief, natural testosterone levels (free and total) are not so strongly associated with success in sports disciplines. And the point here is one thing - scale.

If a man’s physiological norms of free testosterone are 10 times higher than a woman’s, then this is a significant advantage. If an athlete using anabolic steroids has free T levels tens of times higher than a natural athlete, this is a significant advantage.

But when we talk about (1) men (2) natural athletes then the situation is different. The reference values ​​are quite narrow. Therefore, the difference between the lower and upper limits of reference values ​​for men in terms of success in sports will be noticeably smaller than between a man and a woman or a “natural” and a “chemist”.

It is impossible to significantly increase the levels of sex hormones without resorting to hormonal drugs, since the HPA axis, as a system, has feedback, and a significant increase in T levels will immediately cause a decrease in its secretion.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HORMONAL RESPONSE

An increase in testosterone secretion (both total and free) after exercise does occur and has been repeatedly documented.

However, it is important to understand that this increase is temporary, as will be shown below.

anabolic response in men and women

In addition, it is quite difficult to get an increase in T secretion in some muscles (for example, in the leg muscles when doing squats), and then use it in other muscles (for example, training the deltoids), since increased testosterone is largely utilized by working muscle groups.

However, the concept of hormonal response can be useful for natural athletes as a periodization option to improve their hormonal levels. Then, training can become more specialized. The “hormonal response” itself is not capable of producing the same benefits of testosterone as taking exogenous testosterone, again due to a different scale.

GENERAL CONCEPT OF HORMONAL RESPONSE

The more muscle fibers involved in an exercise, the greater the potential hormonal response.

Only those muscle fibers that have been activated by exercise undergo adaptation, including hormonal adaptation.

general concepts of anabolic response

Principle #1 – Using Compound Exercises , that is, those that involve the maximum number of muscles/motor units/fibers. What exercises are these? Take a look at the illustration below:

MU recruitment depends on the type of exercise

We see that weightlifting movements such as the clean and jerk, snatch, and clean, as well as maximal sprints, throws, and jumps produce fiber activation of about 100-75% (of the total number of fibers in all muscles).

However, I would not recommend movements such as sprinting, throwing and jumping: although these are excellent exercises for athleticism and sports in general. But as far as muscle development is concerned, they are too fast and therefore the mechanical load on the sarcomeres will not be great enough to stimulate them.

Weightlifting movements are also fast, but not very fast (maximum speed - 2.5 m/s in the final phase of the explosion in the snatch). External resistance is also high. Fiber activation is noticeably higher than in deadlifts and squats because the upper body is much more involved in these movements.

However, the lower body plays a crucial role: even the “king of upper body exercises,” the bench press, shows only 40% MU activation. Therefore, when it comes to choosing exercises, we want movements where 1) the lower body is active and 2) the upper body also plays an important role. It can be:

– Pick and push (various variations)
— Jerk (various variations)
— Chest clean (various variations)
— Push/shwung (various variations)
— Weightlifting pull-ups (various variations)
— Farmer's Walks
— Jumping with a barbell
- Deadlift
— Squats (including incomplete ones)

It was these movements that showed the maximum hormonal response in studies. And also, sprints, jumping and throwing - you can use them if it suits your training goals.

Principle #2 – Heavy weights. The size principle states that the greater the weight of the load, the more motor units/fibers do work. In practice, research has concluded that weights of 85-95% of one-rep maximum (1RM) produce the strongest hormonal response.

So far everything is logical - complex movements and heavy weights. Yes, everyone knows this! But the following two principles may leave you a little confused.

Principle No. 3 – Medium-high volume. With a small training volume, the response is not so bright. Greater training volume is achieved by performing multiple sets or exercises.

Principle #4 – Short rest periods. Rest intervals of 30-60 seconds have been shown to have a cumulative effect, which also results in increased response.

But how can we perform complex exercises with heavy weights, but at the same time in large volumes, and even with short rest periods? The answer is clusters!

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE

Let's say you're using a standing clean. A three-week periodization wave might look like this:

WEEK 1: 1 RM – TEST
WEEK 2: 95%*1.90%*1*8-10 approaches (rest 60 seconds)
WEEK 3: 90%*1.85%*1*10-12 sets (rest 60 seconds)
WEEK 4: R LOADING

In the first week, you perform a 1RM test - this is necessary as a guide to what weights you will need to use next.
In week 2 you do a top single at 95%, and then 8-10 clusters at 90% with some rest.
Week 3 – top single with 90%, and 10-12 clusters with 85%.

