About to throw the towel in after almost 20 years....

[VictorZ06]

As many of you guys know, I'm suffering from severe back issues. Back issues that can really cause me some permanent damage if I'm not careful. As most of us know, if you can't squat or dead lift....you really are not going to grow that much. I know this from personal experience and it's a fact. I can not put pressure on my back, and that limits me on what I can and can not do in the gym. In a nut shell....I can no longer do half the shit I used to be able to do in the gym without insane pain and the use of strong pain killers. I'm more or less fucked.

I worked almost 20 years to get the body I have, and as each week passes, I see all those years of hard gains starting to disappear. And it breaks my heart. Running cycles with 2-3gr of oil is now just a waste. I've been trying for the past 8 months or so to try different methods/programs to keep my gains...but without the proper training, it can't happen. I am going to lose what I gained no matter what. Sure, I could take the risk of squatting, dead lifting, leg pressing, etc....but in doing so, I could very well end up in a wheel chair for the rest of my life. There are some risky surgeries that I can try, but even the doctors told me they are all risky and NONE of them are 100%. I hit a max of 278 in my life, now I'm floating in the 230 region and my bf% is climbing.

In short, I will be cruising on a low dose of test and about 250mg of deca every week, just to help with my joints and my bones. And I will still be taking GH, I just won't be using slin and IGF in conjunction with it. I am going to have to lead a completely different lifestyle from here on in.

Fuck...I, I don't even know what I'm going to do with my arsenal of gear, AI, SERMS, etc. I just picked up a couple hundred hits of proviron because I run that shit at 150mg ED. I finally made the decision to do all that I can to keep my gains to the best of my ability with LIGHT workouts. I will continue to go hard where my back is not effected....but most every movement puts stress on my back.

All my problems aside, I will still be here and I will still do my best to help out the community to the best of my ability. I'm ever so sad I have to make this call....but I don't want to risk not being able to walk for the rest of my life. I want to start a family one day, my wife and I want to have kids soon.....and if my back snaps.....well, what the fuck kind of father will I be sitting from a wheelchair? So, all I will be doing is GH, test, and deca. And as for all my gear, I don't know what I'm going to do with it all. Maybe give some away to my boys on their birthdays or give some to my clients. Later guys.....




/V

 

[SoCalSwole]

Wow this is sad. You know your body best and also what doctors are saying. I don't know the extent of your back issues or how old you are. Perhaps in the next few years they will come up with something to rejuvenate disks so you could get back in the game. This really hits home because I too have back issues and have several compressed disks that I have been able to keep stretched out using gravity boots and yoga as much as possible to keep me in the game. Recently I started going fairly heavy again on squats and deads because the back felt good and Im using near perfect form but I know its just a matter of time for me as well. Wish you all the best!

 

[ratedR]

Vic sorry to here this bro, you have helped us all on here. When back issues start that's when u have to call it quits. I will say this though, my dad's friend was a couch/bed potato because of his back back pain. Could barely walk or do anything without severe pain. Idk the severity of his condition at the time but he did opt for back surgery. A few weeks after surgery, he was walking and pain free. If you'd like I can find out what his back issue was exactly and who did his surgery if you are thinking of going down that road some day. I think the surgeon was in NYC I believe. Best of luck.

 

[KILLEROFSAINTS]

plenty of huge guys dont squat or deadlift


dex doesnt do deads


dorian never squatted

 

[skinnyguy180]

Vic ain't quitting....... Lifters gotta lift.

 

[raysd21]

Gotta take care of the spine. My dad hurt his neck on the job as a plumber. Stiffness turned into mild pain. Mild pain turned into minor loss of feeling. That turned into his whole left side being paralyzed. Had a surgeory. Was better for a few years. Just came right back. Spinal Stenosis, calcium build up in the spine that slowly compresses and basically crushes the nerves.

Anyway good luck staying healthy.

