Getting started very late

[bassack]

Hello all!

I've been posting on the Men's Health forum regarding my lifelong hypogonadism and what I'm doing about it. I'm on HCG which has brought my free testosterone levels to the middle of the normal range and I'm taking Indolplex/DIM which will, hopefully, bring my E2 levels down to low normal. (They're at the upper limit of normal now).

I'm 44 years old, 6'3", 255 lbs. with a very high bf%. I haven't measured it, but I do know that I have very poor musculature.

In the past, whenever I tried to work out I would get so sore and fatigued after the first 1 or 2 workouts that I would stop. Now, because of the HRT that I'm on I decided to try again. I've been going to a small local gym 3 x / week for 1/2 an hour with a trainer and have experienced minimal soreness. I assume that this is due to my higher testosterone levels.

My trainer is a nice young guy, who I believe knows very little about fitness. It seems like he has me jumping around doing whatever pops into his head. I've been going for a couple of months and haven't really noticed gains. (Maybe they're there but with no regular routine it's hard to keep track of weights and reps). I'd like to present him with a routine that I can do in half an hour and that he can oversee and I'd like a reccommendation. Also, I have a treadmill at home which I have used very intermittently but am happy to incorporate into a routine.

Also, I've never done squats and I'm not so confident that I can pull them off with a barbell on my shoulders without wiping out. Is that a stupid concern? If not, how do I work up to them?

I hope I haven't been too long-winded. Thanks for any help that you offer.

 

[AnimalMass]

Hey bud,

i would love to help train you. I do very inexpensive distance personal training via phone and email. Please feel free to ask around about me - I am an elite level powerlifter and strongman and I live for training and helping people reach their goals.

We can start very slowly and I will make sure you are doing everything correctly, which unfortunately is probably not being done, even with a trainer standing by your side.

If you are interested at all, email me at Matt@keptprivate.com and I'll send you all the info with no pressure at all to get into it. Also, if you'd like I can send you my phone number and we can talk over your goals and start laying out a plan for you.

Again, feel free to aks around about me and I have plenty of references as well.

Thanks!

Matt

 

[MANWHORE]

I'm not so confident that I can pull them off with a barbell on my shoulders without wiping out.

that's funny but no it's not a stupid concern,if you never did them before. You have to start somewhere and it looks like your trainer sucks.

 

[ForemanRules]

Training is easy for a beginner. Don't fall into the trap sales people put out their that you need some detailed program. I will post a very simple basic program for you.....remember talk to people in the gym and learn.

 

[ForemanRules]

Monday ( Chest, deltoids, triceps)
Bench press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Incline press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Barbell or Dumbell press ( deltoids/shoulders) 3 sets of 8-12
lateral raises: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
Lying tricep ext ( use an ez curl bar or barbell) 3 sets of 8-12

Wednesday ( quads, hamstrings,calfs....ie.legs)
Squats....or leg press: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Thigh extensions: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
SLDL ( stiff leg dead lifts) 3 sets of 8-12 reps.....get a trainer to show you this one.
Standing calf raise: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Friday ( back and biceps)
Rows...Dumbell or cable. 4 sets of 8-12
lat pull downs 4 sets of 8-12
Shoulder shrugs 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Dumbell curls: 4 sets of 8-12 reps



Do cardio on off days..... 3x a week.

 

[bassack]

Thank you all.

ForemanRules, I have a few questions.

How long should I expect each of those sessions to last?
How do I choose the amount of weight to use?
What should the cardio consist of?

 

[Girth]

Send the $ to AM for his assistance. I appreciate your desire to learn on your own, but without any background in solid training, you'll spin your wheels for too long. And as you stated, you already are getting started late.

AM will get you there faster. And the knowledge imparted will be there for life. Thus, the $ is better than any double bagger stock investment. Plus, as you learn, your questions will become detailed to the point that you are going to need the help of someone like AM anyhow. So cut out the middleman, and send your training money to someone who wants to and can help you.

 

[MANWHORE]

Yeah,i agree. Spend the money to have Animal train you. You need a program with very few exercises and a good diet

 

[greyowl]

Hello all!

I've been posting on the Men's Health forum regarding my lifelong hypogonadism and what I'm doing about it. I'm on HCG which has brought my free testosterone levels to the middle of the normal range and I'm taking Indolplex/DIM which will, hopefully, bring my E2 levels down to low normal. (They're at the upper limit of normal now).

I'm 44 years old, 6'3", 255 lbs. with a very high bf%. I haven't measured it, but I do know that I have very poor musculature.

In the past, whenever I tried to work out I would get so sore and fatigued after the first 1 or 2 workouts that I would stop. Now, because of the HRT that I'm on I decided to try again. I've been going to a small local gym 3 x / week for 1/2 an hour with a trainer and have experienced minimal soreness. I assume that this is due to my higher testosterone levels.

