[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Plus my gym finally got one of those plate loading pivot bars for floor work. You put it under one side of the bar and tilt it back, and it lays on it's side raising the bar to the perfect height to load your plates. Then you do the other side.

Makes things a whole lot easier!

Weak ours lifts the entire bar, both sides off the ground to load plates.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by harris69

Brian who? Shaw?

Brian Alsruhe

https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaTnation

Check out he video on the main page....called Suffer Beautifully. That's the video I was talking about.

But this guy has a ton of great videos and advice and simplifies everything where it is easy to remember.

[harris69]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Brian Alsruhe

https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaTnation

Check out he video on the main page....called Suffer Beautifully. That's the video I was talking about.

But this guy has a ton of great videos and advice and simplifies everything where it is easy to remember.

I will check him out.

[1MOREMOD]

Could barely wash my beard after gym today arms were so pumped couldnt bend then that far wtf!

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Weak ours lifts the entire bar, both sides off the ground to load plates.

Maybe I'm using it wrong. Thanks for the tip. I will check it out and see. Tomorrow is deadlift day for me.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by harris69

I will check him out.

Some of his older videos are his best content although I haven't had much of a chance to look at his newer videos in depth. But anything I have seen from his has been great.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Could barely wash my beard after gym today arms were so pumped couldnt bend then that far wtf!

I'm clean shaven...so I don't have that problem!

By the time I feel like shaving comes around again...the pump is gone.

[harris69]

My motivation has completely gone. For years, and years I used to work out 5 days a week and looked forward to training. But now, once I am home from work I don't feel like heading back out.

My day starts at 4:45 am, and most days I don't get off work until 2 pm. Typically I change at work and head to the gym from work but on the days when I come home I don't feel like heading back out.

Last year was the worst year as far as achieving my lifting goals is concerned. All year I missed days due to either being sick, or not wanting to go due to being fatigued. Sometimes I wish that I could go to the gym in the morning, but I don't think I can get up any earlier. I will be 41 this month but I am already not liking it.

[1MOREMOD]

Hmm every year I make workout related resolutions last year was min 4 days per week. Made it thru whole year including during vacations. This year bumped it up to 5 and honestly when I'm rolling dont want to take any days off. I'm 20ish day streak now.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by harris69

My motivation has completely gone. For years, and years I used to work out 5 days a week and looked forward to training. But now, once I am home from work I don't feel like heading back out.

My day starts at 4:45 am, and most days I don't get off work until 2 pm. Typically I change at work and head to the gym from work but on the days when I come home I don't feel like heading back out.

Last year was the worst year as far as achieving my lifting goals is concerned. All year I missed days due to either being sick, or not wanting to go due to being fatigued. Sometimes I wish that I could go to the gym in the morning, but I don't think I can get up any earlier. I will be 41 this month but I am already not liking it.

Dude...you are in a bad spot here and I feel for you. I went through the same thing...but I was 42-43 when it happened.

I really think you should get with your doctor and get bloodwork done on your hormones and cortisol levels. That contributes immensely to some of the things you are describing. Also get your vitamin B levels checked.

Deficiencies in Vitamin B and D can contribute to the low energy levels, and they can test for this.

It's not guaranteed to be a cure all, but it can't hurt. When I went through my phase, I was already on hormone therapy. I remember I even quit taking everything for almost 4 months as I just got tired of the shots and the weekly routine and quit going. Then things really hit bottom and my wife made me go back to my doctor and get full panels. I slowly started everything back and I won't lie....it was hard.

Just getting back in the gym was almost impossible. I had to commit to each day seperately, and start stringing them together.

But the longer I went, the enthusiasm finally came back.....and when it did it came back with a vengeance. I'm an all or nothing person, so I either commit entirely or I don't bother.

I know you mentioned not being able to go in the morning, but if I had to go to the gym after work, I don't think I could do it. Now I don't sleep a lot anyway, and I don't have to be to work technically until 7:00-8:00am. But I'm usually there by 6:00am at the latest.

I'm in bed by 10:00pm at the latest, and I normally wake up around 3:00am.

But as I started back, I watched you tube videos, I started reading about diet and training again, and the spark was lit.

Getting older sucks, but I'm 45 now and back in the shape I was in during my 30's. Maybe it's time for a complete change in exercise strategy to.

