In my opinion . . .
I don’t think there is a ‘set’ age, a one size fits all answer but I think there are some
guidelines to help you with this: building or retaining a lean, healthy muscular mass.
A goal shared by all of us who life weights or compete.
We are all able to increase the size of a muscle with our without anabolics up to a
certain age (you pick the age). It is relative; inconsistent but an unavoidable factor.
And at that age, at best, we are able to maintain the muscle we have built.
Beyond that age, utterly regardless of that we so we will lose muscular mass. It is
unavoidable regardless of what you do, how you work out, or what you ‘take’.
It is governed by evolution and your own biology, which is shared by all others as
we age.
If you know what you are doing with anabolics (I don’t and very very few people do)
then they will work up to a certain point, beyond that they do more harm than good
in my opinion as the place an unnecessary burden on the body, thereby diminishing
progress and preventing the desired effect as observed by the unfortunate results of
many here. And furthermore, such extreme (you define, not me) behavior in others;
either now, or when they get older they will be wishing they never picked up the needle.
Hell, this forum is, shall I say, mostly dominated talk of drug usage (which has zero
correlation to being ‘hardcore’ . . that is a fantasy) and it’s side effects.
To finally (sorry) get around to answering you original question, personally, I would
never cycle after the age of 50 but rather try keeping all you blood work within limits.
And I would never, ever do any other anabolics, GH or insulin (more on that later).
When I started TRT, which is another other story (having never ‘done’ another anabolic
before or since . . . search the forum for my experiences , it does, I think, make for
some interesting reading). I think around that age one could do worse than focusing
on your health with the least amount of which most are completely unnecessary and
give you nothing more than expensive urine if your diet is balanced from whole natural,
unprocessed foods in moderation.
Get lean, eat as little as possible and if you train wisely, you will maintain a remarkable
amount of muscular mass when contrasted to your previously existing ‘set point’ all
the while being mindful and fully expecting a small decline with the passing of time.
I think you will not only look better now but feel better and be much healthier; i.e.,
the absence of disease (disease, which I think GH fosters as a function of time if above
your individual guidelines). Yes, you can do that on TRT.
You could not pay me enough money to try insulin or HG. Not now, not yesterday,
not tomorrow. Never. Too many ‘future’ unknowns in my opinion. I am simply not
amenable to the ‘grief to gross ratio’ as they say in brokerage business.
At age, 65, and having trained with weights longer than most members here have
probably been alive, while holding the world record for mistakes in weight training.
And while trying to be objective while looking back and at myself, now I am glad I
started testosterone at age 50 (don’t get me wrong, it has been a blessing, though
not without its ups and down which were totally my fault) as opposed to the naiveté
of my youth, I sure as hell would have abused it as I am an all or nothing person,
like a light switch . . . on or off. I am difficult to moderate, still, to this day, though
I am getting better.
And my unsolicited opinion on training at our age (I am 65) . . .
I think ‘seniors’ need more frequent workouts, not less. For each body part, 3 days
a week would be my recommendation. And while you feel you ‘may’ need more time
for recovery, you will become accustomed to this training and it won’t be an issue.
also think because of the accelerated muscular atrophy that is a normal function of
ageing your workouts need to be frequent with the intensity high with the duration
being low and the pace of your work outs brisk, as i, fast. So brief, frequent, quick
(not quick movements, controlled) and intense. I know is contrary to what most people
have been lead to believe, but this has been my experience and the experience
of others I have observed, genetic freaks happily excluded
When you are younger it is easier to hold to muscle, hence working muscle every five
to seven day (we have seen the trend) but as you age that is not the case. The longer
you wait between workouts, the more opportunity there is for muscular atrophy to
occur therefor you need more high intensity, brief, frequent work outs to stimulate
but not delve into your ability to recover which is a finite resource as you get older
regardless of what you ‘take’.
Squater, PM me if you want to talk about this (if I have not succeeded in completely
alienating you) or start another thread as I know this if off topic and I don’t want to
take your thread sideways anymore than I hope I have not already have
Sorry for the long rambling attempt to answer your question.