Muscle Gains at 50 While on TRT

kincaiddave

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I have always been a hard gainer. Through years of training I did manage to muscle up some. I knew I didn't grow like the others that I worked out with, but didn't know I had low T until about a year ago.

Now that I am on TRT I am hoping I can make some gains. If nothing else, I would like to add some muscle to my problem shoulders (impingement syndrome I think) and keep from loosing any muscle over the years.

Should I expect to be able to put on any muscle? I haven't read anything on this in a long time, but I seem to remember that gains after 40 are extremely tough at best. Is that due to age or hormones? If growth hormone, T, etc. are at decent levels, what rate of gain should one expect at this age? It's understood that diet, rest, and training all have to be proper.
 
SoMdHunter

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I have always been a hard gainer. Through years of training I did manage to muscle up some. I knew I didn't grow like the others that I worked out with, but didn't know I had low T until about a year ago.

Now that I am on TRT I am hoping I can make some gains. If nothing else, I would like to add some muscle to my problem shoulders (impingement syndrome I think) and keep from loosing any muscle over the years.

Should I expect to be able to put on any muscle? I haven't read anything on this in a long time, but I seem to remember that gains after 40 are extremely tough at best. Is that due to age or hormones? If growth hormone, T, etc. are at decent levels, what rate of gain should one expect at this age? It's understood that diet, rest, and training all have to be proper.
Maybe I can be of assistance here. I started lifting at the ripe old age when most men are ending their careers (47 yrs old!). Like you, I am a very hard gainer, and I simply kept at it. The trick to us older guys is essentially the same as for the younger kids, heavy lifting, lots of protein (1.5-2.0 gms per lb of body weight), a healthy diet, and plenty of rest. We can still gain, it just takes longer. I went from 175 to 205 in 3 years. In my case, I just kept adding weight to all my lifts as often as possible. Some days I could add 1 more rep at a given weight, and on other days I struggled to maintain where I was from the week before. But I'm hardheaded and just kept on lifting.

Also like you, I am on a TRT program. I have low T levels, and am now on weekly injections of 100mg Test C (actually it is only 70mgs of Test). My gains will still be slow, but compared to what I WAS doing, ANYTHING should be noticeable to me. I figured I might as well lift as heavy as I can and see what happens. Hope this helps ya out some.

SMH
 

saxman54

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lifters over 40

Hi I have lifted for over 30 years off and on Im 52. So after lots of beer drinking and eating a high fat diet I looked in the mirror and boy was I a mess beer belly lots of fat around my hips and very little defenition I had not worked out in about 8 years but I could not stand looking in the mirror. So I started lifting at 52 I was never a great gainer but when I pushed it I could put on muscle. I added Lg 1ad, kreation, no-explode and started lifting its been 2 months now I workout 4 days a week in my home gym all freeweights and I have gained some muscle bigger arms,chest,back tris,legs and lost 2in on my waist.So I think if you have the discipline and drive you can change at any age. As far as supplements go buy wisely theres alot of junk out there and some good stuff never used roids never will but the key is keeping it regular and changing routines. Thankyou saxman 54.
 

DragonRider

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I'm 49 and I've been on TRT for 10 years already. I have also been lifting for 30 years. TRT levels are meant to bring you in line with normal levels of testosterone. Generally, those levels are too low to bring about any signicficant amount of muscle.
I have made great gains after 40, but......they didn't come from TRT levels of test.
 
glg

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Age 58 got back into lifting 1 1/2 yr. ago started TRT 3 mo ago. I have noticed a definite difference in recovery and muscle size in the last 3 months as compared to the time before.

This is on top of the muscle memory boost in the first few months of training ( I used to lift and am a retired martial arts instructor). I am still trying to loose the big gut. I figure I've recomped at least 5 - 10% but the belly is still the same size as when I started. Everything else has grown - arms, chest, legs etc and all muscle but the belly persists.

I'm thinking that I need to get really big in the upper body then I would look like a heavy powerlifter instead of a bodybuilder with a fat gut....LOL.
 
glg

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Sleeping 6 straight hours wold be so wonderful. I honestly can't remember the last time I slept 8 hrs and not under the effects of anesthesia. that is the one area that I have not realized from TRT at all. I have had a slight increase in energy and libido and I feel that my workouts are more productive but the sleep increase has yet to happen and I will find out later this week about lipids etc.
 