Stimulate enough to keep the muscle you have, and start a diet. I promise you....getting your body fat low enough that you see weekly progression will spark your interest more than anything. I spent my time coming back getting leaner than I had been in years....and my weights plummeted in the gym......but I looked really good. Then I switched gears and started slowly gaining back weight while staying lean.

When you can physically see changes in your physique, it's a game changer I promise you.

[harris69]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

Dude...you are in a bad spot here and I feel for you. I went through the same thing...but I was 42-43 when it happened.

I really think you should get with your doctor and get bloodwork done on your hormones and cortisol levels. That contributes immensely to some of the things you are describing. Also get your vitamin B levels checked.

Deficiencies in Vitamin B and D can contribute to the low energy levels, and they can test for this.

It's not guaranteed to be a cure all, but it can't hurt. When I went through my phase, I was already on hormone therapy. I remember I even quit taking everything for almost 4 months as I just got tired of the shots and the weekly routine and quit going. Then things really hit bottom and my wife made me go back to my doctor and get full panels. I slowly started everything back and I won't lie....it was hard.

Just getting back in the gym was almost impossible. I had to commit to each day seperately, and start stringing them together.

But the longer I went, the enthusiasm finally came back.....and when it did it came back with a vengeance. I'm an all or nothing person, so I either commit entirely or I don't bother.

I know you mentioned not being able to go in the morning, but if I had to go to the gym after work, I don't think I could do it. Now I don't sleep a lot anyway, and I don't have to be to work technically until 7:00-8:00am. But I'm usually there by 6:00am at the latest.

I'm in bed by 10:00pm at the latest, and I normally wake up around 3:00am.

But as I started back, I watched you tube videos, I started reading about diet and training again, and the spark was lit.

Getting older sucks, but I'm 45 now and back in the shape I was in during my 30's. Maybe it's time for a complete change in exercise strategy to.

Stimulate enough to keep the muscle you have, and start a diet. I promise you....getting your body fat low enough that you see weekly progression will spark your interest more than anything. I spent my time coming back getting leaner than I had been in years....and my weights plummeted in the gym......but I looked really good. Then I switched gears and started slowly gaining back weight while staying lean.

When you can physically see changes in your physique, it's a game changer I promise you.

Makes sense...Ever since I started taking the gels I have felt considerably better especially in the mornings, but in the evenings I crash hard (too much caffeine during the day). I do need to make an appointment for my physical and that's typically when I ask my PC to run a full panel but most of that info I can't even decipher. I have actually never even looked at my Vit B levels. However I do supplement with 5000 I.U of D3 so I don't see Vitamin D deficiency being an issue. I typically look at my total test, free test, cholesterol, triglycerides (usually slightly high), and TSH.

Yeah, working out in the mornings would be ideal but I have never been a morning person; so I can't ever see myself getting up at 3:00 am.

I carry a decent size (for a 5'11'' 198 lb guy) but my biceps, and triceps are not huge. My back, traps, quads are my strong areas, but have considerably smaller arms. If I had to guess (from previous 3D scans also) I am around 14-16% bf. With trt gels I have noticed a decent size increase (probably placebo) in my chest, and even my arms. So, the plan is to continue doing the gels, and see where it takes me in 2 months.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by harris69

Makes sense...Ever since I started taking the gels I have felt considerably better especially in the mornings, but in the evenings I crash hard (too much caffeine during the day). I do need to make an appointment for my physical and that's typically when I ask my PC to run a full panel but most of that info I can't even decipher. I have actually never even looked at my Vit B levels. However I do supplement with 5000 I.U of D3 so I don't see Vitamin D deficiency being an issue. I typically look at my total test, free test, cholesterol, triglycerides (usually slightly high), and TSH.

Yeah, working out in the mornings would be ideal but I have never been a morning person; so I can't ever see myself getting up at 3:00 am.

I carry a decent size (for a 5'11'' 198 lb guy) but my biceps, and triceps are not huge. My back, traps, quads are my strong areas, but have considerably smaller arms. If I had to guess (from previous 3D scans also) I am around 14-16% bf. With trt gels I have noticed a decent size increase (probably placebo) in my chest, and even my arms. So, the plan is to continue doing the gels, and see where it takes me in 2 months.

