Hormonal Effects Of Gym Training VS Solo Home Workouts

[fits]

A post from Moe on muscleweb

Just discussing this with Fits the other day and I thought it would make an interesting topic for discussion on the board.
We started-off talking about how humans are social animals and still have an almost "Dog pack" lifestyle i.e. One leader and many followers.

This brought up the subject of a study which showed that in a group of young women, there is often an "Alpha" female and her influence is so strong that eventually the other females menstual cycles will slowly change and fall into timing with hers.

Studies also show that men who watch porn have an increase in sperm production due to gene which makes us competitive with other males in relation to human fertilisation/reproduction.

(As some of you know, I was previously a Prison Officer.) I've seen men lift heavier weights in a prison gymnasium than they could at home with the supposedly perfect supplements, routines, food etc.


What I'm wondering is this... Does training in a gym with other athletes have a greater hormonal response than training at home regardless of equipment... Even with the same diet and routine?
If there's a hormonal response within female groups then is it possible that male (or female) groups in the gym are at a hormonal advantage over those who train alone at home?

No doubt there will be exceptions to this possible theory but please don't go quoting Ronnie Coleman or Arnold at me... They would grow regardless of where they trained.
Feel free to put this question up on other boards (In your own words if you want). Paste in some of the more interesting replies.
And please keep the thread serious until it's oblviously ran its course.

[samurai69]

good question so just Bumping this

[Cookie]

But then you can have the other side of the coin were "Male ego" comes into play and you attempt to train too hard too often through not wanting to look like you backing off, trying to lift to heavy a weight too soon (ego, showing off) and injure yourself..All of these can make gains grind to halt and we all know what happens next when gains cease.....

Its a double edged sword imo and thats why I prefer to train at home doing my own thing in my own time and having a lie down on the bed after each and every set

[Cookie]

i find that i only ever used the ego thing when i was training heavy
now that im training volume ego dosnt come into it
but i still prefere the gym to training at home