A few weeks ago I received the results of my latest blood work.
One number immediately caught my attention.
My total testosterone came back at around 900 ng/dL.
Exactly one year earlier I had done the same test, and my total testosterone measured 1,036 ng/dL.
Yes, it dropped slightly over the course of a year.
But at 46 years old, without testosterone replacement therapy or anabolic steroids, those numbers are still exceptionally high. They are well above average for my age and comparable to what many healthy men in their twenties have.
What surprised me even more was that the rest of my blood work looked equally encouraging.
My cholesterol profile remained healthy, my kidney function was good despite over two decades of hard training and daily creatine use, my inflammatory markers looked excellent, and overall my blood work reflected exactly how I feel every day.
I recover well.
I have energy.
I train almost every day.
And I genuinely feel younger than I did ten years ago.
People often ask me the same question.
“What’s your secret?”
The truth is that there isn’t one.
It’s hundreds of small habits repeated every single day.
This article is simply my personal protocol. It isn’t medical advice. It’s what has worked for me after years of experimentation, regular blood testing, and working closely with my longevity physician, Dr. Mihailo Radovanović of Rado Health Clinic Rado Health Clinic who has helped me optimize my health by identifying deficiencies and making decisions based on data rather than marketing.
Sleep Comes Before Everything
If I had to pick only one thing that has had the greatest impact on my health and hormones, it would be sleep.
I make it a priority to sleep at least seven hours every night.
Do I always manage it?
No.
Life doesn’t always cooperate.
Every morning I wake up early to take my daughter to school.
Almost every evening I teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu until around 10:30 PM.
Some nights simply end too late.
When that happens I don’t ignore it.
I’ll usually take a 30 to 45 minute nap during the afternoon.
Many people think naps are for lazy people.
I think they’re one of the smartest recovery tools an athlete can use.
Recovery begins when you stop feeling guilty about resting.
Check out my recovery secrets in my Sloth Recovery E-BookSloth Recovery E-Book:
My Nutrition Philosophy
People often ask me if there’s a special diet responsible for my testosterone levels.
There isn’t.
I simply follow a Mediterranean-style diet and focus on eating foods that humans have been eating for thousands of years.
Every morning I start the day with eggs and a high-protein breakfast. Throughout the day I make sure I eat plenty of quality protein to support recovery and maintain muscle mass. Most of my meals are built around lean meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, olive oil, nuts, and other minimally processed foods.
I also time my carbohydrates strategically. I eat most of my carbs before and after training to fuel performance, replenish glycogen, and support recovery while avoiding the energy crashes that often come from eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates throughout the day.
I don’t believe in extreme diets or eliminating entire food groups. Instead, I try to keep things simple.
Around 80% of my diet consists of whole, unprocessed foods, while the remaining 20% allows me enough flexibility to enjoy life without obsessing over every calorie.
I’ve found that consistency always beats perfection.
I don’t eat perfectly every day.
I simply eat well enough, often enough, that my body rewards me for it over time.
I Train Almost Every Day
I’ve been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for more than twenty five years.
Today I still train around six days every week.
People often think you need brutal workouts to stay strong.
I don’t.
My philosophy has changed completely.
Instead of spending an hour lifting weights three times a week, I prefer lifting for only ten to fifteen minutes almost every day after Jiu Jitsu.
That approach fits my lifestyle much better.
It keeps my joints fresh.
It allows me to recover faster.
Most importantly, I actually stay consistent.
Over the course of a year those short workouts add up to hundreds of sessions.
I call this building farmer strength.
Not beach muscles.
Real strength.
Strength that transfers directly to the mats.
The Sloth Strength Method
One habit that has made a huge difference is something I call the Sloth Strength Method.
Since I work from home, I rarely stay seated for long periods.
Several times throughout the day I’ll get up and perform a small amount of work.
Sometimes it’s twenty push ups.
Sometimes bodyweight squats.
