Returning member starting from scratch

[DTru]

I havent visited this forum in a few years but it was always a good source of information. The last couple of years have been pretty rough on my body and honestly I have become lazy and fat. I broke my tibia plateau in the summer of 2009 and have only been going to the gym periodically since. Whenever I do get the motivation to get into a routine I dont see results as fast as I used to and its disheartening. I am now two months away from being 30 and I have already noticed the affects of a slower metabolism, reduced recovery and I seem to injure easily.

In one of my scattered bouts at the gym I got a little too motivated and tried to do some behind the neck military presses with weight that was far too heavy and pulled something in my neck. That was almost 2 years ago and it still bothers me to this day. Five months ago I broke both middle fingers while swinging from a rope swing...

I have come back to this forum in hopes that someone can help me build a good, easy routine for me to start to build on while avoiding injuries. I know I have a lot of reading to do but if someone could help me out it would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Meant to put this in the training section sorry.

 

[DTru]

Blood tests for what?

 

[cedman1]

Welcome back! Our stories are a little similar as I took a break from age 19 till 38, lol. Going back in the gym was not so much overwhelming as it was humbling. My metabolism was shot. My body-fat ratio was grease and my endurance/stamina was non-existent.

I mulled over a lot of different things to begin with and settled on 5x5 as I had some previous experience but this program was simple and the exercises involved actually helped me feel like I was doing real work early in the process. There are many other programs out there however the best advice I received was to make it fun and my workout. So I changed some things or re-ordered them so that the flow worked better in the gym and eventually it stuck.

I will mention that I managed to injure myself 3 months into the process on a day when I felt invincible. As I'm sure during the process you will experience soreness and maybe, hopefully not, an injury. I keep myself going by the fact that I wasnt' getting any younger so I could stop and restart or just be that guy, that keeps going regardless.

Hopefully this time things click for you and in a couple of months the start will be a distant memory.

 

[scherbs]

hormone levels.

Why are people so quick to look for the easy answer and to search for what is 'wrong' with the OP. . .and by extension how he can fix it by taking 'something'.
Maybe the answer is in what he asked for. . .a TRAINING routine.

 

[kenpoengineer]

Why are people so quick to look for the easy answer and to search for what is 'wrong' with the OP. . .and by extension how he can fix it by taking 'something'. Maybe the answer is in what he asked for. . .a TRAINING routine.

Actually there are quite a few young men out there (OP is 30) that have issues with hormone levels. It IS possible OP has low test levels or other function deficiencies at his age. Getting blood work is a good starting point.

 

[scherbs]

"I have come back to this forum in hopes that someone can help me build a good, easy routine for me to start to build on while avoiding injuries. I know I have a lot of reading to do but if someone could help me out it would be greatly appreciated."

While he may have hormonal issues, why are posters diving into the "over-medicalization" so common on this site? He came looking for training advice and people are looking for pathology before even addressing behavior.

 

[kenpoengineer]

While he may have hormonal issues, why are posters diving into the "over-medicalization" so common on this site? He came looking for training advice and people are looking for pathology before even addressing behavior.

Lol. Not recommending "over medicalization" but talking to the doc and getting a handle on body chemistry using bloodwork. As far as training programs, I recommend searching the training forums since they have every conceivable program being used. Starting Strength is a good one to start with. Wendlers 5/3/1, Stringlifts 5x5 so many to list. Good and safe lifting OP! Cheers.

 

[scherbs]

Lol. Not recommending "over medicalization" but talking to the doc and getting a handle on body chemistry using bloodwork. As far as training programs, I recommend searching the training forums since they have every conceivable program being used. Starting Strength is a good one to start with. Wendlers 5/3/1, Stringlifts 5x5 so many to list. Good and safe lifting OP! Cheers.

There we go. . .I was just hitting the 'pause button' on looking for a medical genesis of the OP's training problems when all he was looking for were the training recommendations you offer (and I agree with).

 

[DTru]

No I have not tested my testosterone levels but I do feel like it has dropped. Sex drive is down, lack of motivation/interest, lack of energy. The good side of this would be that I no longer have a short fuse and I dont go into hulk mode like I used to. I have tried a few test boosters in the past and they bring back some of the anger issues but fail to bring back the sex drive, motivation or energy.

Today is my first gym day and I am going to start with the good old 5x5. Thanks

 

[cedman1]

Sounds great. You'll be back and looking to modify