My trainer is a nice young guy, who I believe knows very little about fitness. It seems like he has me jumping around doing whatever pops into his head. I've been going for a couple of months and haven't really noticed gains. (Maybe they're there but with no regular routine it's hard to keep track of weights and reps). I'd like to present him with a routine that I can do in half an hour and that he can oversee and I'd like a reccommendation. Also, I have a treadmill at home which I have used very intermittently but am happy to incorporate into a routine.

Also, I've never done squats and I'm not so confident that I can pull them off with a barbell on my shoulders without wiping out. Is that a stupid concern? If not, how do I work up to them?

I hope I haven't been too long-winded. Thanks for any help that you offer.

At your age you shouldn't expect much in the way of gains after only a couple of months training (but 30 minutes per session is to little).

If you have to give your trainer a routine it's time to find another trainer, regardless of whether he is a nice guy. He should have done a full fitness assesment of you and presented you with a periodized program that progresses from light workouts to high-intensity hypertrophy over a span of about 6 to 12 months. This kid is clearly an amateur.

When looking for another trainer, be specific about finding someone who's trained lots of middle-aged guys like us. Our training issues are quite different from men in their 20s and early 30s. Ideally it would be someone with credentials as a physiotherapist or kinesiologist, not some kid with a trainers certificate.

Since your bf is very high your first priority should focus on dropping fat, not strength building per se. The only way to drop fat is through frequent, high-intensity cardio. At the age 44 it should be low-impact, so avoid running and treadmilling -- instead, jump on an elliptical trainer or stationary bike. Once you get your aerobic capacity up look into aerobic intereval training, you'll see better results.

While doing cardio you shouild also begin to prepare yourself for strength training, but given your age and lack of training I wouldnt not start free weights right away because you will experience training injuries. That includes squats.

he main problem you face is that your ligaments are very weak and won't support heavy muscle stress. There's also an issue with stabilizer muscles.

So, while getting your bf under control I think you should start with about ten weeks training on machines, especially ones that isolate your core muscles. Start with low weight and high reps, then progress to high weight/fewer reps. You won't experience much in the way of gains by working on machines but your ligaments will notice the difference.

After doing this for about three months you should be in strong enough shape to support a transition to free weights, which is when you'll start to notice real gains. Even then you should take it easy at first. e.g, do squats and lunges on a smith machine for a couple of months until you acquire good form before doing free squats.

When you start free weights it's extremely important to observe proper form, and that's where a good trainer will really help. Remember that guys in their 20s and 30s can cheat a bit on form, but not guys age 40 or older.

 

[ForemanRules]

Thank you all.

ForemanRules, I have a few questions.

How long should I expect each of those sessions to last?
How do I choose the amount of weight to use?
What should the cardio consist of?

Sent you a PM about it.

 

[bassack]

Thank you all.

I feel like I've gotten some good, albeit a little conflicting, advice from everyone.

I know the most important and challenging thing is going to be sticking to whatever regimen I undertake.

Thanks again for all of the support.

 

[perp69]

Congrats on getting back on the horse-so to speak. The first fews days are always the worst-sore as hell, finding the motivation, unfamiliar gym equipment and people, etc. but stick with it and you will get more accustomed to it

I have not used AM but he knows his stuff and would be a much better investment than the trainer that you have. I mean if the trainer doesn't know how to train you then what is he getting paid for?

Most important things to do are:

1) Watch your diet, watch your diet (this subject is an entire book in itself),
2) Start doing cardio (you may only be able to stand 15 mins at first but it will get easier),
3) Start reading these forums and educating yourself on fitness-NOT MAGIZINES THEY ARE WORTHLESS,
4) Lifting weights (stick with compound exercises and programs like the 5X5 deads, squats, bench, pullups, etc)

Good luck and keep us posted!

Perp

 

[Parteeman]

The advice you are getting in this thread (and that you get on this board generally) is sound. I starting lifting seriously again at 38 after about a 15 year layoff--education and family and work caused it. I am now 40. From my perspective, you need to spend some time (at least three months) (i) getting your BF % down through dieting and cardio and (ii) doing some high rep low weight exercises with free weights, focusing on excellent form, before you head into a more serious and structured lifting routine. I will tell you that it took me a solid year of training before my tendons and stabilizer muscles developed enough that I could start serious weight training. If you don't take the time to do this, you will be injured--rotator cuff injuries are particularly likely. After you've developed in this way, picked up some endurance and lost some body fat, then start on the typical bodybuilding split routine posted earlier in this thread or even better, try HST training, which is particularly well suited to someone in your position. Just plug in hst in Google and you'll get lots of articles about HST training. Also lots posted in this forum. Good luck, stick with it, and don't get discouraged. This will take time, effort and energy and dedication, but you will be richly rewarded. Instead of looking like I'm headed into my 50's, I am now regularly mistaken for being in my late 20's--at least, when I have a short-sleeve shirt on!