Is it really possible to improve all of the above just with exercise?
The answer is yes! Below you fill find three very target specific exercises designed to stimulate your body’s endocrine system to release testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH).
The endocrine system is comprised of glands present all throughout the body that secret hormones in order to regulate bodily functions and activity. Controlled by the pituitary gland (sometimes referred to as the master gland), the endocrine system can actually be manipulated in your favor through specific diet and exercise. Today’s post will focus exclusively on exercise.
Testosterone and HGH
Recently, these two hormones have received a lot of bad press due to top level athletes supplementing with them illegally to gain an edge on their competition. It can be seen everywhere from baseball to cycling, but these extremes lengths are not necessary in order to influence your own hormones.
Testosterone is present naturally in both males and females, but men have higher levels because it is their dominant sex hormone. It influences, and can improve, many physiologic functions, including, sex drive, brain functioning, mood, confidence, skin tone, heart health, and more. It truly is one of the most powerful hormones in the human body.
Human growth hormone is responsible for promoting growth and cellular regeneration. As children, we naturally have a lot of this hormone in our body. However, as we age our production of HGH and testosterone diminish greatly. Many people believe that it is the diminishing of sex hormones and HGH that is most responsible for the signs of aging.
In fact, both testosterone and growth hormone are becoming quite popular in today’s anti-aging communities. Perhaps you have heard of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? Seen an add on television with a handful of middle aged men talking about their “Low T”? Maybe you know someone that uses hormone cream and patches? There are doctors out there that actually specialize in anti-aging, and one of their many weapons used to fight the signs of aging are testosterone and HGH in the form of injections, patches, and creams.
Compound exercise
The exercises below are all what we call “compound” exercises, and they are key in getting the body to release these hormones. A compound exercise is one that uses multiple muscle groups at once instead of recruiting muscles individually in an isolated fashion. For example, our first exercise the push-up utilizes not only the chest muscles, but also the anterior deltoids, triceps, and latissimus dorsi. An example of an exercise that is not compound is the bicep curl because this movement isolates the bicep muscle fibers only and does not involve other muscles.
Research has shown that engaging in compound resistance exercises has a significant effect on acutely raising testosterone and growth hormone levels (among other hormones) in both males and females. All exercise has some effect on the endocrine system, but compound exercises are the most effective and efficient way to train for those with a busy schedule and active work of social life.
Below is a study performed on the effect that resistance training has on hormone production.
Resistance training and hormones
The four exercises
The four endocrine system influencing exercises that I recommend are:
- The bench press Description and Video Here
- The cable row Description and Video Here
- The squat Description and Video Here
- The shoulder press Description and Video Here
Perform each of the above exercises for 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. It is important to stay within this repetition range in order to produce the desired effect. If you cannot do at least 8 repetitions with any given weight while trying your absolute hardest then the weight is too heavy and you should lighten it. On the contrary, if you can perform the exercise for over 12 repetitions, and it feels like you could keep on going all day then you should increase the weight.
These are definitely not the only compound exercises out there. However, these are very simple ones that can be learned fast and are great staple resistance exercises for people of all fitness levels and backgrounds.
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