Hey all,
I've been reading my way around here for a bit, and with the cumulative wealth of experience here. I thought I'd open myself up some to some criticism, advice, and the opportunity to improve with a bit a help. First few paragrahps is backstory for me for context, skip ahead 3 for the meat. I really need help with programming to help me progress better primarily. I don't have a ton of money for coaches right now, but will be getting a few sessions to help improve my BB lifts and feel more confident there soon
I suffered a couple of bad concussions when I just turned 17 and a car accident in a 6 month span of time. This happened as I was training to join the amateur team at my local boxing gym after overcoming a lack of self confidence and finally gaining the will to fight back against adversity... and the want to test my natural limits. Unfortunately the doc perscribed me percocet and i was on it for almost 4 months before i was taken off, with no plan for getting off... I was already smoking weed to help with the post concussion symptoms but this all just dragged me into drugs until I was about 22. I graduated to oxy for a year before settling into sniffing dope and coke regularly. I eventually cold turkeyed off of my own volition and didn't relapse for 8 years. My family never even knew, I was high functioning and was serving in fine dining during that time.
I tried a couple times after getting sober to get physically active but it never stuck. In 2020, I tried again seriously as I had the time like many others. I made it almost a year of lifting before succumbing to excruciating elbow tendonitis. I had a good friend giving me great tips to progress, but I just couldn't recover from even a smaller workout load. It was also really hard to lose weight despite macro tracking and cardio, the low energy was excruciatinging. I started getting blood tests just before I stopped working out, as something felt off. I was only working part time and had low stress, and had good lifestyle habits at the time despite my mental health seemingly always suffering. I tested between 415ng/dl, 350, and 312 over the last few years with nothing else being out of the ordinary.
Last year a family member passed away out of the blue, and I relapsed for 6 months. I subsequently went on suboxone which was horrible, and managed to get a few sublocade shots. I tested just below 200 twice after my last shots, and without me mentioning it the doctor overseeing my recovery mentioned TRT. I had already wondered for a long time if this was perhaps the missing link for me, she had me tested for ADHD before on my request and I fulfilled the criterea. I tried stims but it wasn't the answer at all. Then we moved on to TRT, and just after a few weeks on 80mg a week I started to feel reborn, moved to 100mg after 6 weeks testing at 850 on trough after last bloods. I had always thought I was just lazy, unfulfilled, and maybe a bit damaged from my drug use. It wasn't the case at all, I just didn't even have the capacity to motivate myself due to the low T. I don't really care to attribute to exactly what the cause was as it's likely a comibination, all that really matters to me is that I got my life back now after feeling like shit for a decade. I wasted enough time feeling sorry for myself.
Now I finally feel like a man for the first time in my adult life, able to confront what is holding me back and allow to move forward with determination. No random anxiety, no sleep problems, lack of confidence gone, will to live and grow regained regained. This is really great and all, but physical strength is something I have ignored for too long. I got by fine on charisma and a decent face until I was 25, but it seems no longer enough to stand out at 31. I started lifting immediately the day after my first shot back in may. I began at 5'9 163 likely around ~25 if not more. I've been at 180 last couple weeks. Lifting 3 days, with a day of hot yoga, and 1/2 30 minute liss sessions. I avg 10k steps thru the week as I walk around for 5-6 hours at night for work with those days being around 15k. I'm eating about 2500 up to 3k cal right now, I was strictly tracking first two months then stopped as i became more familar with my meals. I tracked over a year of macros in 2018 doing keto so I feel pretty comfortable relatively accurately gauging my intake, though I would like to start being serious again once I implement better programming.
So I'm 4 months in now, and have been not been following a strict program. Doing 3 days, with one of the SBD as the starting exercise with a light warm up and moving the my strength sets then moving down weight to do some hypertrophy sets for S and B but not D. Im just trying to get comfortable in these lifts again, and making sure to progress without injury. I literally started with basically the bar on all of them and added 5/10 lbs a week until things started to slow. I'll do another movement or two with the BB or some DBS then do a few isolation exercises. Sets are currently up to 125lb bench, 155dl, and 145 squat (low bar currently, gonna use coaching time to learn highbar). I've honestly always felt weak and I hate it, so here is where I ask for your help. I understand the fundamentals of progressive overload, but I need a plan to follow now. I would love to focus on srength but honestly I just want to look fucking huge and jacked eventually. That said mobility, and flexibility is super important to me which is why I stretch a lot at home and do a yoga class a week. I think I could move to 4 days in the gym now that summer is done.
Originally the goal was to work up to compete in a powerlifting comp just for fun, but the more I research the more I question dumping strength work for pure hypertrophy for my goals. It seems hard and maybe counterintuitive to juggle both at the same time. Any suggestions for plans or reading/yt material for programming would be greatly appreciated. I'd appreciate any help at all, and if you have any questions to fill in blanks just let me know.
