Lifter's Lounge
- Thread starter Hannibal
- Start date
Armstrong pull-up method works wonders
Probably an emphasis on not-very-useful "cardio" like jogging on a treadmill, I'd guess. Not focusing on building muscle. Or just being very overweight.
Not a cardio guy and he actually had a muscular build and was somewhat lean, guy just never did any cals at all....no dips, pushups, pull ups....nothing. He would joke about it he didn't care. Still odd though, if you can knock out a bunch of lat pull downs you should be able to do some pull ups. I can do pull ups until the cows come home but I do multiple sets to warm up and top off every workout even cardio days.
Unrelated but somewhat related, I've been dying through my pull up sets and my lat pull downs lately it feels like my lats are about to separate from my body. I've chalked it up to my mattress which actually isn't very old but I slept in hotels for about a week straight and it went away. Don't get a ghost bed, thing is two years old and it's already shit. After a ton of research I ordered a wink bed, screw this mattress anyway it's cursed time for a fresh start.
Did a testosterone test and it came back ~290 - which is in the range but on the low side. I"m in my upper 40s
Here's what I do naturally to increase:
What else can I do to naturally increase it?
Here's what I do naturally to increase:
- workout with weights 4 times a week (typically to failure), usually add 1 day of cardio
- consume between .8-1.2 grams protein/day
- take daily vitamin, also magnesium and zinc.
- drink lots of water a day (pretty much all I drink except milk)
- try to get 8 hours a sleep, but typically it's less and not continuous
What else can I do to naturally increase it?
290 isn't in range. It's low. Don't let them tell you that a low number is healthy.
Seems like you've got all the basics down.
Sleep is probably the king here.
I'll be honest, I'm lucky if I get 6.5 hour a night myself.
You're at the age where there may not be much left naturally to do. You may consider testosterone therapy.
If you haven't already, get a sleep study done. I did an in lab one and they "didn't find anything" a few years back and they charged me about 2 grand for the privilege.
A few months ago, I took an at home sleep study through lofta. They found that my sleep interruptions were only slightly above what would be considered a problem (which is likely why the in lab one "didn't find anything"), however, my oxygen levels dropped to 91%. Mild obstructive sleep apnea.
I ended up getting prescribed a cpap machine. Took me about a week to get used to it, but since then I haven't felt this good in at least 15 years. Lofta didn't go through my insurance, but altogether including the cpap it was 1200 dollars, which was significantly cheaper than the in lab one.
Recovery has definitely improved and I am more able to push myself in the gym.
I took some time off recently and went on a much needed month long mountain camping/exploring trip. I used that opportunity to try a little experiment and see how good of shape I could get myself in with no gym.
Did lots of hill sprints, hikes, push ups, splitting logs, pullups off of pine branches, standing "log jumps" using fallen trees in the forest, stuff like that.
I look and feel like a different person only one month later. I'm much leaner, feel stronger, more energy, more spring in my step, my face is defined and chiseled again like when I was younger. Never experienced results so fast.
10/10 rating for the Rocky IV style training. Everyone should experience it. I'd post my physique, the difference is shocking after such a short time, but that seems gay and vain so I won't.
Did lots of hill sprints, hikes, push ups, splitting logs, pullups off of pine branches, standing "log jumps" using fallen trees in the forest, stuff like that.
I look and feel like a different person only one month later. I'm much leaner, feel stronger, more energy, more spring in my step, my face is defined and chiseled again like when I was younger. Never experienced results so fast.
10/10 rating for the Rocky IV style training. Everyone should experience it. I'd post my physique, the difference is shocking after such a short time, but that seems gay and vain so I won't.
I'd recommend to make sure you can trust the number you are getting if you are taking a T test. That is, sometimes one of the tricks certain places even use is to make it a low number so it can justify the therapy, which wouldn't be "indicated" otherwise. Take it a couple different times at possibly a different lab just to make sure.
My advice would be getting it taken at a quest Labs in the AM and have them get free and total test. If you want get it done 2x... But in my opinion if your total test is under 800, you would probably benefit from Testosterone therapy.
I've been able to get in pretty good shape just by mountain/road biking and kayaking this summer. The mountains, forests, rivers and lakes are a great way to get yoked.
Eat lots of eggs and red meat. Maybe try more cardio on a bike, swimming, rowing machine, etc.
As an older guy, I really wonder what the point is of testing my testosterone or getting blood tests and comparing them online with others, etc. To what end? I know my own strength, stamina, willpower, etc. and I know it is higher than the majority of men my age. Why do I need a T-value number to give me pause? Am I missing something here? Is this just another form of ego-boosting to compare T-stats? I'm not trying to dump on anyone...it just makes no sense to me. No more than comparing lifting maxes and stuff. I compete against myself only. Am I stronger, faster, more flexible, etc. than I was a year ago? As a Christian, it borders on vanity, IMO. I think as men we should be at top performance for whatever our age or circumstance, in order to protect our family, friends, loved ones, country, etc. But beyond that it just seems meh... (I await the brolifter beatdowns now).
Yes you are right. As a guy of any age really. I'm much into quantified self, weighing myself several times per day, tracking what I'm lifting, tracking how long I take to run a given distance.. Measuring how quickly my pulse comes back down again after a fast interval. Rarely publish any of that online. I had my T measured many years ago and it was normal, so that was that. It also involves a needle which is painful and giving away your precious bodily fluids to the medical industry so that can probably extract more data than they are supposed to and sell it behind your back to insurers, genetic testers, who knows..
Actually there is one quantified self medical test I may do one day which is the fat scan so I can know exactly how fat I am to a fraction of a percent. But I won't be trying to talk others into getting their fat scanned.
Actually it is more sad than that, a kind of mild mental illness. What kind of lunatic likes to get a hole poked in their veins more than absolutely necessary. Actually, I think it may be an American thing, I've heard quite a lot of American podcasters promote this.
In any case it does not stop there with your nanomoles per litre. Once you know that, you'll have to go get another test to establish your free T! What's the point of knowing your T after all if it is not free? All T is not equal.. Of course once is not enough, you'll need to go back every so often to get it resampled and monitor for changes.
Bottom line, don't get your T tested unless you personally are worried or want to.
This stuff imho plays a role when men are trying to conceive. Low T is tied to infertility and it is often the man's problem over the women's.
Testosterone also plays a role in general well-being and longevity. So very important if trying to stay healthy and alive for your wife and kids.
My doctor did suggest I may have sleep apnea. Where did you get the at home test?
I ordered one from Lofta.com. it was a little under 200 dollars and they delivered it fast.
Something that doesn't get talked about enough in regard to testosterone levels is the large individual variance with androgen receptor sensitivity, density and distribution. Your body has androgen receptor cells that utilize the free testosterone in your blood, and your body isn't going to naturally produce more testosterone than your androgen receptors can uptake. And some men have more efficient testosterone uptake than others, meaning one guy may need to have a test level of 800 to have the same look, feel and strength as another guy with test levels of 400. Think of it similarly to how some cars get better mileage than others. Some men more efficiently uptake the testosterone produced by their body, so they don't need to make as much. The idea that every man is testosterone deficient if he isn't walking around with a test level pushing 1000 is crazy and just doesn't account for individual variation. If you haven't noticed significant strength or muscle declines, if your dick works and if your moods are stable, I wouldn't worry about going on testosterone regardless of what your levels test at.
The "muscle memory" broscience meme is real. If you've ever worked hard to build a solid base, that base will stay with you for a long time, much longer than you think. It's easily brought back after an extended break.
Happens much, much faster than it took to build it in the first place.
Happens much, much faster than it took to build it in the first place.