Working out after 40 // TRT

The Den
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So, typing out that I’m 40 here in the first place is pretty wild considering I was like, 15 when I first joined. Jeezuz.

At any rate, I started TRT last year and finally got over the phobia of going to the gym (the epilepsy really had me fearful of being around potential head injury fall spots after I had one while swimming.)

It’s helped a ton with joint pain, energy, mood … and, honestly? Everything, really. I know there are concerns about it and heart health, but the way I view it? I missed a ton of my 20’s and 30’s due to the seizures, and if this enriches my life now just to shave off a few years on the back 9, which almost always suck anyway? I’ll take it. My wife and I work in retirement homes quite a bit, and I’ll say that I’m not exactly looking forward to that stage anyway. The stories I could tell you would need their own thread.

At any rate, I workout at home with my wife to minimize any risk, and to that end, only use dumb bells and an adjustable bench. Nothing like squats or traditional bench press with a full bar. Just not worth it in case something happens.

All of that said: I’ve come down with some nasty tennis elbow that just refuses to go away. Have any of you gone through that, and if so, how did you relieve the issue? And have any of you found that you get hurt more while working out in general as you get older? I was hoping the creatine + TRT would help mitigate injury but here I am anyway.

Also, if anyone wants to throw in some movements they like to do with the setup I’m using, I’m definitely open to it.

Also would like hearing anybody willing to share their TRT experiences. It hasn’t been a full year yet, so the doctor is still trying to dial in the right dosage. I feel like a full 2mL vial per week has been best, but my doctor is considering halving that. I tried it for a month and really felt the rollercoaster, so if there’s a specific T-level that you’re at, LMK what it is.

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I had nagging golfers elbow (same sort of tendonitis) that was really limiting me in the gym.

Physical therapy was really helpful. It won’t go away with just rest, tendons don’t really heal like that apparently.

In PT, they slowly ramped up the stimulation of the area, always warming up with some manual manipulation of the area (massage) and ending with an ultrasound treatment. All of this was an effort to force bloodflow to the area for healing.

This worked for me. Two 1-hour sessions a week for 6-8 weeks.

I’m in a big e-com owner’s group, and one of my acquaintances there sells this:

I’m not vouching for its effectiveness in any way, I’ve never used it. My PT said it looks like it could be legit (basically doing the same sort of manipulation that he did via massage).

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Awesome, I’ll look into it for sure.

The little brace gimmicks they sell that pushes a pad into the upper forearm just hurts more than help. For me, anyway. My doctor has been giving me some treatment that is basically a TENS unit on steroids. I’m hoping that’ll help, but it’s been weeks and I still can’t bicep curl with that arm.

I just snagged a red light therapy pad that I’ve been using after doing some research on it, hoping that’ll kickstart things as well.

Kinda throwing the kitchen sink at it lately. I was getting some decent gains and frame changes so it’s been pretty discouraging to have it come to a hault. I ate an ungodly amount of cottage cheese and forcefed myself for months for this, dammit LOL.

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Had a good buddy who had a bad case of it and the brace really helped him. Everyone and every injury is unique… Gotta find what works for you.

As far as TRT, I’m a big advocate for it and have considered getting my T levels tested recently as I find myself a bit more lethargic than usual. I’m turning 40 this August and going to see if the sunshine and warm weather this summer help with the issue. I see it help A LOT of people, I don’t think the side effects are anything to worry about, you’re not shooting roid levels of test into your body after all (I did a cycle once and that was DEFINITELY noticeable, super high sex drive, more emotionally unstable, very very high self confidence)

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TRT: Sounds cool, but I have this weird fear that it will give me back hair and make me go bald, lol

I just gave myself golfer’s elbow. It was getting better until all the snow happened and I needed to shovel through ice.

But mild stress followed by rest seems to help.

