Need suggestions for building Muscle Mass

[jimmytavino 16]

I had rotator cuff surgery in Nov...
the Doctor said, the tear was massive, lots of fraying and retraction of the cuff. etc etc...
He spent time to do procedures he had not expected to do. and only did some,,, of what he planned to do.
Anyway. I HAVE been doing P T since 5 days after surgery, stretching and resistance excersizes...
Yet i still feel very weak...They ( the therapists) tell me I have to 'build the muscles back up" ...
Is there any certain diet or food group which I should consider, which helps in muscle growth???
Protien??? supplements???... My days of dreaming about professional Baseball are LONG gone so even steroids might be an answer.....
No one seems to be able to help me...
I was weak going into the surgery,, having dislocated the shoulder in July,, but at least before the surgery I could still raise my hand over my head....
Right now ,, I can't... I'm in my early 50's and not at ALL ready to become an "old man"...
any ideas??? I am willing to work at it, as I have been doing now, for a while...
..any suggestions??

skydive softly skydive often skydive with friends

[sid 1]

from one "old man" to another Jimmy T try Monster Fuel
http://monsters.fm/monsters_monsterfuel.html

I lost a lot of weight, then started doing tandems, needed to beef back up and I've used some monster fuel, it works good in a shake with some banana and a little yogurt.

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[littlejohn 0]

my suggestion would be alot of protein and work out very slowly with a little bit of time youll be back up in no time

death before dishonor

[cocheese 0]

Two words: Manual labor.

If you're going to break a sweat, you should get paid for it. Or you could do a home improvement project. Pizza and beer or chocolate and all the vegetables you can take.

[unformed 0]

i've been on a muscle mass diet and have read quite a bit up on it. pm me if you want more info, but here's the gist:

your body constantly wants to break down, especially when you work out hard and when you sleep.

protein prevents this, so you need to be taking in a lot of protein constantly. i eat 40g of protein six times a day, in the form of a protein shake. buy your own whey protein isolate (100% protein, so sugar, carbs, etc, and make your own shake)

the most important times are:
1) right before you go to sleep (body likes to break down muscles during sleep)
2) immediately after waking up (since you've been eight hours without any intake)
2) an hour and a half before working out (since muscle likes to break down when worked hard)
3) immediately after working out (to prevent breaking down and promote growth)

there's additional factors as well that promote growth. you want a carb boost immediately after working out (i can explain why but there's a lot more detail involved) ... i normally take 100g of carbs about an hour after working out. (you can get pure carbs at a workout nutrition place as well)

you want about 40-50g of carbs at each meal except at night, where you want minimal amounts. this is because carbs give energy, which you want working out and throughout the day, but if they're not used, they get translated to fat (when you're sleeping)

for supplements, you don't need to take the fancy stuff. stick to what's tried and true. men's multi-vitamins and creatine monohydrate work well.

if you don't want to deal with protein shakes, a friend of mine swears by milk and peanut butter, which is essentially the same. personally, i just prefer to know exactly what i'm taking in.

the other important thing is not to work out every day. your body needs rest to rebuild. three days a week is fine. (i can send you the workout plan i was given as well if you want.)

on this diet and workout, i gained 20 lbs of mostly muscle (there will always be some fat) as well as gained a lot of strength within two months. i'm 24 and still growing so it'll probably take you a little longer, but still no problem if done right.

just don't overexert yourself.

This ad space for sale.

[Ashtanga 0]

Quote

Need suggestions for building Muscle Mass

Steroids?

[waltappel 1]

The PT people will tell you what exercises to do for your rotator cuff.

As for the rest of you, just stick with the basics and make time for it in you schedule.

I really hate cardio, so I don't do it much, but it is great for building a high energy level.

I prefer weightlifting and if you want to put on muscle mass, weights and a good diet will really do the trick, but ease your way into it. If you have never had good training on how to work out with weights, find a really good personal trainer. Competitive bodybuilders can be excellent personal trainers and there are plenty around.

How much time per day and how many days per week are you willing to devote to it and *what* exactly do you want to accomplish?

Walt

[AlexCrowley 0]

First: Steroids - I mention it below, but DONT DO IT. You're trying to build up strength. Muscle cells gained from steroid use are of a different type than ones you'll gain naturally - they're far more liable to tear and pull - look at the idiot wrestlers on TV, the majority of their injuries are muscle tears - HELL their current champion once tore a tricep while JOGGING! scroll down for a more balanced thought or two on the subject.

First, Im not a big muscle head. As part of my wrestling training I did get into shape, but I have neither the drive or motivation to body build. My advice is based on my own experiences and the experiences of my friends and coworkers in the wrestling business at the independent level - and more than a little research into the subject.

get yourself a sports nutritionist (although I'm assuming your PT might have a good clue).

Ask at your local gym if they can recommend someone. They'll set you up with a basic diet based on your goals and track and modify the diet as you go along.

Work with a physical trainer to build you a good routine - ask the nutritionist for a referral, as that way they'll be aware of each other.

