Issue 094

November 2012

Boost testosterone levels – the old fashioned way

Joe Bell

Sport psychologist

Joe Bell is a chartered sport psychologist and one of few leading mental performance coaches in the world specializing in combat sport psychology. 

For every second of every round in the most dangerous and exhilarating professional sport on the planet, fighters call upon supreme levels of fierce aggression, foot speed and arm strength to avoid the lonely world inhabited by the runner-up. The concept of defeat is enough of a driving force for many weak-minded mixed martial artists who may be seduced by the dark side of PEDs (performance enhancing drugs). The fight camp logic being, ‘If the opponent is doing it, we have to. It levels the playing field.’  

With tighter restrictions placed by governing bodies and a zero-tolerance policy from the flagship MMA promotion, the UFC, steroid abuse, at least in the elite division of mixed martial arts, is very much an endangered practice. The irony of it is fighters needn’t dabble in raising their testosterone (T) levels synthetically, because the mind has been secreting T, the primary male hormone, since the dawn of man. For the combat athlete, when waves of T flood the body it has a highly anabolic effect, strengthening muscle cells, fortifying tendons and ligaments and repairing and toughening bones. Because testosterone enhances muscle power and promotes recovery from tough workouts and methods described below, fighters with high T levels respond to training and reap greater adaptations leading to better performances.

So, instead of opting for a synthetic leg-up, here are few psych tips in how to send your T levels through the roof – just as Mother Nature intended. 

The Art of Self-Arousal

Various studies have been conducted on the effects of masturbation and testosterone. A study conducted in Vienna in 1998 by Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Urban Ethology found that both men and women experienced increased T levels by watching pornographic movies for 15 minutes. Men increased by 100% and women 80%. 

Pro Tip: If you want to take it to the next level, 15–30 minutes before a training session observe some X-rated material. If you master the art of self control to avoid the point of no return, you’ll experience an insane dramatic surge in testosterone. A study out of China examined 28 male volunteers and observed a clear spike in testosterone using this technique and noted on the beginning on the seventh day the spike was huge, approximately 145%. Your sparring partners will feel the difference. 

De-stress

When we get stressed, the brain releases a hormone called cortisol, this stops testosterone production. Since cortisol antagonizes and reduces T levels, and stress promotes the release of cortisol, avoiding stress like the plague is vital for maintaining and boosting T levels. 

Pro Tip: Make sure you get a good night’s sleep (every night) as it increases your T levels. Avoid living in the gym and overtraining, especially for the cardio-kings, as too much is counterproductive for testosterone production. Fighters live a life of the extreme, and stress can ambush them in all manner of disguises so it’s essential downtime is built into daily regimens. 

Watching Legends

Basking in reflected glory of idols can increase your self-esteem because you have identified with their success. In psychology, this is usually regarded as a cognitive process (living vicariously), which can benefit human physiology and behavior. Recent studies in psychology discovered that by just watching one’s heroes win or lose appeared to increase T levels by up to 15%, and also positive changes in mood and self-esteem were also noted. 

Pro Tip: What are you waiting for? Dig out your old UFC DVDs and get watching. 

It will take about a month before you feel any change from increased T levels, as tissues, receptors and neurotransmitters take time to rebuild. A healthy libido and the way you hold yourself, plus a positive mind-set, can have a profound impact on your T levels. Using your mind to secrete testosterone is the safe and honorable way to recharge your body. 

WHAT LEGACY?

Some high-profile veteran fighters who I’ve consulted with and who previously used PEDs seem to become more introspective in their twilight years. When they look back on their lives and ‘victories’ they are haunted by a single question, ‘Did I really win?’