Sometimes kettlebell swings.
Sometimes mobility work.
Nothing exhausting.
Just enough to remind my body that it’s designed to move.
Then in the evening I’ll finish with another ten or fifteen minutes of kettlebells or strength training after Jiu Jitsu.
Small doses.
Every day.
Year after year.
That consistency has built far more strength than the occasional heroic workout ever did.
Want to build real grappling strength without spending hours in the gym?
Check out my Sloth Strength Method, where I explain exactly how I use short daily workouts to build functional strength that carries directly over to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
My Blood Work Guides My Supplements
I don’t believe in buying every supplement that’s trending online.
Everything I take is based on blood testing.
Over the past year Dr. Mihailo Radovanović and I ran extensive tests to identify what I actually needed.
My daily routine currently includes approximately two to three grams of EPA and DHA omega three fatty acids.
I also take around 10 grams od creatine monohydrate daily.
I take between six thousand and ten thousand international units of Vitamin D3 together with Vitamin K2.
I take six hundred to eight hundred milligrams of magnesium bisglycinate.
I also use methylated B vitamins because they work well for me.
Every morning I take shilajit.
None of these supplements are magic.
They’re simply helping correct deficiencies and support overall health.
One Thing That Changed My Recovery
The biggest improvement I’ve noticed over the past few months has been adding five milligrams of tadalafil (Cialis) daily under medical supervision.
Most people only associate tadalafil with erectile dysfunction.
In reality it improves blood flow throughout the body.
For me personally I’ve noticed better recovery between training sessions and also helps keeps my blood pressure low!
Better muscle pumps.
Less fatigue.
And I simply feel fresher throughout the day.
Current scientific evidence does not show that tadalafil directly increases testosterone levels, but in my own experience it has noticeably improved my recovery and overall training quality.
Breathing Is Performance
One thing that most athletes completely overlook is breathing.
I don’t.
Whenever possible I breathe through my nose.
During training.
During work.
While walking.
The more I practice nasal breathing, the calmer I become under pressure.
Good breathing lowers unnecessary tension.
Lower tension means lower energy expenditure.
Lower energy expenditure means better performance.
That’s exactly how I try to roll in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Relaxed.
Efficient.
Patient.
I Even Sleep Differently
Every night I use mouth tape to encourage nasal breathing while I sleep.
I also sleep on the floor because, for me, it improves my sleep quality and my back feels much better in the morning.
It may not be for everyone, but it has worked extremely well for me.
Recovery Is Built During the Other Twenty Three Hours
People often obsess over the one hour they spend training.
I think the other twenty three hours matter much more.
What you eat.
How you sleep.
How you move.
How you breathe.
How you recover.
Those are the things that determine how you’ll perform tomorrow.
My testosterone isn’t the result of one supplement.
It’s the result of thousands of good decisions repeated consistently over many years.
My Goal Was Never High Testosterone
The number itself isn’t the goal.
The goal is waking up every morning feeling ready to train.
The goal is recovering quickly.
The goal is still improving after twenty five years on the mats.
The goal is being able to roll with younger athletes and still feel strong.
The blood work simply confirms that what I’m doing is working for me.
At forty six years old I don’t feel like I’m trying to stop aging.
I’m simply giving my body every opportunity to perform at its best naturally.
Want My Complete Recovery System?
If you’d like to learn the complete recovery system I’ve developed over more than twenty five years of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, check out my book Sloth Recovery.
Inside I explain every habit, recovery strategy, mobility drill, sleep technique, supplement, and mindset that has helped me continue training at a high level while staying healthy.
- If you’re interested in how I build strength without spending hours in the gym, my Sloth Strength Method shows exactly how I develop functional grappling strength with short daily workouts that fit around Brazilian Jiu Jitsu rather than competing with it.
Because in the end, the best athletes aren’t the ones who can train the hardest.
They’re the ones who can keep training for decades.
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