Test Your Fitness Knowledge

Optimizing Testosterone and Muscle Building Potential

• The author is in his mid-40s and considering testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to optimize his testosterone levels and muscle building potential.

• Being lean does not necessarily mean optimal testosterone levels; some people in the fitness industry have low testosterone levels despite being very lean due to calorie deprivation and excessive cardio.

• To determine if someone needs TRT, a blood test is necessary to assess free testosterone, gonadotropins (LH and FSH), and fasting insulin levels.

• Free testosterone is the freely circulating androgen that dictates muscle growth, while gonadotropins signal the testes to make intratisticular testosterone.

• TRT involves using exogenous testosterone, which can cause testicular atrophy and decline fertility rates.

• The decision to start TRT depends on individual symptoms and biomarkers, such as energy levels, libido, muscle growth potential, and signaling to the testes.

• Lifestyle practices, including sleep hygiene, diet quality, and micronutrient intake, can impact testosterone production and signaling.

• Targeted supplementation may be necessary if there is a real deficiency contributing to low testosterone levels.

• Vitamin D and sleep are two essential factors in testosterone production.

• Resistance training is important for muscle building and can help spike testosterone levels, but too much can be counterproductive.

• Heavy lifting in the 8-12 rep range, progressively overloading, and keeping a regimented log book is important for muscle growth.

• Micro loading, such as using 0.5 pound increment plates, can be helpful for breaking through plateaus in muscle building.Maintaining and Building Physique: Tips from a Fitness Expert

• The speaker prioritizes other things over body composition, but still focuses on progressively overloading in the gym and tracking progress.

• Maintaining a physique is easier than gaining muscle, and can typically be done with just a few days a week in the gym.

• The speaker's schedule is currently four days a week, with a classic split of chest, shoulders, back, arms, and legs.

• The amount of time and effort needed to maintain a physique varies depending on individual goals and body types.

• To build a physique, it's important to start with figuring out maintenance calories, which for a young man who exercises regularly can be between 2700 to 3000.

• A good starting point for a beginner is to do compound exercises like bench, squat, and deadlift, and allocate about 60 sets a week across four or five days, with a focus on going close to failure on the last set of each exercise.

• It's important to adjust volume based on how much the individual can handle, and to micro-adjust as needed.

• A separate arm day might make sense for those whose triceps are fatigued after a chest day.

• The fitness industry has skewed what people see as a "good" physique, leading to unrealistic expectations for some.

• Laziness may be a factor in some people giving up on achieving a certain physique, but unrealistic expectations also play a role.

• The speaker believes that most people could achieve a physique like Hugh Jackman's in 2001 naturally with dedication and effort.

• The fitness industry has a lot of distorted physiques, but it's important to remember that what is considered "good" is subjective.Debate on Steroid Use in Bodybuilding and Sports

• The speaker was inspired to start bodybuilding after seeing a photoshopped cover of a bodybuilding magazine.

• The speaker's advice for getting lean and building muscle is to have willpower to avoid unhealthy foods and to consistently do reps.

• The speaker has used steroids in the past but does not regret it as it taught him about health and optimization.

• The speaker believes that people should be educated about the risks of steroid use before deciding to take them.

• Steroid use can have significant impacts on the cardiovascular system and heart function.

• The speaker thinks that it is disingenuous for influencers to not disclose their steroid use when marketing their workout programs or supplements.

• The speaker believes that cheating is cheating and that using performance-enhancing drugs in sports where it is against the rules is not ideal.

• The speaker is open to a world where the use of exogenous substances is out in the open and there is no double standard.

• The speaker thinks that sport is entertainment and that the logical answer to make it as entertaining as possible is to allow everyone to use steroids.

• The speaker is concerned about the message it sends to kids and does not want to encourage them to use steroids.

• The speaker is interested in the recent controversy surrounding Conor McGregor being allowed to step out of the testing pool for six months.

• The speaker acknowledges that the debate on steroid use in sports is complex and there is no definitive answer.Discussion on Performance-Enhancing Drugs and Longevity

• The speaker recalls a classmate from middle school and high school who had an unreal density of muscle at the age of 12, which could potentially be due to steroid use.

• The speaker discusses the prevalence of steroid use among high school football players trying to get a college scholarship.

• Body weight is important in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) for manipulating opponents, and having more muscle can be advantageous for force production and oxygen carrying capacity.

• Androgens, such as steroids, can stimulate the release of erythropoietin (EPO), which increases oxygen carrying capacity and is beneficial in many sports.

• Beta blockers can be used in sports such as archery and public speaking to calm down and improve performance.

• The speaker has concerns about the potential long-term side effects of drug use and tries to limit their use for longevity purposes.

• The use of pharmacology may be necessary for individuals with genetic risk factors that require medication to attenuate their risk.

• Rapamycin is an anti-amtor igf-1 drug that could potentially have a positive impact on longevity, but the speaker is uncertain about its effectiveness and side effects.

• The speaker uses ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, to keep their APO bead down and prevent plaque buildup in their arteries.

• The speaker is on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which can lower HDL and slightly elevate LDL cholesterol and inhibit lipid metabolism.

• Supraphysiological amounts of hormones can cause strength acceleration that exceeds the body's supporting infrastructure's ability to handle, resulting in muscle tears and other injuries.

• Estrogen is essential for brain health, cardiovascular health, vasodilation, and erectile quality, and having a lack of estrogen can be counterproductive to health, performance, and well-being.