Certain types of exercises, such as resistance training and high intensity interval training, can increase testosterone levels. Your biological sex also influences how testosterone levels are affected.

Exercise can increase testosterone (T) levels, but the type of workout you choose makes a difference.

Some forms of exercise can temporarily boost testosterone, which helps support muscle repair, strength gains, and overall fitness.

Understanding how testosterone responds to exercise and how biological sex plays into this response can help you choose workouts that support your fitness goals.

Testosterone is often described as the primary male sex hormone, but everyone produces it.

Some types of exercise increase testosterone levels. However, the size of that effect depends on factors like:

  • biological sex
  • workout intensity
  • overall health

However, depending on your sex, different areas produce different amounts For instance, in men, most testosterone is produced in the testicles. In women, testosterone is produced in the ovaries, but in smaller amounts. The adrenal glands also produce small amounts in all people.

During puberty, testosterone drives many physical changes in males, including increased muscle mass, facial and body hair growth, and a deeper voice. However, testosterone plays an important role throughout life for people of all sexes.

Throughout the lifespan, healthy testosterone levels help support:

  • muscle maintenance
  • energy levels
  • bone health
  • metabolic health

Maintaining balanced testosterone levels may also help lower the risk of certain health conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Keep in mind that transgender individuals who are taking hormone supplements to suppress or add testosterone will not respond to exercise in the same way as we’ve described in this article, and research is still emerging on this topic.

When you do challenging workouts, especially strength training or high intensity exercise, your body briefly increases testosterone levels.

This hormonal response helps signal your body to:

  • repair and rebuild muscles after a workout
  • build new muscle tissue, which helps muscles get stronger over time
  • adapt to training, so your strength and performance can improve
  • recover from exercise, helping your body prepare for your next workout

Research shows this effect tends to be larger in men because they naturally have much higher baseline testosterone levels, which partly explains why men typically gain muscle size and strength more quickly from resistance training.

However, women also produce testosterone, and research shows that exercise, particularly resistance training, can temporarily raise testosterone and other anabolic hormones in women, supporting muscle strength and lean mass gains.

In other words, both men and women experience a testosterone response to exercise. The difference is how significant that response tends to be.

Certain types of exercise are more likely to trigger short-term increases in testosterone.

People who want to build muscle, increase strength, improve body composition, or support healthy hormone levels may benefit most from including these workouts in their routine.

Resistance training

Resistance training, such as weightlifting or body weight strength exercises, is one of the most reliable ways to increase testosterone temporarily.

Studies show that challenging strength workouts can cause a short-term rise in testosterone after exercise. Over time, consistent resistance training also supports muscle growth and strength gains.

For example, research has found that men who performed resistance training several times per week experienced increases in testosterone immediately after workouts and improvements over time.

However, the hormonal response varies between individuals and tends to be smaller in women. In many cases, the increase in testosterone in women is temporary but still supports muscle adaptation.

How to apply this:

If your goal is to build strength or support healthy hormone levels, try incorporating 2–4 strength training sessions per week using compound movements such as:

  • squats
  • deadlifts
  • pushups or bench press
  • rows
  • lunges

These exercises recruit multiple muscle groups and tend to produce stronger hormonal responses.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense activity followed by recovery periods.

Some research suggests HIIT may temporarily increase testosterone in men. However, studies in women show mixed results, with some finding little change or even slight decreases in testosterone after certain HIIT programs.

Despite these differences, HIIT can still provide important benefits such as improving cardiovascular fitness, metabolic health, and endurance.

If you enjoy HIIT, consider adding one or two sessions per week, such as sprint intervals on a treadmill, bike, or track.

Not all workouts significantly affect testosterone levels. While these types of exercises still offer many health benefits, they aren’t the primary types of workouts used to build muscle mass or increase strength.

Cardio

Moderate cardio, like jogging, cycling, or swimming, does not appear to significantly increase testosterone levels. In fact, very high volumes of endurance training may lower testosterone levels, particularly in men who train intensely for long periods.

Even so, cardio remains an important part of a healthy fitness routine.

  • heart health
  • endurance
  • weight management
  • metabolic health

For many people, improving cardiovascular fitness can also make it easier to train harder during strength workouts, which may indirectly support muscle-building goals.

Low-impact exercises

Low-impact workouts, like Pilates, yoga, barre, or mobility-focused training, aren’t typically associated with significant increases in testosterone.

These exercises generally focus on:

  • flexibility and mobility
  • balance and body awareness
  • core strength
  • posture
  • stress reduction

For most people, the healthiest approach is to combine different types of exercise. A balanced routine that includes strength training, cardio, and low-impact workouts can support overall health, fitness, and long-term performance.

Exercise is only one factor that influences hormone health. Lifestyle habits also play an important role.

Strategies that may help support healthy testosterone levels include:

Exercise can influence testosterone levels, but the effect depends on the type and intensity of your workouts.

Resistance training has the strongest evidence for temporarily increasing testosterone, while HIIT may also trigger increases, particularly in men. Cardio exercises are still valuable for overall health, even though they may not strongly affect testosterone levels.

For most people, the best strategy is to focus on a balanced fitness routine that includes strength training, cardio, and healthy lifestyle habits that support long-term health.