A chance to rebuild muscle for survival and every day (advise sought)

Originally posted by chrismicha77
I'm a fitness guru and I've been doing it for close to 20 years so I know a thing or two.

My suggestion having coming off the injuries you've sustained is to start slow and build from there. Easiest thing for you to do is get you some different size hand held weights or kettle bells. With these you can practically work every muscle group with a little resistance. Push ups and squats are two well rounded exercises that work a number of muscle groups.

As far as food and supplements go. You really need to concentrate on getting as protein as possible. Since you can't eat solid foods yet I would suggest getting a good whey protein powder. I wouldn't go with a weight gainer slimply because it's loaded with sugar and calories and since you won't be doing heavy resistance training, it will just make you fat. Casein protein powder is also very good and it releases protein slowly so it's good to drink before bed. This may sound crazy but baby food would also be a good way to go. It's loaded with vitamins and minerals and easy to consume. I would recommend getting some creatine and HMB. These two combined will stop muscle lose and aid in gaining back muscle you have lost. Another good idea would be to get a testosterone booster, especially with your age and the injury sustained, it is most likely low. There are many good ones available that will boost your T levels naturally so no need for anything synthetic.

Good luck I hope this helps, if you have any questions feel free to message me.

I like this one. My wife has been extremely ill. Lost 14 units of blood over 3 days, that was right before December 2011. She was in Rehab, and they started very slow. Just standing up, and sitting down. Then 5 steps with a walker. Then up to 20 steps. And so on. Also upper body workouts. Very slow..First with rubber bands (like balloon material), working up through various tensions of those.
i finally got her home, She is still using a walker, but can get around the house well, and up ans down a few stairs. So I bought her hand weights (2 pounds) we're working on repetitions....Eventually we'll increase the weight. I bought my own heavier set, so I can work with her. And it's all coming back...Slowly but surely...

Good Luck to You AngryAmerican..We're pulling for you, and pushing, and pulling....LOL

Dear OP:

I've not read past the first page and don't know if it has been recommended, but many people have found Tai Chi to be very helpful to slowly aid in helping their recovery after prolonged illnesses and injuries. I wish I could recall the source (I saw it years ago) that mentioned a study that was done between two groups of elderly cancer patients in China. One group began practicing Tai Chi and the other group did nothing different in their daily routine. The Tai Chi group made significant improvements in all areas of their lives.

Anyway, best of luck to you, and may you get well soon.

What are your limitations on exercise with weights, lift as heavy as possible 3x week doing compound exercises 5x5 as in 5 reps 5 sets per exercise even in u only doing 3 exercises.
A chin up dip station if you can use one is great.
Hormones are obviously the best but only after proper research is done and ancillaries in place pro hormones are just as effective as AAS inject able steroids but again do your research drinking is a big NO NO and proper support & pct with any hormone is a must. Pro hormones are legal in America/other places with exception of a few superdrol etc & cheap as chips they are also acquirable in places they are illegal but I wouldn't advocate illegal activity.
MODS just delete & let me know if that talk is not ok don't ban me please, just giving the guy honest options.
There is no point to hormones if you cant lift or find another way to stress the muscle into growth they are not magic.

If that's not your thing then a cheap protein powder WPI or a weight gainer will help a lot as will a good multivitamin.
If you have a lot of pain restricted movements water exercises are some of the best you can do.

If you do buy protein, BCAA's multi vitamins etc don't get caught in the hype 90% of supplement industry is snake oil.

All the best in your efforts mate.

reply to post by angryamerican


best wishes for recovery angry.
been in a similar situation myself. after finally realising i was wasting away,the time was ripe to get going. take your time btw i am of similar age and excercise every day. racing snake life.
f

Originally posted by DocHolidaze
u ever heard of those machines that twitch you muscles for u using electricity, just a thought.

Tens units? I've used those.... quite good to start with

A little update. After great thought, I opted not to go with the testosterone treatment for a couple of reasons. One, I don't want yet another foreign drug running threw my system. Two, I don't need to fight the ergs of a younger man at my age and moving out on my own for the first time in my civilian life. I am still holding on to a thread that my old relationship can be salvaged. It will never be If I go and get into another.

I have been doing simple excersices like stretches and push ups in very small sets. I can feel my strength returning ever so slowly but it is coming back. I am off the major pain meds as of today so Expect a lot of pain but I plan on adding at lest two more push ups and set ups to the sets today. More impotently I will start working on my mind. Ive come to relies that most of the problem is there. get that back on the right track once again and the rest will be some what easier. Then I can start prepping again both myself and for disaster. Thanks again one and all for the advise. please keep it coming as I found out in this thread lots of folks need the advise.

reply to post by angryamerican


Huge CONGRATS on giving up the prescription pain meds!! That is the single most important thing you can do to get on the right track. Ibuprofen will alleviate your muscle and joint pain almost as good without the narcotic effects. The prescription strengths often go as high as 1600 milligrams every 4-6 hours. That dosage would be hard on your liver if you took it all the time, but I have taken that dosage to get over soreness after a marathon, and it made me feel like a million bucks. I often take 600-800 milligrams depending on my soreness level from working out, or to make my lower back cooperate and help me get out of bed in the morning. I usually alternate between ibuprofen one time/day and naproxen sodium (500 mg) the next time/day that I need it.

