A Measure of Manliness
In this, our final article on the principles and practices behind BioSignature Modulation analysis we will examine what actually makes a man “manly”, and how those of you who like to squat to pee can actually turn yourselves back into the misogynistic Neanderthal our DNA dictates we should be. An increase in the male sex hormone testosterone won’t just give you an added appreciation of Ask Men’s Top 99 Women, but will also make your muscle building efforts more productive, and increase your focus and drive in all areas of your life.
Testosterone Misunderstood
Testosterone is a much maligned thing. An excess of it is blamed on all sorts of aggressive, anti social behaviour, and even the poor old prostate unjustly points it’s finger at testosterone for all its problems in later life. True, the irrationalities of our youth can sometimes be blamed on a wild excess of testosterone, but a lack of wisdom and life experience also has more than a little to do with it too. And let’s not forget the vim and vigour of youth – so much of which can be directly attributed to the cascade of testosterone coursing through the teenage male body. It seems that finally we have all cottoned onto the fact that modest rises in our natural testosterone levels will actually be life enhancing and go a part of the way to fulfilling Ponce de Leon’s ancient quest for the Fountain of Youth!
Testosterone in Decline
It may seem like voodoo, but if one accepts the principles behind the previous articles in this series concerning hormones and site specific fat deposits then disproportionately fat arms on a man are a sure sign of low testosterone. Some of you will be screaming for medical / research references to this and I don’t have any. What I do have is massive amounts of real world facts and figures from my own clients whose “fat triceps” have become lean and hard when put on a testosterone increasing protocol. And no, this does not always mean that they have lost weight from all over their bodies either. Frequently in mass gaining phases we see men with a marked decrease in their triceps skin fold, whereas all there other skin folds stay the same or even marginally increase!
All of our personal training clients here at Ultimate Performance, including women, benefit from moderate natural increases in their bodies production of testosterone. After all, this is a hormone that doesn’t just drastically increase one’s ability to gain muscle, but also has profoundly positive implications for the immune system, sex drive, and overall levels of confidence and well being. The majority of our clientele live in London, one of the most stressed out, hormonally damaging cities in the word. The average London male has 20% less testosterone than his father at an equivalent age – it’s time we did something to reverse this alarming, and dare I say emasculating, trend!
Testosterone Regained
We follow a very simple and straightforward Six Step Protocol that always yields swift results:
1) Consume plenty of “good fats” every day.
Every single study of any authority has now proven beyond doubt that the old 1990s diet staple (I so hope that this feels like 1990s thinking to you) of limiting fat to 10 percent or less of total calories will take your testosterone levels right down into the cellar. A good rule of thumb is that 14-20% of your diet should come from essential fatty acids such as monounsaturated fats, omega-3’s and all those other fats that keep your heart healthy and reduce inflammation.
2) Eat protein several times a day.
Why oh why do so many people still think that cereal provides them with their morning protein?! Here is a basic rule that is beneficial for virtually everyone seeking to increase muscle mass, lose fat, or just feel healthier and more energetic – if it walks, runs, swims or crawls then it is protein packed. You can also add if it was laid too. Before your mind descends into the gutter, I am referring to eggs. Research also shows that athletes have higher testosterone levels when eating meat-based protein, so make sure to try to eat some lean meat every day if you want to add some muscle or tone to your body. A study of 1,522 men ages 40-70 following low-protein diets had decreased testosterone and lower sex drives – so learn from this lesson. And yes, Tibetan monks do live quite comfortably on exclusively vegan diets. Of course, they also don’t reproduce, so who cares?
3) Do some sort of resistance training as exercise.
Muscles make your metabolism quicker and they increase the body’s natural production of testosterone. As if this wasn’t reason enough to get down the gym it has been proved that they very act of acquiring these muscles in the first place is also a hormonally stimulating activity. Lifting weights that challenge us (so forget about wasting your time playing on a leg extension machine, you need to do some real exercise!) causes our bodies to ramp up their natural testosterone production. It has been repeatedly shown that the harder you train in a given rep range (to go as broad as possible let’s say 4-20 reps) with specific set and rest interval protocols the more you will increase your natural levels of testosterone (and growth hormone too, but that’s an entirely different story).
4) Ensure that you get good quality sleep.
Testosterone, not to mention growth hormone, is produced during deep sleep known as REM sleep. Regular exercise, proper nutrition, intelligent supplementation with products such as magnesium, melatonin, valerian or even camomile tea all can have a positive role to play in aiding restful sleep. This is a very deep topic in itself and far beyond the scope of this article, and is something we work on very closely with some of our clients who have to deal with stressful and busy London lives. Sleep is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
5) Control the urge to splurge!
If you are a party animal and still want to maximise your physical fitness, then it’s definitely time to reprioritise. Alcohol, nicotine and even worse things such as marijuana all inhibit the production of testosterone. And let’s not even start on what they can do to your actual performance, both in and out of the gym (yes, it would be valid to read a definite innuendo in there if you want).
6) Effective Herbal Testosterone Boosters
The nutritional supplementation market is full of hucksters and snake oil salesmen all willing to promise you drug like effects in return for your hard earned money. However, if you inform yourself carefully and studiously it is possible to find some good products. We have used a multitude of herbs from the Amazon with great effect – products such as Catuaba, Suma, and Maca. The old mainstay of Tribulus is also good, but works best in men over the age of 30 as they tend to have less Luteinising hormone (the hormone responsible for stimulating the production of testosterone in the testes). If I have to recommend one particular product it would be Androgen Excellence put out by Poliquin Performance. This is a blend of herbs that increases both testosterone production and dopamine levels (the latter being the neuro transmitter responsible for making one feel sharp and alert) and we have observed great results with anything from just 1 – 3 capsules per day. But be warned, anyone taking this had better have an understanding partner who enjoys an active life in the bedroom!
Conclusion
In summary, I feel that it behoves every red blooded male to fight with tooth and claw this increasing lack of testosterone in our society. Many seasoned observers in personal training and bodybuilding at large have noted that weight trainers in the 1960s and 70s put muscle on far faster than their counterparts today – this can be squarely laid at the door of subdued testosterone levels. This article gives you a set of simple tools to get your hormonal system back on track – try it today and drop me an email to say thanks when both your mates and your missus start treating you with new found respect!
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