Serious opinions?

[Jaakoppi]

I turned 40 last month and I've been training over 20 years but first years were training now or then without proper nutrition doing mostly bench and upper body. After years everything got better with training and nutrition and lets say last 10 years I've been eating a mainly same healthy foods.

I have anabolic history witch I cycled couple of years. Nothing superior happened though. I was a bit bigger and stronger that's it even with tren mixed up.

Now I've been without roids several years. My bloods are fine but overall test has always been low but nothing wrong with boners nor libido and I can get some strength to the certain point BUT I just can't gain any muscle and tried to focuse getting specially legs bigger but can't help it.

I'm 5'7.5 and about 182 lbs and with about 18% fat percentage. Yeah I know I've never been so talented getting muscles, more like strength.

I've been eatin like 300 grams carbs a day, 160 proteins and low fats 50/80 grams/day.

I just feel tired or plugged at least day after a gym session and been thinking this is just insane, should I just switch to ****n badminton.

Should I slowly cut? Eat more? Do more cardio? Sleep more? Something wrong with training? Always able to train hard 3-4 times/week.

[air2fakie]

Not what you're going to want to hear after 20 years of training, but from your post above you sound like you've never run a proper lifting program of any kind.

And if you've been natural for a few years without much strength or muscle, I doubt you're 5-7, 182 & 18% bf.

[TolerantLactose]

What do you squat and bench?

[weiss1967]

I turned 40 last month and I've been training over 20 years

... I've never been so talented getting muscles, more like strength.

..

So we have a noob with 20 years of lifting experience. Jaakopi, you made two mistakes in one sentence : 1) "talent for building muscle" does not exist. 2) you could not be getting strength without a muscle.

[Jaakoppi]

Not what you're going to want to hear after 20 years of training, but from your post above you sound like you've never run a proper lifting program of any kind.

And if you've been natural for a few years without much strength or muscle, I doubt you're 5-7, 182 & 18% bf.

Why would I lie. I'm 171cm and 82kg with about 18% bodyfat.

My BP is something like 145-150kg. Depends on how much I concentrate doing BP. I've been doing just incline and flat bench with dumbells with 40-45kg reps 8-12.

Never tried squat PR because of back problems but it could be somewhere 160-170kg. Legs are slagging mostly due to small calves and whole back chain actually.

[air2fakie]

Why would I lie. I'm 171cm and 82kg with about 18% bodyfat.

My BP is something like 145-150kg. Depends on how much I concentrate doing BP. I've been doing just incline and flat bench with dumbells with 40-45kg reps 8-12.

Never tried squat PR because of back problems but it could be somewhere 160-170kg. Legs are slagging mostly due to small calves and whole back chain actually.

I didn't say you "lied". I just doubt you're 18% bf at your height & weight because I know what that would look like - you wouldn't be lean but you'd have plenty of muscle. You're probably fatter than you think with muscle underneath, so you probably just need to do a slow cut until you start to get some definition.

But do whatever you feel will work for you best as you know what you look like, and what your training history has been for 20 years.

[OGfrom06]

If you don’t squat heavy, legs won’t grow. Simple as that.

Have you looked into TRT?

[mtpockets]

If you don’t squat heavy, legs won’t grow. Simple as that.

This is simply not true....

Many have had good results with lower weight higher rep squats...

I ran an experiment in the 80's where I did only lower weight High Rep routines for a year and had great results.



Other than that I have always incorporated both heavy and lower weight leg routines... Currently doing PPL rotating Heavy low rep/lighter weight higher rep..

[OGfrom06]

This is simply not true....

Many have had good results with lower weight higher rep squats...

I ran an experiment in the 80's where I did only lower weight High Rep routines for a year and had great results.



Other than that I have always incorporated both heavy and lower weight leg routines... Currently doing PPL rotating Heavy low rep/lighter weight higher rep..

Some would say the bar is "low weight".

No amount of squatting with the bar will be sufficient to maximize hypertrophy though.

I am erring on the safe side.

[Jaakoppi]

If you don’t squat heavy, legs won’t grow. Simple as that.

Have you looked into TRT?

