New Old Guy

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

Hi all -
Just wanted to pop in and do a quick hello & intro.

New to the forums here, but have been a lurker for a year. Belong to a few other boards, just can’t deal with the plethora of 20-something a-holes that are defined by their post count any longer.

I’m off to read, read, read. Seems like a decent group here, and I’m guessing a lot of what I might ask has been posted already…

Been away from lifting for about 10 years, albeit I was no swimsuit model back then…

Around 42 I decided it was time to get back into shape. The last 2 years have been a series of false starts and a begrudged realization of my advancing age… However, I have trimmed nearly 35# since this time last year (Dec. 11th, actually)

My goals now are simple: recover the motivation I knew 10 years ago and find a routine that I want to follow (as opposed to finding a chore)

I do a lot of stuff with herbs / plant-based therapies, so my comments are likely to reflect that. Currently I brew my own “super testosterone” tintcure and from what I can tell it’s working quite well. I may consider having my test, estro, and cortisol levels baselined just to see where I’m at (actually that’s one of my first questions - at what age is that a good idea?)

So, if there’s another (former) doughy-middled 44 year old here that wants to share a workout plan I’m all ears :slight_smile: If by some miracle there’s someone from Middlefield, OH (across from but not in the middle of nowhere) here looking for a workout bud by all means hit me up - been looking for an excuse to get out of the basement and join a real gym…

Anything you wanna know just ask, otherwise, I look forward to getting beck to my former glory with you here at T-Nation.

Cheers -
Don
PS - a peek at the profile will explain the avatar, and a google search may explain the user ID :smiley:

2

Welcome! You’ll find a lot of excellent information and advice here. As far as a workout program since you haven’t worked out in a while I would consider doing TBT (total body training). Search for Waterbury’s programs…they are excellent. And make sure to warm up properly and use good form.

Also how about posting your super testosterone mixture. And what results are you getting? Strength? Size? Increased libido?

3

Welcome Johnny, great to have you here with us!

4

At what age should you get your baseline done?

I would suggest around age 20.

That would allow you to see whether you were a mid or low or high normal type person.

I am pretty sure I was a high normal when my testicles were functioning, but I don’t have that info. So it has been a long road to get my doc comfortable with me being a high normal on HRT.

Since it is too late for you to get that done in your twenties I would suggest you have it done ASAP.

Go do the ADAM test – depending on your answers it may give you a better clue as to where you are.

ADAM test for low testosterone:

http://adamtest.com/index.html

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  1. Have you experienced a decrease in your sex drive (libido)?

  2. Do you lack energy?

  3. Have you lost height?

  4. Has your strength and/or endurance decreased?

  5. Have you noticed yourself enjoying life less?

  6. Are you frequently sad or irritable?

  7. Are your erections less strong?

  8. Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your athletic ability?

  9. Do you find yourself falling asleep after dinner?

  10. Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?

5

[quote]blueknight wrote:
Welcome! You’ll find a lot of excellent information and advice here. As far as a workout program since you haven’t worked out in a while I would consider doing TBT (total body training). Search for Waterbury’s programs…they are excellent. And make sure to warm up properly and use good form.[/quote]

Looked that up today - looks great. Thanks for the pointer. And I do have to admit that my warm-ups have never been what they should be…

[quote]blueknight wrote:
Also how about posting your super testosterone mixture. And what results are you getting? Strength? Size? Increased libido?[/quote]

I will actually take the time to do that, it’s rather involved.

What I’ve noted in the past few weeks -
Increased libido (a lot), energy, and metal focus (oddly enough)
I have not noticed an increase in strength yet, but it is early in my return to “serious lifting”, I have, however, been pleased to find that my muscles are responding to the efforts quickly - but they say muscle memory can last a long time (once you’ve had some size and lost it, it can actually come back quickly)

I have not noticed a real change in endurance as of yet (I’m spent in about an hour - but that’s been true since my early 30s and pretty much how I’ve planned my routines).

The most significant thing to me (aside from the welcome return of the morning wood) has been my recovery times. As I said, the last 2 years have seen me make at least 3 or 4 attempts to return to a routine, and the thing that has killed me a couple times has been the “unbearable soreness of being” (me after a workout). Seriously, I did chest and arms on Wed. and typically Thurs. and Fri. would find me using my hands and arms like a T-Rex because I was so friggin’ sore I couldn’t bare to move… but this time 'round it’s barely noticeable.

My calf routine typically hurts like hell as well - and this week I almost forgot I bombed the hell out of them. Once my weights are back up I suppose results will have a bit more credibility (at least for me) but I’m pretty happy at this point…

[quote]daddyzombie wrote:
Welcome Johnny, great to have you here with us![/quote]

Thanks!

6

[quote]e-loo wrote:
At what age should you get your baseline done?
I would suggest around age 20.

Since it is too late for you to get that done in your twenties I would suggest you have it done ASAP.[/quote]

Well, I had a discussion with my Doc today.
I was in to have a cyst (old ingrown hair) removed so I had 20 minutes of his time as he carved a divot in my left butt cheek.
He said rather immediately that he’s willing to run the tests if I like.

However -
He made a point in asking me what my intentions were, and I told him honestly that unless they were out of line for a guy my age I was not going to pursue and kind of hormone replacement or supplication because I simply don’t like to take a lot of prescription medications, particularly anything this dramatic. I said my goals were more likely to look at holistic methods to boost my test.