You can use week 4 as a deload week, with light weights (70-75%) and medium volume. It is better to start a new wave with another exercise or variation.

EXAMPLE OF TRAINING PLAN

You can use several "booster exercises" in one session. It might look like:

DAY 1
1. Standing chest clean, 90%*10*1 rest 60 seconds
2. Deadlift, 90%*10*1, rest 60 seconds
3. Auxiliary movements

DAY 2
1. Push push, 90%*10*1, rest 60 seconds
2. Barbell squats, 90%*10*1, rest 60 seconds
3. Auxiliary movements

Or, you can use a four-day schedule: day 1 do cleans/snatches, day 2 do snatches, day 3 do deadlifts, and day 4 do squats.

Accessory exercises are used at your discretion: these can be presses and pull-ups/rows for the chest and back, lateral raises and inclines for the deltoids, and curls/extensions of the arms for the biceps and triceps. This also includes the abs and calves.

An interesting fact was also shown: training legs before training arms resulted in greater gains in biceps strength than training arms alone.

I hope this article helped you understand the general concepts of hormonal response, its real possibilities and proper training. Thanks for reading!

1. William Kraemer, Nicholas Ratamess – Hormonal Responses and Adaptations to Resistance Exercise and Training
2. Vingren, JL, Kraemer, WJ, Hatfield, DL, Volek, JS, Ratamess, NA, Anderson, JM, Hakkinen, K, Ahtiainen, J, Fragala, MS, Thomas, GA, Ho, JY, and Maresh, CM . Effect of resistance exercise on muscle steroid receptor protein content in strength-trained men and women.
3. Kraemer, WJ, Loebel, CC, Volek, JS, Ratamess, NA, Newton, RU, Wickham, RB, Gotshalk, LA, Duncan, ND, Mazzetti, SA, Gomez, AL, Rubin, MR, Nindl, BC, and Hakkinen, K. The effect of heavy resistance exercise on the circadian rhythm of salivary testosterone in men.
4. Kraemer, W. J., Fry, AC, Frykman, PN, Conroy, B, and Hoffman, J. Resistance training and youth.
5. Galbo, H. Hormonal and Metabolic Adaptation to Exercise
6. Hakkinen, K, Pakarinen, A, Alen, M, Kauhanen, H, and Komi, PV. Daily hormonal and neuromuscular responses to intensive strength training in 1 week.
7. Sedliak, M, Finni, T, Cheng, S, Kraemer, WJ, and Hakkinen, K. Effect of time-of-day-specific strength training on serum hormone concentrations and isometric strength in men.
8. Guezennec, Y, Leger, L, Lhoste, F, Aymonod, M, and Pesquies, PC. Hormone and metabolite response to weight-lifting training sessions.

Thanks for sharing!

One of the most interesting discoveries in recent times has been the information that the level of lactic acid in the blood determines the hormonal response of two important anabolic hormones: testosterone and somatropin. Lactic acid enters the bloodstream from muscles that are exposed to resistance exercise.

Accordingly, knowing which load modes contribute most to the formation of lactic acid and increasing its concentration in the blood, we are able to control the hormonal response to our training and, accordingly, muscle growth.

A growth hormone

Analysis of available publications regarding the effect of physical activity on the secretion of growth hormone (GH) allows us to identify the following factors that stimulate an increase in the concentration of GH in the circulatory system:

The volume of muscles involved in performing the work;

The amount of load (weights) used when performing exercises;

Volume of physical activity;

The duration of rest intervals between stages of exercise.

As we can see, the above factors directly show the dependence of the increase in growth hormone on the amount of lactic acid formed. Let's look at why this is so.

The volume of muscles involved in the work determines the amount of lactic acid produced simultaneously. The larger muscle masses work simultaneously, the more lactic acid is formed and enters the blood.

We have all encountered the unpleasant sensations that arise after performing 20 repetitions of squats to failure; they are caused precisely by the acidification of the blood with lactic acid. If you do the same 20 repetitions using a small muscle group, for example, biceps curls, then you will not feel anything like that, since the blood will be acidified to a much lesser extent.