Doctors in here wont let me do TRT and I feel such fine. There must flood some test in my veins bcause SHBG levels are fine though.

Of course aging can bring that issue in front of me in the future.

[mtpockets]

Some would say the bar is "low weight".

No amount of squatting with the bar will be sufficient to maximize hypertrophy though.

I am erring on the safe side.

Oh FFS.....Of course it wont...


You are still wrong in your original statement below.

If you don’t squat heavy, legs won’t grow. Simple as that.

[Jaakoppi]

I didn't say you "lied". I just doubt you're 18% bf at your height & weight because I know what that would look like - you wouldn't be lean but you'd have plenty of muscle. You're probably fatter than you think with muscle underneath, so you probably just need to do a slow cut until you start to get some definition.

But do whatever you feel will work for you best as you know what you look like, and what your training history has been for 20 years.

Lets say that I want to look a bit leaner but at the same time my legs need to grow (calves, hamstrings).

I don't squat with normal bar anymore but with a safety bar resting in my back and grip is on the bar in front of me (like doing a pendulum) and my back problems are gone. I've be doing it with 130-140kgs and reps 8-12, but not every week, cycling with leg press or reverse hack.

I dont use regular bar in deadlifts anymore neither but trap bar and both of these have been fine for my back. I've been rarely doing deadlifts.

[x-trainer ben]

I turned 40 last month and I've been training over 20 years but first years were training now or then without proper nutrition doing mostly bench and upper body. After years everything got better with training and nutrition and lets say last 10 years I've been eating a mainly same healthy foods.

I have anabolic history witch I cycled couple of years. Nothing superior happened though. I was a bit bigger and stronger that's it even with tren mixed up.

Now I've been without roids several years. My bloods are fine but overall test has always been low but nothing wrong with boners nor libido and I can get some strength to the certain point BUT I just can't gain any muscle and tried to focuse getting specially legs bigger but can't help it.

I'm 5'7.5 and about 182 lbs and with about 18% fat percentage. Yeah I know I've never been so talented getting muscles, more like strength.

I've been eatin like 300 grams carbs a day, 160 proteins and low fats 50/80 grams/day.

I just feel tired or plugged at least day after a gym session and been thinking this is just insane, should I just switch to ****n badminton.

Should I slowly cut? Eat more? Do more cardio? Sleep more? Something wrong with training? Always able to train hard 3-4 times/week.

Personally i would *shock my system* with a new high volume (20 sets+ per body part for 3 weeks) program and pre workout drinks for energy (Bucked Up).
40 is not old unless......... your mind is old, and cardio is... needed for oxygenation; focus on *60% of max* lifting poundage until you get used to high volume training.
As i age, i find that a blend of cardio and volume training works better than joint straining routines.
Best of luck with what you decide.

[air2fakie]

Lets say that I want to look a bit leaner but at the same time my legs need to grow (calves, hamstrings).

I don't squat with normal bar anymore but with a safety bar resting in my back and grip is on the bar in front of me (like doing a pendulum) and my back problems are gone. I've be doing it with 130-140kgs and reps 8-12, but not every week, cycling with leg press or reverse hack.

I dont use regular bar in deadlifts anymore neither but trap bar and both of these have been fine for my back. I've been rarely doing deadlifts.

If you don’t do DLs, you should be doing RDLs (or similar movement) and leg curls if you’re looking to grow your hamstrings. Do them at least 2x/week with your squat variations.

Your calves kinda are what they are for most people. They can grow harder and slightly bigger within their current shell, but you aren’t going to get tree trunk or bulging calves if they’re naturally skinny.

[Jaakoppi]

Personally i would *shock my system* with a new high volume (20 sets+ per body part for 3 weeks) program and pre workout drinks for energy (Bucked Up).
40 is not old unless......... your mind is old, and cardio is... needed for oxygenation; focus on *60% of max* lifting poundage until you get used to high volume training.
As i age, i find that a blend of cardio and volume training works better than joint straining routines.
Best of luck with what you decide.

This sounds worth of trying atleast.

I've done more and more cardio year after year bcause I noticed I was going to be in bad cardiovascular shape and that might be a reason for my leg growth too?

