I finally got around to checking out a YouTube video, How Men Over 40 Can Get Six Pack Abs. You have probably seen this channel on YouTube if you follow fitness at all. I thought it would be.. well, I don’t know what I expected. However, I found it extremely informative and it seemed to make a lot of sense.

The video talks about how men’s testosterone production reaches its peak in our 20’s. Then each subsequent year production decreases 1-2%. The video also tells how visceral fat, the fat in the belly area, is an indicator of low testosterone, and, also decreases testosterone. The video also points out how you can’t get rid of belly fat (visceral) unless you are able to raise your testosterone levels. It is a vicious circle!

Mark McIlyar, the speaker, and producer of the video, also points out that there are exercises that men over 40 should not be doing because it actually decreases testosterone production. High-intensity training such as aerobics, group fitness courses, cardio machines, apparently can leave testosterone levels depressed up to 24 – 48 hours after the exercise is done (Mark M.).

The problem with these type of exercises Mark says is that there is not enough muscle resistance to activate muscles that stimulate hormone (testosterone) production (Mark M.).

Exercises that men over 40 should engage in are those which cause an anaerobic response from the body. Exercises such as bench press and squats engage large groups of muscles at the same time. This is called compound movements. These exercises significantly boost hormone production thus raising the testosterone levels in the blood.

Mark says that once men can get their testosterone levels up naturally, burning visceral fat becomes less of a problem. It’s a matter of doing the right kinds of exercises.

And of course, food is also a part of the process. I would like to see how his exercise program will work paired with the diet I am currently using, the Ketogenic diet. It is similar to the diet he describes in the video, but I think the keto-diet may work well with his system. By the way, it is set at a really great price, under $100.

Mark gives a tremendous amount of information in this YouTube video. It was enough info that you could conceivably begin your own program based on the info that he gave. However, like he said in the video it would take you significantly longer to figure things out. It took Mark a year. I’d rather follow a system that someone has already figured out.

So far this year I have learned more about fitness and dieting than I did in my 20 years of military service.

If you are an older man I think you should check out this video on YouTube. There is a lot of great information there. And Mark McIlyar explains it a lot better than I did in this short post.