The amount of load (weights) used when performing exercises determines the quantity and qualitative composition of the muscle fibers involved. The greater the weight of the load, the more high-threshold fibers are involved in work, and high-threshold fibers have the lowest oxidative potential, that is, glycolysis in them occurs as actively as possible with the formation of a large amount of lactic acid.

The amount of physical activity determines the amount of lactic acid produced. It is quite natural that after three approaches, more lactic acid will be formed and enter the blood than after one equal in regimen.

The duration of rest intervals between stages of exercise. Everything is quite simple here. Lactic acid changes the acid-base balance of the blood, for this reason the body uses the so-called buffer systems that neutralize lactic acid, returning the blood to a state of homeostasis (the effect is similar to taking the drug "Rennie" for heartburn, the latter, thanks to the calcium it contains, eliminates the increased acidity of the stomach juice).

If the rest between sets is short, then each successive approach will “throw” lactic acid into the bloodstream, and the rate of its accumulation will exceed the rate of its neutralization. The concentration will begin to increase. I further quote: “Reducing the duration of rest intervals between sets during exercise has been shown to lead to the most noticeable increase in the lactate response during strength exercise (Kraemer et al., 1990, 1993).

At the same time, a reduction in rest intervals will also affect the weight of weights that the exerciser can lift (Kraemer et al., 1987), therefore, there is a critical modulation of the weight of the weights used, as well as the volume of tissue involved in performing the work, which determine the response increase STG".

That is, short rest between approaches, on the one hand, contributes to the accumulation of lactic acid, but on the other hand, it forces us to use lighter weights, which will be reflected in a decrease in the number of muscle fibers involved in the work and a decrease in the amount of lactic acid formed. This means that you should stick to some kind of golden mean and not get carried away with working with too little weight, as happens when pumping.

There is another interesting factor that we did not mention above, but it is definitely worth mentioning, since it is directly related to static dynamics, which has recently gained great popularity. This is hypoxia of working muscle cells. “Takarada (Takarada et al., 2000) showed that occlusion (impaired blood circulation) of the hand can significantly affect the level of GH, markedly increasing the concentration of the hormone at a relatively low intensity (20% of 1RM), while without occlusion there is no change no hormone levels were observed.

It can be assumed that in the regulation of secretion of the GH isoform with mol. weighing 22 kDa, hypoxia and acid-base imbalance play a major role (Sutton et al., 1983)." That is, even a low-intensity load, which means working with small weights, if it occurs with muscle fibers experiencing limited access to oxygen, for example, in the static dynamics mode or using belts tightening the muscles according to the “KAATSU” system, will give a good hormonal response.

This is obvious: under hypoxic conditions, even oxidative muscle fibers begin to work due to anaerobic glycolysis, since oxygen is needed to convert glycogen (glucose) into pyruvate, and if it is deficient, lactic acid will be formed instead of pyruvate.

As a conclusion about the effect of lactic acid on the secretion of growth hormone, I would quote the conclusion from the book “The Endocrine System, Sports and Physical Activity”: “The most stunning discovery related to the variable programming elements of the training program and growth hormone was the effect they have on acid -alkaline balance, which plays a major role in stimulating the secretion of growth hormone into the circulatory system.

Each of the four factors mentioned above (see above - Editor's note) can be manipulated to influence metabolic processes, accompanied by limited or, conversely, increased accumulation of hydrogen ions and a decrease in blood pH, which in turn is responsible for almost half of the total change production of growth hormone. Thus, a shift in the acid-base balance (namely, an increase in ATP hydrolysis, a decrease in pH, an increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions) becomes the main factor determining the content of the GH isoform with mol. weighing 22 kDa in the blood (editor's note: the main isoform of endogenous somatropin) (Gordon et al., 1994)."

Testosterone

Almost similar factors influencing the hormonal response have been established in numerous studies for testosterone: “It has been confirmed that the hormonal response to strength exercises depends on the volume of muscles involved in the work, the intensity of the training session, the duration of rest in the intervals between approaches and exercises, as well as previous occupational experience (Fleck and Kraemer, 1997). Both concentric and eccentric exercise can increase blood testosterone levels (Durand et al., 2003).”

The only new factor here is training experience; the greater it is, the more difficult it is to achieve a hormonal response. In the rest, the same connection is seen between the load regime and the formation of lactic acid. However, this issue was not previously fully studied and parallels with growth hormone were not drawn.