 

[BIGBEN2011]

i have all way like vic we have done some buss before .but dude you can look good and not squat or dead lift i am a big dude or look good i do no squats or deads. but i still work every body part legs,chest,arms,back,shoulders and cardio and abs i tan take mt2 and gears .no i can not and dont want to go pro or even do a show but i still look good feel good and turn down at least 2 or 3 girls a day and even more guys i think guys like this look more than women but any ways my wife give me pussy every day at least 1 or 2 a day every day for the last 17 years.and yes i have a bad back i was hooked on pain pills i now take suboxone low dose.do every thing balls to the wall but squat and dead lift for 1 year and if you are not happy idk i will send you 100 bucks money pak .ok dude dont give up

 

[VictorZ06]

Thanks for the kind words guys. But after doing some math, I can no longer do about 80% of motions I used to do when I was training. There is no way I can get back close to 50 lbs. of LBM. I can use all the AAS, GH, Slin, and IGF in the world....and I'll just become fat. I am working extra hard on the things that I can do in the gym, but I still see the hard earned mass slowly start to go away. And this has also been a major mind fuck for me....I don't know what to do with myself. I have seen doctors ALL OVER THE WORLD, and some say one thing, and others say another. I always thought an MRI was an MRI and what it shows is what it is. No. I was told by 5 doctors that I have these conditions....

spondylolisthesis
lumbar radiculopathy
scoliosis
degenerative disk desease
hip deterioration (because of prolonged limp in my walk)
nerve damage
2 ruptured disks
spina bifida
spinal stenosis

I know I was born with some of these conditions and I doubt I have ALL of them, I know during my MMA days I received some nasty injuries. I wake up in my sleep with tears in my eyes brothers. I've done traction, MBB injections, epidurals, etc. Nothing has helped. I walk with a limp, and am on an array of pain killers. I didn't bring this up so you guys can feel sorry for me....I just wanted to you guys to know that back injuries are not to be taken lightly. I always see guys working out without a belt, I beg of you....wear the fuckn belt and learn proper form.

My option is to fill my back with metal disks, screws, nuts, bolts, and cages. And yes, one TINY little slip of the hand and I'm rolling on two wheels for the rest of my life. I won't roll that dice. I'll take the meds and deal with the fuckn pain. But in no fuckn way will I risk not walking again. Peace fellas....God bless you all.




/V

 

[heckler7]

sorry to hear this Vic, hope things improve for you

 

[prop01]

Sorry to hear Victor . Your future health is more important than having an awesome body . Do what is best for you in the long run .
Best of luck .

 

[dagambd]

Sorry to hear this too. Stay strong. You have support here. Do what is best for you and your family.

 

[MDR]

Vic,
I'm sorry to hear your back issues have gotten to this point. It can take a real toll emotionally to have to give up such a big part of your life in such a major way. I had major back surgery a few years back, and I've had to face the reality that I will never be able to train the way I used to. I lifted as a powerlifter for most of my adult life, and giving up deadlifts and squats, along with any exercises that put stress on my back was a huge challenge. You are one of the guys that I've always looked up to on the forums; you always help people and have a great deal of patience with those who seem unwilling to listen to vets like yourself or act disrespectfully. Hope that you are able to keep training and you can stay healthy without multiple surgeries. Hang in there and know that you are making the right decision for yourself and those who care about you. Nothing is worth living your life in a wheelchair. Best wishes and many thanks for all you have shared on many forums over the years. You are a class act all the way.
Best-MDR

 

[Big Puppy]

Good luck dude. Wish we could help

 

[ROID]

Unfortunate.

One door closes another opens.

Sent from The Mothership

 

[KelJu]

That really sucks man! I hope you come back from your injuries. I know it is a long shot, both my moth and brother have had spinal surgeies, so I know how serious that issue is. I am much younger than you and I am going through similar shit. Because of my shitty insurance I have to wait until January to get my own issues addressed, so I can relate. I have some serious hatred towards the powers that be or not be over the weakness of the human body plus a little hatred at myself for falling in love with something that seems to keep me fucked up about 4 months out of every year.

We work so god damn hard only to watch what we have built be destroyed, and it happens over and over in some sick cycle of production and self destruction. I hope that 6 months from now I see that you are doing better. You and I may never be able to be at out peak, but maybe we can find happiness in being the best we can be instead of the best we will ever be. Good luck man!

 

[dieseljimmy]

Unfortunate.

One door closes another opens.

Sent from The Mothership

Sorry vic
it's hard to watch your passion slip away. Who knows this might be the universes way of giving you some else. Take the passion and energy to used in bb and reapply it to something new. A business venture, help a cause, follow through on interests that you didn't have time for... don't let this take the wind of your sails, know you did your best and did more then most dream.
Best wishes

 

[l69lou]

