For older natural bodybuilders the idea of manipulating the body's release of hormones through exercise and diet should be quite exciting. The hormones I'm referring to are the big three:

1. Testosterone
2. Growth Hormone
3. Insulin

The body's natural output of the big three declines as you age, so taking maximum advantage of them is essential if you want to make big gains. The right approach to training and diet will enable you to do it.

Testosterone:

You can increase your body's natural production of testosterone with hard work on the big, compound movements, especially those on which the body actually moves up and down, such as the squat and deadlift. The bigger the muscle, the more testosterone is released-and what's bigger than the legs and back?

Starting your workout with three to five sets of heavy squats or deadlifts done for six to 10 reps will work wonders. That's easy to do on leg and back day, but what if, like me, you train chest and triceps on a separate day and shoulders on another day?

The answer? You begin those workouts with squats or deadlifts. I don't mean you have to work yourself into the ground, but one to three working sets done at a moderate weight will get the process started. Remember the Iron Guru, Vince Gironda? He used to have his trainees begin their arm workouts with squats because he believed it set the adrenal gland up for growth. He was on the right track.

Click Image To Enlarge.
The Iron Guru, Vince Gironda.

Growth Hormone:

Research shows that when GH is secreted along with testosterone, it magnifies the effect of the testosterone. Research also shows that there's a direct connection between the burn of lactic acid buildup and GH release. What better way to get the burn than by using an extended-set technique, like drop sets, which involve repping out with a weight, then at exhaustion reducing the poundage and immediately repping out again.

Get the full article in the January edition of Iron Man Magazine. Full article contains extended-set techniques and information about insulin.

Editor's note: For more articles by Jim Brewster, visit Bodybuilding.com. IM

Jim Brewster

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