If you're trying to boost your testosterone levels, adding some workouts to your gym or home exercise session is a must.
Working out can increase your testosterone levels, but not all exercises will help you achieve your goals.
When you're looking to get your body pumping with testosterone, we're here to help.
In this blog post, we'll cover everything you need to know about testosterone, what the best types of training are when you should exercise, and a list of workouts you can try to get started.
What Is Testosterone?
You probably already know this, but we're going to quickly cover what testosterone is if you need to know before we get into your workouts.
In short, testosterone is the sex hormone that determines your libido, bone density, muscle mass and is vital for your overall health.
However, once men reach the age of 30, their testosterone levels begin to decline each year, which is why you must ensure you are boosting your levels through exercise, diet, and supplementation.
Why Is Testosterone Important?
Apart from being beneficial to your overall health and ensuring you have a strong libido, testosterone helps you keep your body looking fit.
Low levels are not only detrimental to your muscles and libido, though, when your levels start to drop below average, you are also at a higher risk of depression and osteoporosis, among other health conditions.
That's why to keep yourself looking your best and having the sex life of your dreams, you need to keep your testosterone at the optimal level.
Testosterone Boosting Exercise Types: Resistance Training
Resistance training is excellent for both long and short-term boosts of testosterone and can be done by both men and women looking to improve their sex hormone levels.
However, the gains in women may only be temporary, according to one study.
The best resistance training exercise for boosting your testosterone is weightlifting, which is fantastic news for guys who love to hit the weight section at their gym or have their setup at home.
Testosterone Boosting Exercise Types: High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT training, is another way to boost your testosterone for both the long and short term.
Many people looking to do high-intensity interval training make the mistake of assuming it's all about running.
Still, you can try many different exercises, and we've even put our favorites on the list of activities we've compiled below for you.
Studies into HIIT training have shown that intense exercise with short rests is more effective in boosting testosterone levels than going for a jog or run.
What Time Of Day Should You Work Out?
Before we get on to the easy exercises to boost testosterone, you may wonder when the best time to exercise is.
Most people assume that you should get your workout in during your morning routine, but while this is great for boosting your metabolism, it won't help your testosterone levels.
The best time of day to boost your testosterone levels is during the afternoon.
For even better results, try doing some light cardio in the morning, before doing your HIIT training in the afternoon, and rounding off your day after work with resistance training.
However, while the best time for your testosterone is the afternoon, that may not work for a busy or hectic schedule, and in that case, it's best to fit your workout in wherever you can.
Exercise 1: Deadlift
When you're weightlifting, it's always a good idea to ensure you have a spotter just in case you need help with your lifts.
When it comes to performing a deadlift, it is pretty simple, but to avoid injury, you need to get the technique right before you try to lift too much, so start small while you learn how to get your form right.
Start with your feet at hip-width apart, lower your body by bending your hips back while allowing your back to slip into its natural arch.
Grasp the bar on the outside of your knees, put your weight into the heels of your feet, and pull.
You will want to move the bar along your shins until you are upright and in front of your thighs.
Repeat this exercise for five minutes with rests every five reps, but remember to start small and work your way up; taking too much weight too soon could cause injury.
Exercise 2: Tabata
This exercise is a favorite of HIIT training regulars and is often said to be the best workout you can get.
The Tabata exercise combines sprints, burpees, and mountain climbs and is performed for twenty-second intervals with a ten-second rest.
Exercise 3: Back Squat
Again, as with all weightlifting workouts, you will need a spotter for this exercise to ensure your safety.
For this exercise, you will need a power rack and a barbell, then get your bar set up to shoulder height with the right weight for your body.
Once your set up, stand in front of the weight bar and place your hand at shoulder width before taking it from the rack and resting it on your upper back, but remember to keep your elbows up.
Now you step away from the rack, get your feet in position and perform a squat.
You will need to do five reps for five minutes, making sure to take rests between each set.
Exercise 4: Sprints
Sprints are a fantastic starter exercise to boost testosterone if you don't have access to equipment.
Simply find a place with adequate space, and you can get started.
Begin your session by sprinting as fast as you can for thirty seconds before taking a twenty-second short break.
Repeat this process for fifteen to twenty minutes, and your workout is complete; don't be surprised if you struggle to complete your fifteen minutes the first few times you try this exercise.
It may take time to develop the fitness needed to keep going, but when you do, you'll wonder why you never took this workout up before, as it is a fantastic mood booster.
Exercise 5: Bench Press
The bench press is an old favorite and the exercise of choice for many first, starting with resistance training, but as we mentioned in the other weights sections, it’s recommended to make sure you have a spotter.
Set the power rack and barbell up before laying beneath the weights.
Before lifting the weights of the rack, make sure you keep your hands at shoulder width and arch your back as you do this exercise while also ensuring that your spotter has a hand resting in the air below the bar as you lift.
If you need help with your form, check out this handy guide to get you started.
Exercise 6: Jumping Rope
This might take you back to the days in elementary school when you played with friends seeing how many times you could skip the rope, but jumping rope is a fantastic HIIT training workout for boosting your testosterone.
Jumping rope is also great for fortifying weaker areas of your body that are prone to injury and is a high-calorie burner if you're looking to shift some excess weight.
For tips on how to use jumping rope as a HIIT training workout, there are some great tips here.
Exercise 7: Pushup
Like many, you probably started doing pushups in school, but it may have been a while since you last gave one a go.
This fantastic exercise is a great way to improve your overall strength and fitness while boosting testosterone. Still, if you're struggling to get one pushup started, there are ways to make it easier until your fitness improves.
Start with wall pushups and slowly reduce the elevation until you can do a pushup from the ground; remember, if things get too hard, you may have progressed too quickly and might need to go back a step until you're fitter.
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