However, back in 1997, Taiwanese scientists published a study originally titled “Lactate and the effects of exercise on testosterone secretion: evidence for the involvement of a cAMP-mediated mechanism.” In this study, they argue that the cells that produce testosterone begin to secrete it when exposed to lactic acid. Previously, a similar study had already been conducted on animals that did not engage in physical activity, but only received lactic acid in the form of a dietary supplement.

Taiwanese scientists used rats for an experiment that swam in water for 10 minutes. Then the concentration of lactic acid, testosterone and luteinizing hormone in the blood was analyzed. We have already published this data, but it would not be a sin to repeat them for clarity:

Before load After load

Lactic acid, mmol/l 2 7

Testosterone, pg/ml 200 400

Luteinizing hormone, ng/ml 1 3

All three indicators increased. But are the two bottom indicators in the table a consequence of the first? Scientists also found increased concentrations of lactic acid in the testicles of rats. Next, the scientists administered lactic acid intravenously, trying to recreate hormonal levels after swimming.

Before lactic acid injection After lactic acid injection

Lactic acid, mmol/l 2 5

Testosterone, pg/ml 200 800

Luteinizing hormone, ng/ml 1 1.5

Luteinizing hormone levels increased minimally, but the increase in testosterone secretion was very significant. Scientists explain this by the fact that lactic acid affects not only the testicles, but also other hormones that stimulate the release of testosterone. This was proven by the following experiment, when rat hypothalamic cells were placed in a lactic acid solution for 30 minutes. The analysis showed a significant increase in the secretion of gonadotropin, a hormone that is responsible for the production of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones in the pituitary gland.

Thus, we have an excellent guideline for how training should be organized by a “natural” person, relying only on endogenous anabolic hormones, such as somatropin and testosterone. Let's try to consider options for constructing the training process and analyze the existing ones.

And the formation of an athletic figure depends on the effectiveness of training and its regularity. Understanding the processes occurring in the body (during exercise, during rest) allows you to achieve results in a shorter period of time with benefits for the body. The hormonal system and the hormone testosterone are the main assistants in this. The article discusses the importance of the male hormone in building the training process, and selects the best exercises to increase testosterone.

Testosterone and muscle gain

Testosterone is called a sex hormone. It is found in both male and female bodies. For men, this is one of the most important hormones that regulates the process of spermatogenesis. In the male body, the adrenal glands are responsible for its production. The hormone is responsible for sexual behavior and attractiveness towards the opposite sex. That is why the topic of increasing testosterone is especially relevant for the male audience.

The growth of testosterone for the female body is extremely unfavorable and leads to a lot of problems in the reproductive system.

Why is the hormone interesting for athletes?

1. It plays the role of building material for the muscle corset.
2. Takes part in the processes of protein formation in tissues. Prevents it from collapsing under unfavorable conditions.
3. More developed muscles provide higher testosterone levels.
4. Responsible for the proper distribution of fat in the body. Allows you to avoid the accumulation of fat in the abdominal cavity, abdomen and abs.
5. Increases the level of glucose utilization, reduces blood sugar and cholesterol.

Athletes interested in intense muscle growth are ready for a lot. And therefore they resort to taking synthetic drugs that increase testosterone. However, this approach can lead to unforeseen circumstances and side effects, including testicular and adrenal atrophy. But by regularly doing exercises to increase testosterone, you can achieve truly incredible results.

Causes of low testosterone

An age-related decrease in testosterone (after 40 years) is a physiological and inevitable phenomenon. At a young age, low hormone levels are caused by the following factors:

• poor nutrition;
• intense work rhythm and lack of normal rest and proper sleep;
• mental stress, depression;
• complete exclusion of fat from the diet;
• physical inactivity and excess weight;
• bad habits (alcohol, smoking and drugs).

You can restore the level of male hormone, if it is slightly reduced, without resorting to hormonal therapy. Physical exercises to increase testosterone, which will be discussed below, are suitable for this.

Complex training: two groups of exercises

Physical exercises to increase testosterone in men are a set of workouts that include strengthening the pelvic muscles on the one hand, and improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system on the other. This approach promotes the production of male hormones and their active movement to other tissues of the body.

A set of exercises to increase testosterone includes two groups of exercises with different types of load.

Strengthen the muscles of the legs and cardiovascular system

To strengthen the leg muscles and provide stress to the cardiovascular system, the set of exercises includes different workouts and loads.

