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Building muscle /rehab in your 50s

Discussion in 'General' started by This old Rz, Dec 14, 2022.

  1. This old Rz

    This old Rz Well-Known Member

    Okay here's the deal mid-50s I've always been in better than average physical condition however injured my shoulders and February and they're still screwed up and have lost a little muscle mass due to not being able to exercise or lift anything typical probably no different than anybody else got to be careful of my knees back etc but I need to do something to rehab myself as physical therapy etc hasn't really helped too much I need to build some muscle mass , to help compensate.
    What have some of the things you folks have tried that have helped you rehabilitate...
    I had a couple steroid injections in the shoulders it seemed to help with the pain 6 months ago whatever I tore or damaged I think has repaired itself the best it's going to get.
    however I can just tell if I overexert myself I'm going to reinjure myself so I'm thinking if I build some muscle it will just help that's about all I can do..
    Any advice or opinions is welcome..
    My entire life I have never felt at a disadvantage physically until this year
    thanks..
     
  2. Sabre699

    Sabre699 Wait...hold my beer.

  3. ChemGuy

    ChemGuy Harden The F%@# Up!

  4. 2blueYam

    2blueYam Track Day Addict

    Generally, more reps and less weight. Your muscles should get "tired" without feeling strained. The first few reps should feel pretty easy.
     
  5. bruceiam

    bruceiam Well-Known Member

    Im in the same boat, got the strength and mobility restored in the left shoulder by doing my workouts with light weight (just the bar) and gradually increasing the weight week by week. Slow process but 4 months later and I was 100%. Then I thought it was a good idea to ride a quad. Dislocated the right side and tore up something in there, to the point that I can't lift anything. Ortho appointment tomorrow .
     
    Once a Wanker.. likes this.
  6. skidooboy

    skidooboy supermotojunkie

    depending on what you tore, get sports med docs on your side, and get it repaired. tell them I dont want anymore physical therapy, and get it fixed. then, start real rehab, and work outs that will strengthen the muscle groups around the injury. you know your body, and where you want to be. PT peoples job is just to get you back moving, and back to the couch. you are the limiting factor to where you go back to, the same, better, or where you really want to be.

    about every 18-24 months, I have an injury that requires surgery, and subsequent rehabbing, due to our lifestyle... bikes, dirt, sleds, street, track, and stupid shit. I use this rehab as a start to "reinvent myself" and get my ass back into the gym, with a purpose... I am in the injury window now. LOL! not sure where it will take me, this time. but, I am ready. good luck to you. Ski
     
    Once a Wanker.. and CBRRRRR999 like this.
  7. Gumby647

    Gumby647 Señor Member

    Maybe you need a different physical therapist that is working in-line with your goals. I had to go to for my shoulder and they were mostly focused on getting you through daily tasks like I was 90 years old. I had to tell them I needed to be more active than that. I do feel it helped a lot combining strength training with range of motion exercises. I'm not able to stretch myself the way they did when I was laying on the table.
     
    Once a Wanker.. and skidooboy like this.
  8. Smilodon

    Smilodon Wannabe

    I am fortunate that my workplace is large enough to have an on-site rehabilitation center that employees can use for any reason. You don't have to be referred by a doctor, be a workplace injury or whatever.

    The point I am making is that they are professionals and can really help. If you are disciplined enough to do what they say, you are almost guaranteed a better recovery. I have used them a number of times, and bought equipment and continue to use it based on things I learned there. If I had to pay for this service knowing now how much it helps now, I'd gladly do it.

    In my case, I'm willing to try and stay fit, but far from an expert. I don't have a "call these guys" recommendation, but I'd recommend seeking a professional out.

    Not to mention that one of my therapists had a background as a professional race team physio (Audi, Corvette, etc.), and had some great stories!
     
    Once a Wanker.. likes this.
  9. Itey

    Itey Well-Known Member

    Test, Tren, EQ
     
  10. 88/532

    88/532 Simply Antagonistical

    Actually, those go in your ass. Be careful of that also. In my early 50s, I chose the more testosterone route. It did its job, and I got bigger and stronger, but at a cost. An underlying heart issue I had reared it’s ugly head. I made it worse with those helper shots.
     
    YamahaRick, stk0308 and SpeedyE like this.
  11. SpeedyE

    SpeedyE Experimental prototype, never meant for production

    If you want muscles, and no joint stress.... learn to make zero weight feel like any weight you want.
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2022
  12. fastfreddie

    fastfreddie Midnight Oil Garage

    To expound on that...do the same 8-12 reps at a reduced pace. Instead of the traditional 2 secs up/4secs down, go 10 secs up/10 secs down.
    I think you'll find that even lighter weight than anticipated will be called for. That's the point. The weight is so light that you really can't hurt yourself. What makes it a workout, therapeutically and strength-wise, is the absolute control you'll have over your form and the fact that those last few reps, if you follow the 10 sec rule, will have your muscles going into fasciculation - that's what develops strength.
    You may not look any bigger, but the muscle fibers that were doing the work are exhausted. The "twitching" is your neurons now firing previously unused fibers. Given that most people aren't firing on all cylinders - typically, say 50% - with those newly fired fibers getting engaged, next time around, however many newly firing fibers you develop will also be called upon. So now, say you're firing 60% muscle mass and so on as you develop towards higher percentages of fiber activity. The muscle isn't bigger, you're using more of it.
    In the past, when you couldn't pump out that last bench press, you kinda need a spotter. Not being able to push the last press using the 10 sec method, just let it come down, take a short breather, then blast it. The bar will be ready to rack before you know it.
     
    pjdoran and Yzasserina like this.
  13. stickboy274

    stickboy274 Stick-a-licious Tire Dude

    When I hurt my shoulder, twice... three times.... (I'm not sure how many times. That one shoulder is my go to landing spot for motorcycles, bicycles, skateboards you get the idea), the trainers at the gym told me to start with rubber band workouts. Because of the type of injury I had, they said to avoid doing bench press or curls with a bar for the rest of my life basically. They said I needed to use dumbells from now on. That will not only help the major muscle, but it will also help build the locator muscles. They will have to help control the weights individually since you don't have the bar to connect both sides. That helps keep my shoulder together. Since then, it no longer pops out of place, the worst was when it would happen as I sleep. I would pop it back in and go back to sleep.

