36, multiple injuries, no motivation, and overweight. AGAIN.

[stormecho]

Hey guys,

So the title says it all. I've been lifting for a long time, and had great success with it. Just over last summer, I got up to 273 with minimal fat gain. at 6'3" I carried it well. I maintained a 34" waist throughout the summer, and just looked great overall. To put things in perspective, 235 is me at a 32" waist, and very lean, with my frame.

So, I've got 5 past surgeries in my left knee, removing pieces of my lateral miniscus each time. I also have to right shoulder arthroscopies, and now, most recently, a small tear in my tendon at the elbow, presumably from heavy weight. As it stands, almost everything I do in the gym hurts.

My question is this: Have any of you guys recovered from these types (or worse) of injuries? I've since gained about 30 pounds of fat since last summer, lost pretty much all the muscle I've gained, and I'm feeling pretty down and out. I'm having a hard time seeing how to get started again, because every time I commit to doing so, every single joint in my body screams the moment I do.

I feel like I'm being forcibly taken out of the game, and it sucks.

 

[stormecho]

HA! Love that word "tossers". Yeah everyone is an internet warrior here, but there are some good guys as well.

I'm trying to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can't. Any sort of row seems to be ok. Pushups or chest press types are on and off because of the shoulder impingement.

The real bummer is that I used to be able to train like a machine, and I really love it. Actually being 'unable' to really blows, and I'm finding it's murder to get anything done.

 

[turff49]

Try some deep tissue massage therapy.

As for injuries and getting back. Here is my story:
My incline bench collapsed in 2002 while I had 315 on the bar. Immediately went to a decline position catching the bar under my chin just above the laranyx. In 2003 I had to have 4 disc fused in my neck due to all the disc between c4-c7 being gone. That was the last time I was able to work out. In 2008 I blew out my lower back just weed eating, same thing, disc completely shot. Pain and numbness continued until July 2012 when I had to have c3 fused. After that surgery I was pain free. I stopped all pain meds in August and the doc said I could start lifting if things felt ok. I dropped 40lbs between August and December doing cardio and lifting along with cleaning up my diet. I have worked my bench back to 225 on the incline and my squat is back to 315. Can't do deadlifts. Oh yeah, I turn 50 in 40 days too. The point is never give up. Find what is wrong and get it fixed. It took them 10 years to get me fixed. I think c3 was causing deferred pain all these years because when they fixed it my lower back pain went away.
Don't be afraid to question the docs, they can only diagnose based on what we tell them.

 

[makingwaves]

I can relate. I am 41 and finally found what works for me. The pain and injuries hurt but not reaching goals giving up things you love hurts worse. I gave up my ego and things started improving. After shoulder surgery and hormone problems I started rebuilding. The first rule is do no harm. I worked out on bosu balls and rubber bands for months, then machines with no weight. I have limited my progress to no more than 5 pound increases every other week. I would encourage you to evaluate what you can do, and what you can recover from and start slowly.

 

[bakerwil]

ART (Active Release Technique) saved my shoulder, back, knees - you name it. And doing all kinds of work on re-aligning these areas so they are tracking right. Times have changed - you can't train like you used so don't keep driving yourself into the ground. At least not for a while and when you do so - for very short periods (like 2-3 weeks every few months). Find a new goal that you can achieve that will make your body feel better - like commit to making your sore spots work (find what you need to do to make these areas track right) lean up, maybe focus on cardio for a while and what you can do to maintain the muscle you have. I bet you would look awesome at 235. Take it from me 5', 10" - I blew up to 370lbs with injuries - I am basically doing what i said above and am super happy with the results. All the best to you...

 

[mikeg313]

Im 35 ,Last year I had a heart attack and then a motorcycle wreck that broke my right forearm in half and my face in two places. I've also had two arthroscopic surgeries on my left shoulder from a motorcycle accident where I was hit by two SUVs like a ping pong. I spent 3 years in different PTs and on disability trying to get full function of the arm back and got hit by another truck during that time that seriously impinged my right shoulder and compressed vertabret in my kneck. I've also had a serious head injury from breaking up a bar fight years prior that caused me to lose my smell , taste, short term memory and gave me extremely nauseating vertigo when I lifted along with multiple anti psychotic meds I went thru trying to reclaim my mind.
This and much more i dont care to share has all been within the last 8 years but I keep fighting forward. Don't give up, research and use your resources to find things that help you heal, I.e. supps, specialists, docs, etc. If I'm injured I work around my injury till it heals or I fight thru the ones I can safely. It sucks and can be very discouraging at times but you just gotta find your path thru it. It's easier said then done. You may have to change up some things and maybe suffer through some crap you hate to do but eventually when you pull out of the slump and you feel good you'll be glad you did it rather then give up. Good luck .