I've been reading my way around here for a bit, and with the cumulative wealth of experience here. I thought I'd open myself up some to some criticism, advice, and the opportunity to improve with a bit a help. First few paragrahps is backstory for me for context, skip ahead 3 for the meat. I really need help with programming to help me progress better primarily. I don't have a ton of money for coaches right now, but will be getting a few sessions to help improve my BB lifts and feel more confident there soon
I suffered a couple of bad concussions when I just turned 17 and a car accident in a 6 month span of time. This happened as I was training to join the amateur team at my local boxing gym after overcoming a lack of self confidence and finally gaining the will to fight back against adversity... and the want to test my natural limits. Unfortunately the doc perscribed me percocet and i was on it for almost 4 months before i was taken off, with no plan for getting off... I was already smoking weed to help with the post concussion symptoms but this all just dragged me into drugs until I was about 22. I graduated to oxy for a year before settling into sniffing dope and coke regularly. I eventually cold turkeyed off of my own volition and didn't relapse for 8 years. My family never even knew, I was high functioning and was serving in fine dining during that time.
I tried a couple times after getting sober to get physically active but it never stuck. In 2020, I tried again seriously as I had the time like many others. I made it almost a year of lifting before succumbing to excruciating elbow tendonitis. I had a good friend giving me great tips to progress, but I just couldn't recover from even a smaller workout load. It was also really hard to lose weight despite macro tracking and cardio, the low energy was excruciatinging. I started getting blood tests just before I stopped working out, as something felt off. I was only working part time and had low stress, and had good lifestyle habits at the time despite my mental health seemingly always suffering. I tested between 415ng/dl, 350, and 312 over the last few years with nothing else being out of the ordinary.
Last year a family member passed away out of the blue, and I relapsed for 6 months. I subsequently went on suboxone which was horrible, and managed to get a few sublocade shots. I tested just below 200 twice after my last shots, and without me mentioning it the doctor overseeing my recovery mentioned TRT. I had already wondered for a long time if this was perhaps the missing link for me, she had me tested for ADHD before on my request and I fulfilled the criterea. I tried stims but it wasn't the answer at all. Then we moved on to TRT, and just after a few weeks on 80mg a week I started to feel reborn, moved to 100mg after 6 weeks testing at 850 on trough after last bloods. I had always thought I was just lazy, unfulfilled, and maybe a bit damaged from my drug use. It wasn't the case at all, I just didn't even have the capacity to motivate myself due to the low T. I don't really care to attribute to exactly what the cause was as it's likely a comibination, all that really matters to me is that I got my life back now after feeling like shit for a decade. I wasted enough time feeling sorry for myself.
Now I finally feel like a man for the first time in my adult life, able to confront what is holding me back and allow to move forward with determination. No random anxiety, no sleep problems, lack of confidence gone, will to live and grow regained regained. This is really great and all, but physical strength is something I have ignored for too long. I got by fine on charisma and a decent face until I was 25, but it seems no longer enough to stand out at 31. I started lifting immediately the day after my first shot back in may. I began at 5'9 163 likely around ~25 if not more. I've been at 180 last couple weeks. Lifting 3 days, with a day of hot yoga, and 1/2 30 minute liss sessions. I avg 10k steps thru the week as I walk around for 5-6 hours at night for work with those days being around 15k. I'm eating about 2500 up to 3k cal right now, I was strictly tracking first two months then stopped as i became more familar with my meals. I tracked over a year of macros in 2018 doing keto so I feel pretty comfortable relatively accurately gauging my intake, though I would like to start being serious again once I implement better programming.
So I'm 4 months in now, and have been not been following a strict program. Doing 3 days, with one of the SBD as the starting exercise with a light warm up and moving the my strength sets then moving down weight to do some hypertrophy sets for S and B but not D. Im just trying to get comfortable in these lifts again, and making sure to progress without injury. I literally started with basically the bar on all of them and added 5/10 lbs a week until things started to slow. I'll do another movement or two with the BB or some DBS then do a few isolation exercises. Sets are currently up to 125lb bench, 155dl, and 145 squat (low bar currently, gonna use coaching time to learn highbar). I've honestly always felt weak and I hate it, so here is where I ask for your help. I understand the fundamentals of progressive overload, but I need a plan to follow now. I would love to focus on srength but honestly I just want to look fucking huge and jacked eventually. That said mobility, and flexibility is super important to me which is why I stretch a lot at home and do a yoga class a week. I think I could move to 4 days in the gym now that summer is done.
Originally the goal was to work up to compete in a powerlifting comp just for fun, but the more I research the more I question dumping strength work for pure hypertrophy for my goals. It seems hard and maybe counterintuitive to juggle both at the same time. Any suggestions for plans or reading/yt material for programming would be greatly appreciated. I'd appreciate any help at all, and if you have any questions to fill in blanks just let me know.
