Testosterone is the holy grail of hormones when it comes to performance, strength, and muscle gains. However, testosterone production in men takes a big dive as they age, and that's more true now than in previous generations. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is an option if your bloodwork shows lower than average numbers, but that doesn't mean it's the best option, and it can introduce a whole new list of issues. Luckily, there are proven ways to boost your T naturally.
Nutritional planning is one of the easiest methods, and that can mean simple efforts such as reducing or eliminating alcohol, eating a clean, well-balanced diet, increasing your intake of essential fatty acids, and using natural testosterone-boosting supplements
Activity is another great way to boost your T naturally. Simply getting off the couch and being physically active or exercising can help, but there are also specific things you can do in the gym to kick your testosterone production into high gear.
High-rep leg work seems to be the biggest key to boosting your testosterone production in the gym. One of the biggest reasons for this is because of the heavy breathing, stimulation of large muscle groups, improved muscle fiber activation, and even the deep muscle burn you feel from a good leg workout.
Long before people were on their phones in the gym and working out "for the gram," it was breathing squats that made for some spectacular full-body muscle gains (not just leg development) because of the long sets that increased metabolic stress, resulting in naturally boosted testosterone levels.
Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D. is known for his work in muscle-building science, and he's stated that lowered pH in muscle cells is due to the increase in lactic acid caused by long tension times. That decrease in pH "seems to make [the muscles] bigger by stimulating the production of proteins and hormones that act as growth factors for muscle tissue." Those hormones, of course, include testosterone and even growth hormone.
So, try this experiment for your next few leg workouts to see what changes you notice. Start your leg workout with at least one 20-rep set of squats right at the beginning. The breathlessness from working large muscles like your quads, glutes, and back on that long set can stimulate your metabolism and boost your testosterone naturally.
You can start other training days with 20-rep sets of big muscle groups like back and chest, too, but it will be most effective from leg work.
Remember, if you boost your T naturally with training and the nutritional/supplemental changes mentioned above, you can avoid the potential lifelong issues of dealing with TRT. Plus, you'll get the benefit of increased fat burning, improved mood, and the inevitable boost to your confidence and sex drive. It's a huge win-win scenario!