It may take some time to find the right balance of fat/carbs/protien for your metabolism, as everyone builds differently. At first you can probably get all the nutrition you need from regular food without supplementing - unless your daily routine would be easier using supplements for the occasional meal replacement.

Eating regular small meals at the right times, having a conservative but productive workout schedule and most importantly, getting enough sleep, will help you the most. Many people do great on the first two and then ignore the need for rest.

Dont overdo things, the temptation is to go crazy for a few weeks and then quit once you realize its tough to maintain over the long term.

Being among a lot of health freaks in the wrestling biz really shows you what works and what doesnt. There isnt a FAST method to do this, but you can build up pretty damn quickly if you work at it and are patient. I watched a friend spend several months tweaking his diet until he found the right combination and he started gaining quickly once he did, but his gym time is well spent and he'll train no matter how bad he feels or how busy the rest of his life is.

Short answer: there's no easy way to do this. Start conservative on your dietary and exercise expectations and stick to them religiously.

Steroids: I can't say don't do them, there's a lot of guys in the industry that are using them, even in the independents, however the health effects are pretty fucking horrific and there's no real way to know if you're going to be one of those guys that gets them. If you do decide to try a cycle or two remember that you still have to work out and you'll get better gains if you're already maxing out your current frame doing regular exercise. In nearly all the cases I'm aware of they're all guys who worked their asses off in the gym for several years and simply don't have the body type to gain naturally and are going for SIZE rather than any real fitness.

I also know of a few people who have been prescribed them to heal huge muscle tears, but the side effects are not pretty at all.

Unfortunately it'll take time to come back from the surgery, pushing things will only put you at risk of re-injuring yourself. Take things slow, get plenty of rest, listen to your body and dont over exert even though you get frustrated.

Good luck.

[and since i started writing this there's been some solid advice given above, sorry for any redundancy - ignore specific dietary advice except as a guideline, your nutritionist/PT trainer will be more aware of your requirements]

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[Nightingale 0]

Find a good nutritionist and a good personal trainer. Do what they tell you to do.

[jimmytavino 16]

..Ashtanga and AlexCrowley....
...well the steroids comment in my original post was a bit "tongue in cheek".. cause I don't really know much about them... AND i'll take your advice,, and stay far away from them...
A H. S. teacher once told Us..."hard work Rich Rewards".... so work.... I will. jmy

[wmw999 2,587]

Ya know, the first time I read your post, all I saw was the avatar, and thought to myself "I didn't know John wrestled"
Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[jimmytavino 16]

There you Go...!!! thanx unformed

that was the sort of concrete advice I'm looking for.
Numbers and times of day to take/eat certain things... Plus a realistic approach to working out... PM sent...

• Quote

[little_one 0]

I am a senior nutrition student, but that said I am not a registered dietitian yet. However, I think you really should talk to one before you start any certain diet. I have seen the super high protein diet so many times and the fact is that your body can not utilize all the protein, thus you will be excreting most of it unused. Also, with the excess protein, this most of the time causes a deficiency in other areas. While protein does help build muscle, there is a very fine line between the right amount and too much. I have done case study after case study about guys exactly in your situation. That said, since I am not licensed yet, I really think you need to talk to a registered dietitian and then your physical therapist. Together they will be able to give the you the step by step program you desire. Good Luck and if you are in Texas, I can recommend some wonderful sports nutritionist.

When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

[jimmytavino 16]

Roger that little_one and thanks also to nightingale
for similar advice...... which I will heed..
I'm a little over 100 days since surgery and maybe getting a bit impatient,,, so I will kick my expectations down a notch,,, follow the advice from friends here at DZ dotcom and hope to report improvement,, as time goes by...
jimmy. Team member World record Night POPS 15 way...

• Quote

[cloudseeker2001 0]

Kinda of funny. 20 years ago when I started weight training at the age of 14, the gym had 2 personal trainers who were not only starving to death, but had to clean the toilets as well.....This was a Golds Gym too. Within the last few months I have spent more time in the gym than I have in 8 years and I am amazed how personal trainers have taken over. Why learn to train yourself, when you can pay someone!

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[unformed 0]

yeah definitely second, or third, getting a pt/nutritionist ... the numbers i gave work for me and my weight and i just wanted to give a general idea, that you constantly need nutrients .... but you need to figure out your numbers through someone who knows ...

also, patience ... these things take time ... someone told me once that the average 32 year old can gain a maximum of 10 pounds of muscle per year, without using steroids. ... and on top of that, you're coming off an injury ...

This ad space for sale.

[DrewGPM 0]

Quote

...the fact is that your body can not utilize all the protein, thus you will be excreting most of it unused. ...

Is there any research available that might help me estimate how much protien my body can process before you start excreting unused protien?

I've seen daily protien intake recommedations of 0.5 - 1.25g of protien per pound of lean muscle mass...depending on how active you are. I've always wondered how realistic those numbers are.

Yes, I know that I should ask a registered dietician...but I like to research this stuff on my own.

[AlexCrowley 0]

Everyone is different.

Go see a sports nutritionist and discuss your requirements.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[AlexCrowley 0]

John is my alter ego.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.