I do have a prescription for the Testosterone Gel as well. It is called Androgel. I don't take it as prescribed, because I don't want my body hooked on it. Instead, I cycle it like steroids. I take double the dosage for about 4-6 weeks to give me a boost, and then I lay off and stop taking it for about 4 weeks. This way, I get the same overall dosage, and my prescription lasts correctly, but I also give my liver a break, and I force my body to react to the low levels and continue to produce my own. Of course, this is done with blood tests and the care of a doctor. So, don't rule out the testosterone completely. The prescription strengths won't give you roid rage, or make you feel like you are 18 again, but they will make you feel 27 again, and it will increase your energy, temper your mood so you aren't so irritable, and it will definitely increase your sexual appetite, and all of those things are likely to help you recover your old relationship, I don't see how it could hurt you, it should only help.

Sit ups, push-ups, deep squats, stretching, deep-breathing, and walking with an occasional jog as you feel up to it sounds like a great way to get back on the horse. Remember, it is all about intensity. You absolutely have to push yourself past your comfort level, and you have to have some intensity to make it worthwhile.

My mom is convinced that vacuuming and walking around Walmart constitute exercise. LOL! Anything you would normally do, or anything that doesn't make you uncomfortable is likely not doing any good. You have to push yourself a little to improve. It sounds like you're already doing that, so GREAT JOB!

OP I went through 3 yrs of hell with Lupus and constant pain.. ona lot of meds. I cme off of most of hte meds and and tapering off of the more hard core ones... as in I was on immunosupressants and fentanyl pain patches.. ick.
Im a naturally very fit person adn put on muscle with ease. Problem was cardio with the down time for so long and atrophy. I went through phys therapy.. these days I can get an Rx to go to a gym with a personal trainer ( that one at my expense) and work on my trouble spots. Within 5 months Im now doing teh Insanity work out and can whoop my 18 yr old butt when we compete. Tai Chi was too slow and annoyed me, so I took up Muay Thai. Im well older than you my friend and was losing my organs.. back on my game now. Its a LONG road and a lot of work you just sometimes dont want to do. ANY excuse will do, but jump on that horse and ride.

I also see a lot of young ones on here saying s" a person of your age"... 43 isnt crap. Its prime of life unless we're talking dark ages life spans, for Gods sake. A man at 43 is a fine thing. He can do what he wants now and is the master of his ship.. unlike younger ones. I think Ill poke at you in PM every one in a while to make sure youre working hard OP. I can show you before and after pics.. as in a little work and I have 20-somethings hitting on me in the gym. One annoying things I did that worked was make a list of short term goals and then long term goals.. and put them beside my side of the sink on the wall in a nice little frame. I was FORCED to look at my goals.. and I compete with myself. I HATED that darned list.. but Im well over half way done with it so far. Post yourself an annoying list.. and let it annoy you into action.

The insanity work out? Its hellish.. but when the zombie apocalypse happens.. Ill have GREAT cardio.

With me personally the physical pain is still bad because of the damaged nerves in my face but the emotional pain of my private life is what makes the motivation hard. I also suffer from a seizure disorder and the anti seizure meds do make me tired and washed out at times. I keep pushing tho. My two cents worth is a person must work on the mind and body at the same time. Or in the least fix the mind first then fix the body. In my case it wasn't possible to do one before the other so I am doing both at the same time.

The thought of having a seizure in a gym keeps me away from such places and from doing heavy work outs. Not from embarrassment ime past such nonsense. Its more the medical issues that can happen during a severe seizure. With as much as I would love to lay down and give up I am not built that way. I have that annoying little voice that says you want to live. Not only survive but prosper in times of diversity. That is why I have kept going thru this personal hell. That is why I sought help for my mind and my body. That is why I have greater odds of making it. there is no shutting up that little voice. This is why I will keep increasing my work outs until I am back to my old weight and build.

reply to post by angryamerican



Keep going, positive thoughts. Slow but sure, just like you're doing. I agree about not introducing any extra substances. Just a good diet of food, and thoughts. I'm proud of you!

High sets and high reps of a weight that causes failure at the 20th rep of each set. Newtonian approach for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Same weight, reps and sets for military press as for pulldown (pullup). Same as for bench press and rowing. Same as for dips and front lift. Same as for quads extension and hamstring curl. Same as for squat as for leg lift. Leg (at the knee) spread as leg squeeze. On and on.

Carbs immediately following workouts or your body will cannibalize proteins (muscle) to re-fill the glycogen hole in other muscles you created by working out. It's quicker and easier to metabolize muscle tissue than fat. 1.5 grams of a wide variety of good proteins per kilo of LEAN body weight spread out over the entire day, every day.

Water, water, water. Proper vitamins and minerals. Never work out any muscle less than 48 hours between workouts. 72 hours is ideal.