We all know that Growth Hormone has a TON of benefits...it helps you build muscle, burn fat,
increase bone density (very important as we age), and it's your body's signal to increase IGF-1
production, which is a HUGE driver of lean muscle mass development.
Obviously it's something we want to create as much of as we can.
The problem is that as we age our GH production decreases dramatically - which is why it gets
harder and harder to get and keep muscle and burn fat.
It's also a major determinant in how fast we "age"...the lower the GH levels, the faster you get "old".
(ever seen the really old dudes that are ripped? They have high levels of GH...be it natural or
injected, either way, that's why they look like that.)
The good news is you can do it with some simple manipulations of your workout loads, tempos, and
rest periods, and here are 3 ways to start boosting your GH levels with your workout tomorrow.
1. Use Shorter Rest Periods
If you're one of those guys who takes a 3-5 minute break between sets, you're not doing yourself any
favors in the hormone department.
Research shows that shorter rest intervals triggers a higher hormonal response, so consider keeping your rest between sets to 60 second or less.
You can also incorporate giant sets with no rest between sets, then take a full 3-4 minute rest at
the of the giant set to let your system fully recover before doing it again.
The no-rest between each exercise will create a big lactic acid buildup that triggers a big Growth
Hormone response.
2. Use Higher Volume
The longer your muscles are under tension, the higher hormonal response. Using higher volume sets with heavy resistance really cranks up the GH output.
But how do you do high volume with heavy loads?
Pick a weight around 75% of your 1RM and perform 6-8 reps, then drop the weight by 30% and do another 15-20 reps.
The first part of the lift triggers the response to heavy loads, and the second half adds in the volume.
3. Lift Large Muscle Groups First
Bigger muscles create a bigger hormonal response. When lifting for hormone output, start with your legs, back, and chest as they are your largest muscle groups.
Work them and work them HARD! A few times a month train to absolute failure (make sure you've got
a spotter) as that threshold is where you're recruiting the most muscle fibers and you create the biggest
hormonal response to training.
Just make sure to get plenty of rest and nutrition post workout to recover.
These are 3 simple tips you can start using in your workout tomorrow to maximize your Growth
Hormone production.