    The other thing that has helped me when working out after an injury was paying attention to what I was feeling. If the muscles ache, work through it. If I feel sharp pains, stop and let it heal.
     
  14. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    Yep, lighter weight x higher reps is a proven method and can be executed in multiple ways.

    I'm rehabbing my shoulder for the 2nd time right now and I prefer 4-6 sets x 20 reps. Weight should be heavy enough that reps 12-20 or 14-20, or thereabouts, your muscles are on fire (lactic acid buildup).

    You are lifting light enough that you're not going to injure yourself, building up muscle endurance, but you are also lifting enough weight to get some hypertrophy (muscle growth) as well. Building muscle will allow you to increase your metabolism, including resting metabolism, so you burn more calories all the time, thus burning fat and slimming down. Getting rid of the fat will make your muscle growth much more accentuated. This type of lifting is also what I recommend to women who fear that weight training will make them bulky. It's also what I'm doing after having not been able to work out for quite some time. I've dropped 30 lbs but look bigger because I've combined muscle growth with trimming the fat.

    Add some cardio and a decent diet and you can make major changes to your body composition and overall health without beating your body up. Don't think cardio means running, I'm a big fan of the various exercise bikes, and the elliptical as well. Especially for older individuals, and people with knee/back/joint pain.

    Compound exercises are your biggest bang for the buck too.

    Don't go crazy on your diet right away because most people can't stick to it. When I'm training someone what I recommend is in stages.

    1. No change to your diet
    2. Same foods, smaller quantity
    3. Start changing what you eat
    4. No more breakfast (don't need it). I can explain my thoughts on this more if interested.

    Edit: And SWIM! One of the best all around exercises you can do.
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2022
  15. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    This is a great way to stress (read exercise) your numerological system. A great workout and one that a lot of people neglect.
     
  16. lopitt85

    lopitt85 Well-Known Member

    He wants to get tied in with sports medicine. Their focus is a lot different than plain old physical therapy. Like you said, PT just wants you to be able to grab a glass out of the cabinet. Sorry, but thats not good enough!
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2022
  17. khill

    khill Well-Known Member

    Get evaluated by professional. Every person is different and has individual strengths and weaknesses and without knowing where you stand, you could absolutely be training incorrectly.

    I will say, when my Mom had her stroke and spent 6 month in rehab/PT, her trainer mentioned to me, "never underestimate how important upper body strength and muscle mass is, especially after your 50s. What you have in your 50s, is what you take with you later in life..."

    Ken
     
  18. Gixxerguy855

    Gixxerguy855 Well-Known Member

    The title of your thread is asking two different things IMO. Building muscle is kinda old school depending on what you’re trying to do (strongman/bodybuilder). Varying types of ways to do that and all have been mentioned above by folks.

    Rehab is different, which has also been mentioned above, light weights/bands and work the muscle till fatigued, then take a break so you don’t re-injure yourself.

    Coming off double cervical fusions, the biggest issue I had was my ego and things not moving quickly enough. I loved loading the bar and feeling all of the weight move and could no longer do it. It took months to get back and it was frustrating, depressing and quite honestly I was giving up on my MO’s requests. Once I settled my mind to taking the time required, I’m now better than I was and I’m 53 now.
    Good luck!
     
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  19. :stupid:

    That was the first thing I thought when I read the title.

    They are two different things, and should be addressed differently.

    It will be hard to build muscle while trying to rehabilitate an injury (at least in the area(s) you are rehabilitating).

    Regardless of your age, the physiology of muscle building is the same. Pushing yourself in the gym causes minuscule tears in the muscle fibers. When they recover (which requires proper nutrition) they become bigger and stronger.

    It’s the body’s self-preservation method. You were “hurt” doing an activity, so the body responds by adapting your muscles to repeat that activity without being “hurt”, by becoming stronger.

    That process is the same whether you are 20 years old or 60 years old.
     
    Once a Wanker.. likes this.
  20. Actually, yes (although I wouldn’t do it in the shoulder).

    Seeing an Endocrinologist was going to be my next suggestion.

    After the age of 40 your testosterone starts dropping between 1-3% a year (on average). That doesn’t seem like too much, but with you being in your 50’s, you could be producing 30+% less testosterone.

    Everything that we think of when we say “getting old” is largely a result of reduced testosterone.

    Loss of muscle mass and bone density, fatigue, depression and a reduced feeling of “well being”, reduced brain function, lower red blood count, increased body fat, decreased energy, decreased metabolism, hair loss, reduced sex drive, trouble sleeping…

    ALL of the shit people just say are just “part of getting old” is caused by the reduction of testosterone.

    That is easily remedied by visiting an Endocrinologist and getting your hormones in check.

    Fuck “growing old gracefully”. To hell with that. I’d rather try to stay young and fit as long as possible.
     
    AJ, cortezmachine, Brian_J and 2 others like this.

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