 

[bdcc]

Im 35 ,Last year I had a heart attack and then a motorcycle wreck that broke my right forearm in half and my face in two places. I've also had two arthroscopic surgeries on my left shoulder from a motorcycle accident where I was hit by two SUVs like a ping pong. I spent 3 years in different PTs and on disability trying to get full function of the arm back and got hit by another truck during that time that seriously impinged my right shoulder and compressed vertabret in my kneck. I've also had a serious head injury from breaking up a bar fight years prior that caused me to lose my smell , taste, short term memory and gave me extremely nauseating vertigo when I lifted along with multiple anti psychotic meds I went thru trying to reclaim my mind.
This and much more i dont care to share has all been within the last 8 years but I keep fighting forward. Don't give up, research and use your resources to find things that help you heal, I.e. supps, specialists, docs, etc. If I'm injured I work around my injury till it heals or I fight thru the ones I can safely. It sucks and can be very discouraging at times but you just gotta find your path thru it. It's easier said then done. You may have to change up some things and maybe suffer through some crap you hate to do but eventually when you pull out of the slump and you feel good you'll be glad you did it rather then give up. Good luck .

I have a motivating story as well but this one makes it look like I had the sniffles.

Outstanding dedication. Well done.

 

[mikeg313]

I have a motivating story as well but this one makes it look like I had the sniffles.

Outstanding dedication. Well done.

Tell it brother. I'm not trying to out do anyone, everyone's issues effect them differently. Ive had some tough spills but ive been lucky to recover well. Reading others stories mo matter what the case actually gives me more motivation and hope.

 

[bdcc]

In that case I will throw an abbreviated version of mine up then.

I suffered from a serious condition which left me losing 50lbs and dropping to 130lbs at 6' 0". I was on various forms of medication and couldn't walk on my own. I often had to sleep in a reclining chair, had to get people to help me in and out of the bath and once I fell over trying to get down the stairs on my own and couldn't get back up. I called out for my brother at 2am until he woke up and helped me- that sucked.

Due to drug interactions I had serious joint soreness and swelling. I failed a 25lb deadlift from the floor (no joke, I couldn't lift it to do bicep curls with it). When I started lifting I used resistance bands where I sat. When I finally managed to go to the gym I had to get a friend to help me get off the bench after I used it because I couldn't sit up from a flat position.

I have had joint soreness in almost every major joint. I have had to repeatedly work around stiffness, soreness and injury. Sometimes I would actively train through pain, just to be stubborn.

It is a long path, it is a lot of hard work and it definitely isn't for the non committed. Once you get there, it is a lot more rewarding.

I wish you the best of luck. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know.

Ben

 

[PaulBlack]

I'm trying to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can't. Any sort of row seems to be ok. Pushups or chest press types are on and off because of the shoulder impingement.

Hey, that is a start guy. ANother way tp stay motivated or keep going is to either find a person to chase, get a training partner in or around you same abilities and or get a coach/trainer. I know the last one costs, but I am just throwing out any and all choices you may have to keep at it.
I notice there are days when getting a BB overhead is nearly an impossible task, but for some reason I always find a way. I can still pull, squat or row with the most/best of them, but my big pressing days are behind me. Still we forage on....! HA HA HA
Another thing may be that the hardest part is getting past the warmups. Once that pain threshold is peaked, it does not seem to get worse, but actually better as the blood circulates and eases it almost like massage.

The real bummer is that I used to be able to train like a machine, and I really love it. Actually being 'unable' to really blows, and I'm finding it's murder to get anything done.

Dude, don't go there. That is the past and who cares what we did then. Be the best you can be today....! Find something in there you love, can do and chase it down. Make that the goal and pound on it. Once you get some motivation towards something, string some W/O's together in a cycle or 2 and make a few gains, you will find the pain slowly going away or at least easing up, because your mind will be switched to having a good time again and obtaining some new goals
Don't be a victim, find ANY excuse to train, always...!
Hang in

 

[mikeg313]

^ this... Definitely don't beat yourself up about what abilities you had before. If anything use them as motivation to try to achieve them back, if you never fully do then you know you got as close as you can now. As we get older its only gonna get harder. We aren't spring chickens anymore ;-)

 

[GolFNUTT]

This for me is pure inspiration and at 51 I have minor injuries and more so a shoulder that is creaky and gives me a fit. Hell I can't even flat bench 135 but I use d-bells or machines, whatever I can to get the muscle activated and worked. It's not what I want to do but it is the reality and the way it is.
God bless you all and thanks to everyone for sharing!

 

[PaulBlack]

This for me is pure inspiration and at 51 I have minor injuries and more so a shoulder that is creaky and gives me a fit. Hell I can't even flat bench 135 but I use d-bells or machines, whatever I can to get the muscle activated and worked. It's not what I want to do but it is the reality and the way it is.
God bless you all and thanks to everyone for sharing!

Glad you are intetersted at your age to be doing this. Personally, I am near you age, and personally, I love lifting more now, than I did back in my 20's. I have been at this for an absolute lifetime.
I hear ya about pressing, my shoulders just do not respond like they used to. I still however push them some. Another thing I find funny, is that my deadlift and squat are at all time highs and especially PR's in deads. I can still row or chin as much as I did in my 20's, go figure. What I am saying is find your strengths, (what you can do well not just what you want to do well) and use that as fuel too. You may be pleasantly surprised how much you can gain, mass and strength wise, in exercises and or bodyparts that still respond well. I know most guys wanna walk around with big BP's but honestly, there are better lifts and lifts that develop the body and make it look as good or better than a big BP.
On squats or deads, not saying you need to do those lifts, and at middle age or older, you don't necessarily want a nagging low back injury.
I knew an old guy that did 20 or so "full" chins, elbows below forehead, at like 70 years old.
All the best in your training