Anyway my cardiovascular shape is better now and getting better. Little bit of running, cycling, walking. Treadmill or crosstrainer after workouts heartrate 100-120 /min and 10 mins per session.

Maybe I just focuse on more cardio now but at the same time train hard and eat a lot. I'm not so excited to start cutting now.

Thanks!

[Jaakoppi]

If you don’t do DLs, you should be doing RDLs (or similar movement) and leg curls if you’re looking to grow your hamstrings. Do them at least 2x/week with your squat variations.

Your calves kinda are what they are for most people. They can grow harder and slightly bigger within their current shell, but you aren’t going to get tree trunk or bulging calves if they’re naturally skinny.

I agree. I should start to do more RDLs. My wrists and knees have always been thin and I was slim build when I was young.

Thanks

[LWW]

Some would say the bar is "low weight".

No amount of squatting with the bar will be sufficient to maximize hypertrophy though.

I am erring on the safe side.

Have you tried an agonizing routine of squatting just the bar to prove this? If not, I think you better........

Heavy squats do absolutely build a massive azz.

[Paul Kreul]

pics or gtfo op. no homo

[LWW]

More on why squatting heavy is overrated.

Both these guys are saying squats are the best, but they ain’t squatting with anything near heavy now or dead lifting.

There are very few modern day hero’s who are still squatting heavy in older age.

Is it really worth it, just to show a vid on how badazz your squat is? For me, no I’d rather be able to squat every day.

I promise you’ll never see a skinny pencil neck squatting under 100# for 100 reps. It may be light, but you’ll never see stick legs doing that!!!

https://youtu.be/gyQJkC5hOwQ

[Jaakoppi]

Some swear for heavy squats. Well what do you think with heavy weights on squats and doing hard sets to failure EVERY time or just last set on failure? I think it's getting hard on nervous system to push big movemets on failure every time.

[marinevet63031]

I turned 40 last month and I've been training over 20 years but first years were training now or then without proper nutrition doing mostly bench and upper body. After years everything got better with training and nutrition and lets say last 10 years I've been eating a mainly same healthy foods.

I have anabolic history witch I cycled couple of years. Nothing superior happened though. I was a bit bigger and stronger that's it even with tren mixed up.

Now I've been without roids several years. My bloods are fine but overall test has always been low but nothing wrong with boners nor libido and I can get some strength to the certain point BUT I just can't gain any muscle and tried to focuse getting specially legs bigger but can't help it.

I'm 5'7.5 and about 182 lbs and with about 18% fat percentage. Yeah I know I've never been so talented getting muscles, more like strength.

I've been eatin like 300 grams carbs a day, 160 proteins and low fats 50/80 grams/day.

I just feel tired or plugged at least day after a gym session and been thinking this is just insane, should I just switch to ****n badminton.

Should I slowly cut? Eat more? Do more cardio? Sleep more? Something wrong with training? Always able to train hard 3-4 times/week.

You are a little more on the bodyfat scale. I know, I have began a slow cut. I am 5'6, I weighed 180. I am down 8 pounds and things are beginning to happen marginally.

Here is the thing, do super sets. At 40 your metabolism changes etc. So change with it.

[Jaakoppi]

You are a little more on the bodyfat scale. I know, I have began a slow cut. I am 5'6, I weighed 180. I am down 8 pounds and things are beginning to happen marginally.

Here is the thing, do super sets. At 40 your metabolism changes etc. So change with it.

Nice to hear bro. I think I'll make it happen but not yet (cutting).Tried to get better in cardiovascular shape now, but train heavy aswell but not too much and keep calorie intake high enough.

[marinevet63031]

Nice to hear bro. I think I'll make it happen but not yet (cutting).Tried to get better in cardiovascular shape now, but train heavy aswell but not too much and keep calorie intake high enough.

My slow cut is not intentional at this point, it is just my body's natural reaction. I've never liked the terms heavy training or light training. The thing is, if a weight is challenging at 3/4 of the intended reps then it is heavy. That is if you are using good technique and form. Good on you for keeping your calories high, success will come. Just be patient.