Playing a vital part in men’s health, testosterone—the primary male sex hormone that can boost mood and libido—also plays a crucial role in muscle growth and strength. And research shows that resistance training, such as heavy compound lifts, can increase testosterone production, primarily when performed properly.
Exercise affects the body in many ways, including hormone levels. Men who exercise three to four times a week regularly generally show a stable elevation in testosterone levels; however, the type of exercise also makes a difference.
Here is how many adults actually hit basic exercise guidelines:
Although testosterone levels vary throughout the day- typically present at higher levels in the morning and lower in the afternoon, testosterone levels generally temporarily rise after exercise, anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour, but this depends on factors like age, weight, and fitness level, as well as the type and duration of the exercise. Younger men tend to get a bigger post-exercise testosterone boost.
Exercise affects testosterone levels in various ways, and specific types of training, particularly resistance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can increase testosterone levels. However, research has definitively linked heavy compound lifts with a testosterone boost.
Here’s how heavy compound lifts affect testosterone levels, but keep in mind that research is still emerging for transgender people taking hormone supplements to suppress or add testosterone. They won’t respond to exercise in the same way as this article suggests.
How Exercise Affects Testosterone Levels
Testosterone affects different people differently. Although the type of exercise plays a significant role in the level of testosterone boost it delivers, gender also influences testosterone levels.
Testosterone, a.k.a. the sex hormone in men, is present in all genders, but not at the same levels. Depending on your gender, different organs produce different amounts of testosterone. A small amount of testosterone is produced in the adrenal glands, but in men, high levels are produced in the testicles.
Healthy testosterone levels are essential for everyone throughout life, especially as you get older, as they help preserve overall health and reduce the risk of life-threatening diseases.
Here is a quick snapshot of how common low testosterone becomes with age:
Research on exercise and testosterone shows:
- According to a 1983 comparison on testosterone responses to weightlifting in men and women, men experience significant increases in testosterone post-workout while women experience almost no growth.
- Conversely, a 2001 paper on testosterone responses after resistance exercise in women suggests that resistance training can temporarily increase testosterone levels and affect fat distribution in women.
- A 2004 study on testosterone in sedentary and long-term physically trained elderly males found that regular physical activity increased testosterone and growth hormone levels, and testosterone also had a positive effect on their brain function.
- Published in 2008, a yearlong clinical trial on serum sex hormones (including testosterone) in men, levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) increased by 14.5 percent in 102 of the men who participated who previously didn’t exercise much.
- In 2018, a study of physically active and sedentary men found that the former group had better semen parameters and hormone values than the sedentary men who didn’t exercise at all.
- Later that decade, researchers found that increased physical activity has a bigger effect on testosterone increases than reducing calories.
Symbiotically, having healthy or elevated testosterone levels can help you build muscle, and studies also suggest the converse —that building muscle helps increase testosterone levels.
Most Effective Exercises to Boost Testosterone
Not all exercises are equal, and this is especially true for testosterone boosters. The most effective workouts to stimulate testosterone are:
- Strength Training: One of the most effective testosterone boosters, using heavy weights in resistance training — such as compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and barbell rows — prompts the body to produce more testosterone by engaging multiple large muscle groups. These workouts also expand lean muscle mass, indirectly supporting healthy testosterone levels.
- Leg Workouts: Squats, deadlifts, and other leg-focused exercises support increased testosterone production by activating some of the body’s largest muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. Because more energy is used to engage large muscle groups, more hormonal responses are triggered, including increased testosterone secretion. Research specifically indicates that consistent leg training can significantly increase testosterone levels.
- Heavy Weights (Low to Moderate Repetitions): Low to moderate reps, around 6–8 reps per set, in strength training, are a potent stimulus for muscles, which in turn trigger hormonal responses without causing excessive fatigue that is often blamed for reducing testosterone levels.
Use this quick structure to get more from your heavy compound sessions:
To maximize the hormonal benefits of your training, some athletes pair heavy compound lifts with natural testosterone boosters.
A supplement like TestoPrime can support your body’s ability to maintain healthy testosterone levels, especially as you age or train hard.
It’s made with science-backed ingredients designed to help enhance energy, strength, and performance—complementing your workout results.
Here is a quick overview of the TestoPrime supplement mentioned above:
4 Of The Best Compound Exercises To Boost Testosterone Levels
For hypertrophy, strength gains, and increased testosterone levels, the best compound exercises are the back squat, bench press, and pull-up. How to perform these key movements:
Back Squats
Hold the barbell a little wider than shoulder-width apart to un-rack it onto the muscle-covered part of your shoulders, behind your head. Keeping your torso upright, push your hips back into a squat, then bend your knees until your thighs pass the angle parallel to the floor, before standing back up to the upright position.
Bench Presses
Lying flat on a bench, bend your knees, then push your feet into the floor. Lock out your elbows as you take the weight off the rack.
Lower the barbell slowly until it just touches your chest. Pause, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle, then press back up as hard as possible.
Pull-Ups
With hands shoulder-width apart, grasp a pull-up bar in an overhand grip. Lift your feet from the floor, and leave straight arms hanging freely.
Pull yourself up by flexing your elbows while pinching your shoulder blades together. As the bar passes your chin, pause, then lower yourself back down to the floor.
Deadlifts
With your feet directly under your hips, walk your shins to the bar. As you reach your hands towards the bar, position your hips behind your heels; your shoulders should be over the bar, and your middle foot should be underneath it.
Keeping your head and back in line, hold your torso rigid as you put your shoulder blades in your back pockets to create tension between you and the bar.
The plates should make a clinking sound. Keep the bar close as you push the floor away from you, then lock out your hips without sending the weight back. From here, reverse the movement.
Personal trainer - Evan helped hundreds of clients simply 'build muscle and burn fat'.