JanSz

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Sleeping 6 straight hours wold be so wonderful. I honestly can't remember the last time I slept 8 hrs and not under the effects of anesthesia. that is the one area that I have not realized from TRT at all. I have had a slight increase in energy and libido and I feel that my workouts are more productive but the sleep increase has yet to happen and I will find out later this week about lipids etc.
I am in the bed about 8 hours.
Because of my BHP am usually up 3x per night to go to the bathroom,
otherwise I could sleep right thru, I think.

Wonder if would help taking some of the medicines for over active bladder,
that I see advertised, but I guess they are just for women, not sure.
 
SoMdHunter

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We think in terms of RESTORING muscle mass in those who have lost same with TRT, not for pure muscle gains in athletes.

Having said that, think of it this way: being healthy (once again) will help you in the gym, as it does every where else, too.

Or, think of going from 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. That would help, wouldn't it?
I've found that I don't function well throughout the day on less than 7hrs of sleep. I can get by with less, but it starts to catch up to me after awhile. 8 to 8 1/2 is perfect for me. Which makes it interesting because the wife does very well on 6 hrs a night.
 
glg

glg

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Have you tried melatonin?
Yes I have tried a number of OTC sleep aids (melatonin, 5htp, ZMA etc). I find that like the Rx meds they either don't work at all, some actually keep me up (stimulating/reverse effects) or wear off in 2 -4 hrs. The best luck I've had so far with Rx's has been with Lunesta it usaually lasts 4 - 5 hrs but takes awhile to kick in (usually an hour or more after I take it).

Now the Insurance changed their list of meds and won't pay for Lunesta (I've been on it since it came out).

So I'm back to laying in bed for an hour or two to fall asleep & waking every hour or two all night.

What a wonderful night.
 

kincaiddave

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Thanks for all the replies!

One of the biggest goals with the lifting is to develop my side and rear deltoids. I had gotten back into lifting (one of the many times) about eight years ago. I built up to 195 in the bench press. I think I unbalanced my shoulders with this chest development. Both shoulders started clicking/popping with different movements including bench pressing. I was put on Vioxx for the inflamation in the joints. LOL

I started injections in October and my training (started again) was making some results. I built up to 235 x 12 reps in squats (don't laugh that's better than ever for me) and was pretty "pumped" about the gains. Now I am down to 205 x 7 reps last squat session.

Could my loss in the gym be from HC and Armour that I have started? I just don't know what else it could be - just a guess. I am taking 25mg/day HC and was up to 3 grains of Armour, but backed down to 2 grains. I went up too fast on the Armour looking for the hyper symptoms just so I would know. The only thing I noticed was fast pulse and sometimes over 98.6 temp.

Any ideas on the loss of strength?
 

DragonRider

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I've suffered a loss in strength at only 1 grain of Armour.
 

ItsHectic

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Thanks for all the replies!

One of the biggest goals with the lifting is to develop my side and rear deltoids. I had gotten back into lifting (one of the many times) about eight years ago. I built up to 195 in the bench press. I think I unbalanced my shoulders with this chest development. Both shoulders started clicking/popping with different movements including bench pressing. I was put on Vioxx for the inflamation in the joints. LOL
Thats a common problem.
I suggest you stop doing flat bench and instead do decline barbell press. Stop doing direct deltoid work for now except for rear delts(only if your shoulders dont click during this) and instead do rotator cuff work Rotator Cuff Exercises -- familydoctor.org Excercise 1 and 2, for excercise one you should get a "shoulder horn" .
Platemates wich are .25kg magnetic weights should be used because the rotator cuff is such a small muscle. You work your way from no weight up in .25kg incriments, dont train them to failure once you get to the heavier weight, the trick is progressive load with increasing weight and slow controlled movements. If you do them infront of a mirror you will see your arm wobbling on the way down, try and stop this from happening.

The shoulder horn and platemates can be found at EliteFTS - Powerlifting and Strength Training Products and Knowledge for Lifters, Athletes, Coaches, and Trainers.
 

kincaiddave

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DragonRider - Is it known that Armour has this effect? Am I the last to hear of this?

ItsHectic - Thanks for the excercises. I went through all of them tonight. I'm going to try to stick with them and see what they will do for me. I've been doing a variation of excercise two on that site for a few months and think that it has been helping.

For the exercises to do the best for me, I need to be able to build some muscle. I am concerned that the Armour, or whatever has hurt my squats, is going to limit what the shoulder exercises can do for me.
 
somewhatgifted

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l- tryptophan is awesome for sleep aid, 5 caps and your good to go. Not sure how it compares to prescrips tho.
 