Jumping Squats

This type of exercise is analogous with the difference that in the upper amplitude of the movement a vertical jump occurs. The starting position for squats is standing. Feet are shoulder width apart. is done as follows:

• You need to squat down so that your knees are pressed to your chest. At the same time, press your palms to the floor.
• The next step is to take a lying position with your hands on the floor, like a push-up. Performed with a sharp jump.
• Return to a squat with your palms pressed to the floor, from which you straighten up by jumping up.

Air bike

Similar to classic cycling. Performed from the starting position - lying on your back.

• Air cycling is performed using rotational movements of the lower extremities that mimic traditional cycling. The key to a productive workout is to raise your knees as high as possible during the exercise.
• Rotating movements can be performed at different speeds. Changing the load will vary the diameter of the circle along which the legs move.
• The air bike must be performed for 5 minutes. It is possible to split the load into several approaches.

Forward movements of the pelvis

This is the movement of the hips back and forth from a standing position. For convenience, one leg can be placed in front of the other. The recommended time to complete the exercise is 3 minutes.

Rotational movements of the pelvis

Performed from a standing position. In this case, the legs are shoulder-width apart, and the hands are on the belt. Wide rotational movements are performed alternately in each direction for 1.5-2 minutes.

Static exercises for the muscles of the pelvic area

Exercises to increase testosterone and strengthen the muscles of the pelvis and hips are predominantly static exercises. The technique and features of the training are described in the table.

How to increase testosterone production: exercise order

How to achieve maximum testosterone production? Which set of exercises to choose? How long does a comprehensive workout take? By performing a full range of exercises (static and dynamic) 2 to 5 times a week, you can significantly improve testosterone production. You will need about 30 minutes for all exercises.

Complete workout plan in the table indicating the recommended time for performing the exercises.

If you do not have enough time for a full workout, perform static exercises first. They will start the process of increased testosterone production in the body. The second part of the training will be taken up with exercises to strengthen the circulatory system and blood vessels, which will ensure the effective distribution of the male hormone.

It has long been known that exercise causes a hormonal response. However, not all exercise produces the same hormonal response.

Those who loved anatomy at school know that our entire body has neuro-humoral regulation. That is, the amount of hormones in the blood depends on the level of excitation of the nervous system.

Understanding this, many young athletes approach training too emotionally, so they get injured or miss training due to overtraining. However, as my observations have shown, emotional athletes, despite frequent injuries and omissions, achieve greater success in muscle growth than sluggish natures, attentive to detail.

For example, one bodybuilder I know in his youth posed too much and sluggishly lifted small dumbbells. Then his muscles grew poorly. Now he actively swears during training and apologizes for it on blogs. Now he looks much better.

Nerves are the ignition of muscle anabolism

The level of nervous system arousal during training is an important factor in muscle growth. Only those who have sufficiently stimulated their nerves can count on optimal muscle growth.

There are more than six hundred muscles in our body and they are all excited by nerves. The more muscles involved in an exercise, the more nerves are needed to tighten those muscles.

Do not compare pull-ups with arm curls, bench press with arm raises, and squats with leg extensions - these are incomparable phenomena. Any basic exercise involves more muscles than an isolation exercise. But, as you understand, basic exercises involve not only a lot of muscles, but also a lot of nerves.

Severe tension on a large number of nerves requires the release of large amounts of hormones. Remember the phrase neuro-humoral? Basic exercises require tensing a large number of muscles and a large number of nerves, which means they require a large release of hormones - a hormonal response.

Squats are the most mass-building exercise

Both practice and stories from other athletes say that squats with a barbell are the most hormonal exercise. As soon as an athlete begins to squat, he immediately gains several kilograms in weight within a few weeks.

Judge for yourself. If a person's legs are cut off and placed on a scale, the scale will show a number equal to 40% of body weight. In addition, during squats, not only the back, but also the neck is strained. Squats clearly involve more than half the muscles in the entire body. What should be the hormonal response?

Three movements and hormonal response

Why is the technique effective? Because it's simple. I don’t spend time on exercises that involve a small number of muscles with a weak hormonal response, so I only do three exercises that cover the entire body and maximum nerves.

Of course, you can cover the body with ten exercises for small muscle groups, but each of these exercises will not have widespread nervous stimulation and, in general, the hormonal response will be less.