I forgot about thyroid panels...but they are important as you already know.

I won't preach to you about caffeine....you already know how too much of that that can affect the body and stress the adrenal system.

I'm sensitive to stimulants, so I can't do pre-workouts or large amounts of caffeine. I look at it as a good thing and a bad thing. I would like to be able to use some of the pre-workout drinks and have this crazy energy level when hitting the gym, but too many stimulants and it just screws me over.

One thing I have been experimenting in small amounts is Teacrine. It's similar to caffeine, but binds differently to the receptors. I'm up to 50mg a day before my workout, and have seen a nice energy increase without the "jitters" that caffeine usually gives me.

[harris69]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

I forgot about thyroid panels...but they are important as you already know.

I won't preach to you about caffeine....you already know how too much of that that can affect the body and stress the adrenal system.

I'm sensitive to stimulants, so I can't do pre-workouts or large amounts of caffeine. I look at it as a good thing and a bad thing. I would like to be able to use some of the pre-workout drinks and have this crazy energy level when hitting the gym, but too many stimulants and it just screws me over.

One thing I have been experimenting in small amounts is Teacrine. It's similar to caffeine, but binds differently to the receptors. I'm up to 50mg a day before my workout, and have seen a nice energy increase without the "jitters" that caffeine usually gives me.

Good info..I know my adrenals are past FATIGUED from years of drinking these things. I drink water only besides energy drinks, and eat fairly well. I am doing HMB supplementation, D3, and fish oil. Every once in a while I take a ZMA, but that's the extent of my supplementation. I shoot for 120-130 g of protein, and the rest I typically don't count...Caffeine intake consists of a cup of coffee, followed by a Monster Ultra. And on the days that I go to the gym I take 4 scoops of ON Essental Amino Energy and that's it for caffeine.

[1MOREMOD]

Wife did 215 deadlift today at 130lbs. Hasnt been at them very long

[Rmtt]

To currently hold my weight of ~ 200lbs (at 5'7")...I make sure I get at least 200 grams of protein a day.

As for carbs, I'm around 400 grams more or less, and about 75 grams of "Good Fats".

But I track my calories pretty strictly. I've done it for so long, that it's just natural for me now. Plus I eat pretty much the same stuff day in / day out with the only variation being 1-2 meals on weekends where I do splurge a little with my wife.

If I find myself putting on a little more body fat than I like, I just cut back my daily carbs through the week by 50-75 grams, and I things seem to even back out in a couple of weeks.

No energy drinks or caffeine. One shake of EAA's intra-workout and a post-workout shake of hydrolyzed protein. Then whole food the rest of the day. Plus the Teacrine in the morning I have been trying for the last 2-3 weeks.

I do drink Lipton's Diet Green Tea when I want something different than water.

So all in all....my caloric intake is pretty boring.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Wife did 215 deadlift today at 130lbs. Hasnt been at them very long

Wow....that is awesome!

That's more than a lot of the women I see using that have been training for awhile Good for her!

My wife is more of a cardio and circuit training type of person with the machines in the front of the gym. She still suffers from the notion that "Heavy Weights" will make her look less feminine.

I have showed her pictures of Professional Women Body-Builders, and explained to her that they represent the top of the elite in genetics...and then add a lot of drugs into the mix and that is what you get. It isn't the weights, it's the "magic supplements" they are taking that cause the virilization effects!

[Rmtt]

Deadlifts were today for me as well.

405 X 5 - But I only counted 4 reps on my phone's app as the last rep was pretty nasty. Just let myself get out of position on the last rep and although I got it up, it was ugly.

I should have stopped. I was lucky I didn't injure myself as I could physically feel the torque across my lats being uneven.

[1MOREMOD]

My wife is also,long distance runner, biker, hiker, rower, but enjoys weights as well.

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

My wife is also,long distance runner, biker, hiker, rower, but enjoys weights as well.

Seems well-rounded.

Mine is a runner as well, and we live near the Blue-Ridge parkway so we hike pretty frequently.

Can't get her in water though. She had a bad experience with it when young and the only way I can get her near it is on a boat.

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah shes kinda badass

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Yeah shes kinda badass

That's the best type of wife to have!

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah buddy