Essentials: How to Exercise for Strength Gains & Hormone Optimization | Dr. Duncan French
Huberman Lab
2025/09/18
Essentials: How to Exercise for Strength Gains & Hormone Optimization | Dr. Duncan French
Essentials: How to Exercise for Strength Gains & Hormone Optimization | Dr. Duncan French

Huberman Lab
2025/09/18
Shownote
Shownote
In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Duncan French, PhD, the vice president of performance at the UFC Performance Institute and a world-class performance specialist.
We explain how resistance training and acute stress impact hormones and outline specific weight training protocols to increase testosterone to support strength and hypertrophy. We also discuss how to use cold and heat exposure to enhance recovery and performance. Finally, we explain how to match nutrition to training goals and improve metabolic flexibility.
Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AGZ by AG1: https://drinkagz.com/huberman
Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman
Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman
Timestamps
(0:00) Duncan French
(0:20) Resistance Training & Hormones, Testosterone, Men vs Women
(4:32) Increase Testosterone & Resistance Intensity, Tool: 6 x 10 Protocol
(7:53) Rest Periods & Metabolic Stimulus
(9:26) Sponsor: Function
(11:07) Weekly Training Sessions, Varied Intensity & Volume, Recovery
(12:34) Short-Term Stress, Testosterone & Performance, Mindset
(15:05) Deliberate Cold Exposure, Mindset & Recovery
(17:14) Tool: Cold Periodization, Recovery & Goals
(22:12) Sponsor: Eight Sleep
(23:53) Sport, Skill Training & Quality Movement, Fatigue; Mental Fatigue
(26:19) High-Intensity Training & Carbohydrates; Exogenous Ketones; Ketogenic Diet
(29:32) Metabolic Efficiency, Carbohydrates & Fat Stores, Tool: Nutrition Periodization
(32:45) Sponsor: AGZ by AG1
(34:14) Heat Adaptation, Sauna, Sweating
(37:14) Training, Nutrition & Adaptations, Tool: 12 Week Program
(39:06) Acknowledgements
Disclaimer & Disclosures
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Highlights
Highlights
In this episode, Andrew Huberman sits down with Dr. Duncan French, a leading expert in performance science, to explore evidence-based strategies for enhancing physical and mental resilience through targeted training, recovery, and nutrition protocols.
Chapters
Chapters
Duncan French
00:00Resistance Training & Hormones, Testosterone, Men vs Women
00:20Increase Testosterone & Resistance Intensity, Tool: 6 x 10 Protocol
04:32Rest Periods & Metabolic Stimulus
07:53Sponsor: Function
09:26Weekly Training Sessions, Varied Intensity & Volume, Recovery
11:07Short-Term Stress, Testosterone & Performance, Mindset
12:34Deliberate Cold Exposure, Mindset & Recovery
15:05Tool: Cold Periodization, Recovery & Goals
17:14Sponsor: Eight Sleep
22:12Sport, Skill Training & Quality Movement, Fatigue; Mental Fatigue
23:53High-Intensity Training & Carbohydrates; Exogenous Ketones; Ketogenic Diet
26:19Metabolic Efficiency, Carbohydrates & Fat Stores, Tool: Nutrition Periodization
29:32Sponsor: AGZ by AG1
32:45Heat Adaptation, Sauna, Sweating
34:14Training, Nutrition & Adaptations, Tool: 12 Week Program
37:14Acknowledgements
39:06Transcript
Transcript
Andrew Huberman: Welcome to Huberman Lab Essentials, where we revisit past episodes for the most potent and actionable science-based tools for mental health, physical health, and performance. I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and oph...