DragonRider

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DragonRider - Is it known that Armour has this effect? Am I the last to hear of this?
Not that I'm aware of. I assume it has to be an individual response because many BB's use T-3 during a cycle to help with protein metabolism and I've never heard anyone else complain about this effect.

But my experience is that (for example) my bench will drop 20 pounds easily just from 1 week of Armour and will return within about 1 to 2 weeks after stopping it.
 
JanSz

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Thats a common problem.
I suggest you stop doing flat bench and instead do decline barbell press. Stop doing direct deltoid work for now except for rear delts(only if your shoulders dont click during this) and instead do rotator cuff work Rotator Cuff Exercises -- familydoctor.org Excercise 1 and 2, for excercise one you should get a "shoulder horn" .
Platemates wich are .25kg magnetic weights should be used because the rotator cuff is such a small muscle. You work your way from no weight up in .25kg incriments, dont train them to failure once you get to the heavier weight, the trick is progressive load with increasing weight and slow controlled movements. If you do them infront of a mirror you will see your arm wobbling on the way down, try and stop this from happening.

The shoulder horn and platemates can be found at EliteFTS - Powerlifting and Strength Training Products and Knowledge for Lifters, Athletes, Coaches, and Trainers.
shoulder horn, I have this, used to keep correct posture during dancing, paid about $140. Could have save few buck, had I know that it is really shoulder horn.

My rotator cuffs need attention, thanks for the excercise.
 
SoMdHunter

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DragonRider - Is it known that Armour has this effect? Am I the last to hear of this?

ItsHectic - Thanks for the excercises. I went through all of them tonight. I'm going to try to stick with them and see what they will do for me. I've been doing a variation of excercise two on that site for a few months and think that it has been helping.

For the exercises to do the best for me, I need to be able to build some muscle. I am concerned that the Armour, or whatever has hurt my squats, is going to limit what the shoulder exercises can do for me.
Shame we aren't in the same town. I'd love to have a lifting partner that is close to me in strength. All those young kids in the gym lift far more than I ever possibly can, and they just don't have time for this old man.
 

kincaiddave

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That would be great! I have to work out by myself - no spotter. I have to be pretty careful on the squats in particular.

I would love to hear from someone that understands the strength/performance loss associated with Armour (if that's what it is). It's helped my cold hands and feet and my feet don't hurt so much when I'm on them, etc. It just really took the wind out of my sails when I saw I was loosing ground in the gym.
 

ItsHectic

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shoulder horn, I have this, used to keep correct posture during dancing, paid about $140. Could have save few buck, had I know that it is really shoulder horn.

My rotator cuffs need attention, thanks for the excercise.
After some reading from afew sites and from the excercises I was given from a physio, I am putting together some shoulder and rotator cuff excercises including isometrics and stretches to help clicking and popping joints, aparently if its just weakness and not a tear, all shoulder surgery does is grind away the bones so they dont rub together.

I have managed to somehow target a muscle in my shoulder between the anterior and lateral delt, I dont know wtf it is, or why its so sore without the delts being sore, I have always been under the impression you cant target specific areas of a muscle, and there are only 3 heads on the shoulder, so I am coming to the conclusion its a rotator wich somehow got hit hard.
 
JanSz

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After some reading from few sites and from the exercises I was given from a physic, I am putting together some shoulder and rotator cuff exercises including isometrics and stretches to help clicking and popping joints, apparently if its just weakness and not a tear, all shoulder surgery does is grind away the bones so they don't rub together.

I have managed to somehow target a muscle in my shoulder between the anterior and lateral delta, I don't know wet it is, or why its so sore without the dolts being sore, I have always been under the impression you cant target specific areas of a muscle, and there are only 3 heads on the shoulder, so I am coming to the conclusion its a rotator witch somehow got hit hard.
Eventually I had rotator cuff surgery. Little problem grew into large. I had inflammation or more like arthritis on my right AC joint. Joint was big as a golf ball. I looked at it every day, had not a clue that it was what was eating into my supraspinatus tendon. The pain was totally elsewhere, not even close to AC joint. Well I am not a doctor so I do not want to take a blame for it. But few visits and complaining about weak shoulder did not helped. Had I caught it soon enough, may be 9 months earlier, it would have been light surgery. This time, tendon cut 3/4 thru, 3 anchors, 6 months big pain, another 6 months to just about recovery. Hopefully my story will help and save somebody from grief .
 

ItsHectic

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Is that a bug? what happened to the quote?
 

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