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Squatting is a really beneficial movement for general health. Don’t restrict yourself from squatting just because you think of it with a rack and a bar over your neck. You can start with body weight squats. With enough reps you are going to feel it and benefit from it. If you want to advance, you can use dumb bells or kettle bells. For your situation I would highly recommend kettle bells if you don’t already have some. There are certain movements they are good at that dumb bells can’t quite recreate. I would say the same for a medicine ball. They are a great tool for what you are trying to accomplish. A medicine ball is also easy to drop and roll out of the way if there is an episode.

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This right here. I had inflammation of the tendons in my left arm, to the point my whole arm felt dead and ended up going to the Orthopedic doctor to find out what I could do.
The PT exercises they gave me helped tremendously. So much so I still do those exercises (combination of stretching and range motion) to this day and 10 years now I have hadn’t any reoccurrences and I feel I have more range and flexibility in both arms.

BTW, I caused the initial issue playing baseball at the age of 55 in an Old Timers league. I ended up playing until I was 61.

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Now that I’m over 40 every time I think about working out the only vision that pops in my head is

Die Season 3 GIF by The Office

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Wait til you get to 65 like I am :rofl: :joy: :joy:

I cut out any heavy weights when I turned 50 and now just do light weights to keep in shape for bowhunting.

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The biggest discovery one makes after 40 is usually “well, shit. Guess I “had” heart disease”

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Love and prayers it gets better!!

As stated squats overall and when done correctly are very good for you and you don’t need weights! Learn to do as many as you can with proper pace and form every other day if you can..

I literally just did just three mini squats in my living room trying to get my healing kick started… and that actually made me finally :poop:!! But no biner yet!

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I have been on TRT for 15 years now. Did the shots for 12 years (did them myself) and this year the doc switched me to gel. I have never had any side effects from it (at least that I know of :). Even on the TRT my levels are still low 200’s. If I skip for a time I really start getting lethargic. FYI - I actually preferred the weekly shots to the daily get but they both seem to work without side effects.

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What is TRT

I’m ignorant

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Same. Total bullshit. Pretty mild because I don’t lift much snow when shoveling because I am now right in the prime zone for “dropped over in a snowbank”.

My T scores went through the floor during COVID, been back to just below midrange normal for a few years. I have been super tired the last few months, but that is Facking Winter+Holiday/Work/MahSweeties job stress+ no doggos at home ( pittie w stepdaughter, Chihuahua was put down between Thanksgivibg and Christmas) and lower bounds of normal range BP and A1C due to new meds

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never paid attention to my T level, I’ll Google what is the ideal level as I’m 53, been thinking of joining a gym, but since I had cancer, a heart attack, and a bad car accident last year, I just figure I’ll go light to “my level” not try to be Iron Man like i used to in high-school. I got to be mindful and watch how

I react to the strain. not push it. I already walk (when weather permits) but I have been cooped up since last November 25…

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I have been on TRT for a little over a year now. To me 2ml seems to be on the high end of a dose, but i guess it depends on where it brings your levels to. The whole point of trt therapy is to take as little as possible to mitigate risk, while experiencing the benefits. I started at a clinic, and now prescribed through my Doctor, and prescribed .5ml weekly injections. It was a process of lowering dosages and getting blood drawn. Levels started at around 200, and now are steady in the 600s. I would not want them to be any higher for risk purposes. For Me, it was a game changer. Just for quality and zest for life in general. For working out, everyone is different. I am 40 years old and I lift heavy weights 4 times a week. But everyone’s body is different, but the main key is your nutrition.

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Testosterone Replacement Therapy… Your levels drop as you age, causing a myriad of problems in your day to day life… Getting your levels back to normal helps with these issues.

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Haven’t you seen the Doug Flutie adn Frank Thomas commercials?

“She will love it in the bed room too!”

I should add, those are for Testostrene supplements, TRT is a little more than that.

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I’ve have never t had sex since 2004…

And that’s not a joke either…. :person_shrugging:

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Got it! Thanks!!

I’m in the midst of recovery for my triple hernia surgery; pain sucks; pain killers help but make me have mental fog

So i mentally grabbed until TRT and the gym comments and was thinking a word out program for health :person_facepalming::person_shrugging::folded_hands::collision::double_exclamation_mark::winking_face_with_tongue:

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