To which he immediately responded that I was neither exhibiting or complaining of any of the “classic symptoms” of hypogonadism or low test. And he is right. I’m pretty damn healthy (knock on wood)

There was more to the conversation, but that was really what I needed, some frank discussion and conversation about what actions I’d take. So, my plan is pretty much to deal with my stress and manage my diet more appropriately.

On an interesting note, when I mentioned testing for estrogen levels he said it’s currently a very controversial subject (in men) and there’s nothing proven as of yet to correct/alter those levels with any kind of accurate/predictable results.

[quote]e-loo wrote:
Go do the ADAM test – depending on your answers it may give you a better clue as to where you are.[/quote]

Sorry, I have a real problem with that test - pretty much anyone over 35 and/or leading a stressful existence is gonna fail. The fact that answering yes to #7 “fails” you is ridiculous - it’s a perfectly natural phenomenon to have weaker erections as you top 40+ - the penis is essentially a hydraulic device, and you can only use it so much before the seals start to wear a little… That’s why the cock-ring is the Wonder Bra for men.

And how convenient that they sell a saliva-based test kit (which IIRC are relatively worthless {i.e. inaccurate}) right on the results page…

7

Hi J-L,
Welcome(a little belatedly albeit) to the 0ver 35 Forum! Everyone here brings to the forum their own “baggage”…I’m sure you will find something interesting if you have enough time & patience to scour all the posts. I post my workouts on HT’s What the Hell AM I Doing thread; we have a diverse group of lifters that post & visit his thread often, check it out if you have a chance. I want to wish you the best for the upcoming Holidays & that you get closer to the goals you’ve set for yourself.
Art

8

Welcome,

Congrats on loosing the weight and lifting again. Sounds like you’re on your way.

9

Het dude wassuo? like, you’ve only got 6 posts?

Just kidding! Welcome on board!

10

Welcome Johnny-longtorso!

Great job on the attitude and the 35# weight loss over the last year. That you are feeling good really is a blessing.

I’m curious about your tincture. I’ve read a lot about herbs, and have learned to make essiac tea for my wife (somewhat involved), but I’d like to know more about herbs can help us men as we get older.

May you recover your motivation completely and moreso. I have a feeling your posts will help others a lot. So stick around!

11

One thing I would recommend is to not get “paralysis by analysis” when first starting out. Get out there and start training and then tweak it as you go along. A bad day in the gym still beats a good day on the couch!

Welcome here and feel free to jump in to other people’s threads to get to know them.

Good Luck!

12

[quote]Colin Wilson wrote:
One thing I would recommend is to not get “paralysis by analysis” when first starting out. [/quote]
lol - dude, you must be in my head! That’s me to a tee - too smart for my own good.

Back in the day there were 4 of us that used to train (me, 2 guys that were brothers, and a mutual friend). The brothers used to call us other two the “co-dependent training partners” because we’d sit in the parking lot of the gym for an hour debating on WTF we were actually gonna do once inside… good times.

Don

13

[quote]Old Dax wrote:
Het dude wassup? like, you’ve only got 6 posts?
[/quote]
Priceless. I’m gonna love this place…

14

[quote]johnny-longtorso wrote:
Sorry, I have a real problem with that [ADAM] test - pretty much anyone over 35 and/or leading a stressful existence is gonna fail.
[/quote]

The ADAM test is pretty standard “pre-diagnostic”, if you will.

The point is, if you “fail” it, that doesn’t mean you have low testosterone.

It means that you and your doc should investigate further what’s going on, including testing for low testosterone.

Johnny, the ADAM test is not exclusive to that website.

It is a pretty standard pre-diagnostic aid – I first saw it on a Diabetes Education Brochure @ the lunchroom at a hospital. I just linked to that site because it was the first hit in my GOOGLE search of “ADAM test”.

GOOGLE it this way and you will see it referenced in endocrinology journals and other medical journals as one of several “screening” questionnaires that docs use:

“Androgen Deficiency in Aging Men” ADAM

In my case, taking the ADAM test was a revelation. It and this forum led me to getting testing, in which I found out I had primary testicular failure. I had spent about two or three years in a fuzzy brown fog, lifeless and not knowing why.

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At any rate it sounds like you are doing well. THAT’S GREAT. Congrats on all the good work so far and welcome to Over 35 forum – it is a great one.

15

I will do a bit more looking around - but have saliva tests gained more validity in the last 18-24 months?

16

Welcome John. Grab a hold of my theory on aging and you will be on your way:

Age is a statistic, not a burden. There’s no reason anyone with the desire and dedication can’t get into and maintain the best shape of his or her life.

You have taken the first step. You are Back!

Train hard and have fun.

In four months, I will be eligible for Medicare. Meanwhile, I’m training for the 2008 FAME World Bodybuilding Championships in Toronto on June 14.

17

[quote]johnny-longtorso wrote:
I will do a bit more looking around - but have saliva tests gained more validity in the last 18-24 months?[/quote]

I don’t know anything about saliva tests – my doc does blood draws.

But actually from the way you describe yourself it does not sound like low testosterone is an issue for you. As you say I think you were looking to get the test done as a baseline for the future.

–

18

Good luck to you!! Keep pluging away!!

20

[quote]pushharder wrote:
If youse guys in your 40’s keep gittin’ on here calling yourself “OLD GUYS” somebody needs to kick you in your shriveled nuts.

Now knock-it-the-fuck-off.

If you’re in the gym lifting seriously and eating properly you aint old. If you’re sitting around in your LazyBoy eating your Pringles, watching TV and talking about what a stud you used to be then yeah, you probably are an old guy.[/quote]

Push, You seem cranky today. Maybe you would feel better if you ate some stewed prunes :wink: