No matter your gender, you should take a close look at your testosterone levels. Among all the metrics that are linked to a long and independent life, your testosterone levels are one of the most important. The Muscle building, bone supporting and Immune system boosting hormone is lacking in many athletes. Without rushing out to your doctor to get Testosterone Boosters, I am here to give you the ‘Al Natural’ way to maintain optimal levels through good nutritional habits. Read on; find out how its all about balance and food choices.
Wake Up! Testosterone is much more than a Male Sex Hormone. ladies, whether you like it or not, you too need testosterone to live and full and healthy life AS WELL AS keep your sex drive on track. But lets move past this and on to the cool science behind testosterone in your body.
While there is a massive factory for testosterone in the males gonads, women produce testosterone in their ovaries. But… Before any production occurs it all starts in the brain. Deep inside your brain there is a hormone ADMIN DESK and it is called the Hypothalamus. The Hypothalamus tells the Pituitary Gland to start the process of production. That hormone dump travels downstream to the reproductive organs and to some extent the adrenal glands. After the signal reaches the glands, BAM! you get a boost of the good stuff into the body for use!
But…. you know there is always a But… if your nutrition is off, you drink too much, you dont sleep enough, you are super stressed… well then, you are missing out on some serious quality of life.
Zinc. The Gate Keeper.
Zinc is responsible for 2 big roles in your body, Cellular Metabolism and Immune Health. For the sake of our conversation today, Im going to highlight the importance of cellular metabolism. The function of your cells to move nutrients through its membrane is essential to you performing work, maintaining cognitive ability, and basically just live. Zinc helps to control what goes in and what comes out of the cells through a delicate chemical balance. Testosterone needs to pass through skeletal cells to tell Bone marrow…”Hey, make more Red blood Cells!!”. To maintain optimal Zinc levels I suggest eating;
1. Red Meat
2. Avocados
3. Pumpkin Seeds
Magnesium. All about Work.
Magnesium lives primarily in your bones. Here it moves in and out into the blood and cells to aid in the production of ATP (Adenosine Tiphosphate), the chemical combination that is used as ENERGY in your body. Magnesium deficiency is prolific in todays modern diet and this has a direct effect on Testosterone Levels in the body. Since Testosterone is a hormone that acts on Skeletal cells to produce more red blood cells and improve bone density; the lack of magnesium in the bones creates a situation where both performance and health are in jeopardy. I personally take supplemental Magnesium at Bed Time to help aid in recovery but there is a healthy dose of magnesium rich foods in my diet. My favorites are:
1. Broccoli & Asparagus
2. Almonds
3. LEAFY GREENS. (Kale, Chard, Spinich, Arugula)
Vitamin D. Hormone helping Hormone.
Remember when I spoke about balance in the introduction? The body is an amazing reflection of nature and it tendency towards BALANCE. Vitamin D and Testosterone work in conjunction with each other by stimulating the brain. Optimal Vitamin D levels act on the Hypothalamus and Pituitary gland in the same way that a warm blanket on a cold day acts on your emotions. Vitamin D sends signals to the brain to produce more Testosterone. Testosterone helps Vitamin D to keep the Immune System, Musculoskeletal System and the Endocrine Systems all running at peak levels. Athletes need everything in balance to produce work and be a champion. Getting exposure to the sun is the best way to keep Vitamin D high but during winter months I suggest supplementing with Vitamin D3 @ 4000IDUs /day. Food is also a way to help keep levels high;
1. Salmon
2. Eggs
3. Tuna (canned usually, but fresh is better)
ZMA is a supplement that has been studied for its effects on well being and in particular its effects on Testosterone production in the body. This supplement is found in many different concentrations in the marketplace and is certainly one way to try and keep levels of all 3 nutrients that I have just listed in check. FOOD is the answer though. You can heal your body and perform your best through NUTRITION. Use the foods I have listed to create a weekly menu that is guaranteed to boost testosterone and overall quality of life. We have been given the tools through nature, it is our duty to love and use them.
Keep forging the path ahead through conscious action,
Love, Eric
2/11-2/15 ***This is Week 2 of the Vertical Pressing Exposure Cycle. It is also one of the most exciting weeks of my programming in a while. As we move into a time of year when our strength is peaking and we get to test it against our muscular Endurance (which is not at peak levels), fun workouts can be thrown in. Dig in on the Midline and gymnastic Strength this week and recover well as there is a good bit of barbell in the beginning of the week.
2/11
Baseline:
400m Run
3X
10 Barbell Good Mornings
10 Barbell Muscle Cleans
10 Barbell Behind the neck press
Lunge Flow: 7@ Each
Elbow To Instep + Reach
Hamstring Pulses
Samson Lunge + Reach
Hurdlers Stretch
Side Lunges
-Pigeon Stretch @ the end
Hamstring Primer
3X 8
-Pendlay Row
-Romanian Deadlift
Deadlift Strength:
3-3-3-3-3
18Min EMOM
A: :20 AMRAP Power Clean and Jerk 135/95
B: :30 Burpee Over Bar
2/12
Baseline:
4X :30@ Each
-High Knees
-Divebomber Push ups
-Deadbug Contra Lateral Reach
-Side Lunges
-Jumping Jacks
Double Under Prep:
20 Reps @ Each
-Single under
-High Jump Single under
-high Knee Single under
-Cadence Drill 3 single /1 Double
-Cadence Drill 3 Single / 2 Double
-Cadence Drill 1 Single / 1 Double
WOD;
21-15-9
Double Unders X 2 (42-30-18)
Thrusters 95/65
15-12-9
Row For cals
Overhead Squats 115/75
12-9-6
Toes to Bar
Backsquats 135/95
—No Rest Between, only to change load—
2/13
Baseline:
3;00 Lat Band Mobility + Lacrosse ball in sub scapula before session
3X
15 Cal Bike
100’ Carioca
10 Cherry Pickers
Gymnastic Strength:
3X
Max Rep Strict Pull up (Scale with bands)
-straight into,
1:00 Hollow Hold Flutter Kicks
-Rest as needed between Sets-
WOD;
5X 4 min AMRAP
30 Cal Row
20 Cal Assault Bike
AMRAP Lateral Line Touch @ 10m
—Rest 2 mins between —
2/14
Baseline:
1 Mile bike
3X
12 Russian Kettlebell Swings
12 Kettlebell Windmills
12 KB Overhead Reverse Lunge
Shoulder Primer:
W/ Light Dumbbells 5-15#
20 Reverse Flys
20 Bent Scare Crows
20 See-Saw Press
20 Front Raises
20 Lateral Raises
Press Complex: (Week 2) (+5# from last week)
EMOM 10
A- 3 Push Press (no Cycling)
B- 3 Split Jerk (Heavier than Push Press)
Conditioning:
3X
3 Rope Climbs
16 DB Snatch 50/35
400m Run
2/15
Baseline;
3X
60 Single Under Jump Rope
30 Arm Swings
15 Jump Squats
7 Piked Push Ups
Midline Strength:
5X
1:00 D Ball Hold
:30 Ring Dips (W/ :02 Hold at the top of each rep)
1:00 D Ball Cleans
WOD;
“Single Arm Kettlebell DT”
10 Rounds for Time
12 Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift 53/35
9 Kettlebell Single Arm Swing
6 Kettlebell Shoulder to Overhead
—Alternate Arms Every Round—
