What Workouts Increase Testosterone?

Workouts that increase testosterone

Here are 2 testosterone boosting workouts that you should try:

HIIT

HIIT helps increase free testosterone, improve cardiovascular health and burn fat [1,2,3].

This type of workout is one of the most effective to boost testosterone, especially free testosterone in middle-aged and older men. An 8-week testosterone workout plan with HIIT helps regulate the testosterone-cortisol balance, supporting strength and fitness in men aged 35-40.

HIIT also improves cardiovascular endurance, vascular function, lowers blood pressure and reduces risk factors such as waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). These effects are comparable or superior to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT).

Since low muscle mass and high body fat reduce testosterone, HIIT serves as a testosterone workout that supports testosterone by increasing lean muscle and reducing fat.

Research showed that 90-second treadmill sprints alternated with 90-second recovery significantly raised free testosterone (Hackney et al., 2012).

Resistance training

Immediate Testosterone Increase:

Compound strength exercises such as squats and deadlifts immediately raise circulating testosterone levels, especially when performed with heavy loads and sufficient intensity.

Free-weight training stimulates greater testosterone production than machine-based due to higher muscle activation and stabilization demands (Turgut et al., 2021).

Long-Term Testosterone Production:

Lifting heavy weights with low to moderate repetitions not only triggers acute spikes in testosterone but also promotes long-term adaptations, raising baseline testosterone levels. This hormonal increase supports recovery, muscle growth, and overall anabolic function [10].

Improved Muscle Mass and Metabolism:

Resistance training develops lean muscle mass, which boosts metabolic rate, improves insulin sensitivity, and reduces aromatase activity – the enzyme converts testosterone to estrogen.

Testosterone, as a key anabolic hormone, stimulates muscle protein synthesis, reduces protein breakdown, promotes muscle growth and strength. Increased muscle mass further supports testosterone maintenance through higher metabolic demand [11].

Enhanced Musculoskeletal Strength and Endurance:

Regular resistance training improves muscular strength, joint stability, and endurance. Better physical fitness encourages consistent activity and supports sustained testosterone production over time.

Which Workouts Do Not Boost Testosterone?

As mentioned, not all physical activities help increase testosterone. If your goal is to boost testosterone, here are the workouts to avoid or limit:

HIIT in Women

HIIT generally raises estrogen but significantly lowers basal testosterone in women, especially with long-term training. This can be beneficial in cases of elevated testosterone (such as PCOS), supporting hormonal balance and reproductive health [12].

However, testosterone fluctuations are also influenced by the menstrual cycle. Therefore, hormonal status should be considered when applying HIIT for women.

Cardio

Running, hiking, swimming and cycling usually don’t raise testosterone long term. They support health and weight control but may temporarily lower testosterone due to higher cortisol.

Besides, low-intensity workouts like yoga or pilates also don’t significantly boost testosterone, though they help reduce stress and improve overall balance.

Ways to Help Boost Testosterone

Natural ways to boost testosterone besides proper exercise:

• Maintain a healthy weight: Reducing body fat, especially around the abdomen, helps support healthy testosterone levels.
• Balanced diet: Including protein (lean meat, fish, eggs), zinc (oysters, beef), magnesium (spinach, nuts) and vitamin D in meals.
• Helpful foods: Onions, garlic, pomegranate, healthy fats from olive oil, avocado and nuts.
• Limit alcohol: Excess alcohol intake lowers testosterone and raises estrogen, harming reproductive health and muscle.
• Avoid hormone disruptors: Chemicals like BPA in plastics interfere with testosterone production. Use BPA-free containers and reduce toxin exposure.
• Sleep well & manage stress: This helps lower cortisol, maintain healthy testosterone levels.

Conclusion

In short, HIIT and strength-endurance training can support testosterone both in the short term and long term, while improving muscle strength, physique and metabolism.

Depending on gender, training goals and health status, certain workouts may be prioritized or limited. Moreover, beyond working-out, adopting a healthy lifestyle is essential for achieving balanced and long-term benefits.