Dear Brother reading this is enough to make any of us cry . You have always been one of my fav members on this board and I can only imagine what you are going through mentally at this point . But I can relate . 11 years ago I was diagnosed with terminal cancer , a rare blood cancer and it was either a bone marrow transplant or 1.5 years of RICE chemo which would take me down to a skelaton of a man compared to what I was . I was in total shock . The night before I started chemo , it was late on a Sunday night I went to do what would be my last WO . I did arms and after the last set I just dropped the BB and took a good look around and walked out thining I would never see the inside of a gym again . I didn't for almost 7 years . To make a very long story short I am still here . About 4 years ago I was fat and had man boobs and was so disgusted with myself I joined a gym . I can't even believe what has happened since then . ALL of the muscle came back and I am now 274 and about 11% BF. My point is this right now you may think one thing will happen and there is no other alternative . But God has a very strange way of working in this life . You may have a very hard road for a while but I think you will be amazed at some point at what actually unfolded for youy friend . I can't say if Bbing is in your future but whatever turns out will be a beautiful fullfillment of your journey in this life . Sounds like you have a loving wife who is there for you no matter what , that's more than many of us right there . Cling to her and take care of yourself and have faith . This will work out . I will be praying for you both .

 

[ctr10]

your the best Vic

 

[IronAddict]

Awe man, I feel your pain! Don't stop Vic, just take it easy now. You can never leave the gym and the gym ain't gonna leave you either....

Yeah, you will not be able to give it 100% every workout anymore, just work around those issues. I have now for years... You're dedicated! What are you going to do now? Drink beer, eat cake and get soft? That's not going to happen. You're not going to let that happen. You may say you're going to stop but you'll still get in the gym to at least sweat a little.

 

[Rayjay1]

Sorry to hear this Vic. I have had injuries and understand how hopeless you can feel. But it's not hopeless. Channel your passion into something new and good. Maybe you will find more joy in what you move on to. Don't give up on the gym. Take caused of yourself. But being huge isn't the most important thing in the world

 

[raysd21]

Sorry to hear this Vic. I have had injuries and understand how hopeless you can feel. But it's not hopeless. Channel your passion into something new and good. Maybe you will find more joy in what you move on to. Don't give up on the gym. Take caused of yourself. But being huge isn't the most important thing in the world

Bite your tongue you vagabond!

 

[World-Pharma.org]

plenty of huge guys dont squat or deadlift


dex doesnt do deads


dorian never squatted

i am that guy too..not even lift hard!!!! never do 6-8 reps last 2 years!!!! i am too old now.

 

[VictorZ06]

You guys are making me feel like I'm going away. I'm not. I'll probably be on the board more often living vicariously thru you guys. I can still work most of my arms and some of my chest. My chest did get smaller, and my arms got a little smaller...but I think if I work them hard enough I can keep what I have. My legs have lost a lot...I look like one of those guys you see at the gym that works his upper body and pays no mind to his legs. I used to see that shit and just shake my head. Ha...that's now me. Trying to add more mass without having my bf% raise more than what it has. I think for the first time in God knows how many years....I'm in the double digits. I was going to jump into the hydrostatic tank the other day, but I didn't want to see the results.

This whole thing has been fucking with my mind more than anything....I'm pissed, I'm always in a bad fuckn mood, I'm aggressive, I take shit out on my friends who mean no harm. I've made good on all that shit and I'm doing my best to keep myself occupied with other things. I just really don't know what to do with my time....my body just doesn't feel right not going to the gym. I can't eat as much....I used to down between 5-7K calories a day. I'm lucky if I can put down 3K now. Forgive me for venting guys, really....I know this is not the place for this.

I just want to say that I will continue to help those who I am helping, and I'm not going anywhere. I will continue to contribute where and when I can, and I will do all that I can to help. If you see me repeating myself or talking jiberish, those are the pain meds talking. That's another problem I'm having where my docs don't want to give me enough pain meds to ease the pain. Fuckn docs....they want me to do the surgeries to collect $$$ from the insurance rather than give me the proper dose of pain meds. They want me to suffer so I say, "fuck it....I can't deal with it anymore, cut me open". Fuck that!

Again, I'm not going anywhere. I appreciate all the kind words and support you guys have given me. And thank you for all the private messages I received. I will get around to answering each and every one of them. Love to all, God bless.



/V

 

[VictorZ06]

But being huge isn't the most important thing in the world

It really has nothing to do with being huge (well....for the most part). It's upsetting watching many years of hard work just fade away. What bothers me most is the change in lifestyle that I have to make. Hitting the gym hard and relaxing there after was like a drug...a drug I am no longer able to get a "fix" from.




/V

 

[Mudge]

dex doesnt do deads

Phil Hernon is anti-deadlift too. While I like a bentover row or something, as I've aged, I've had to rely on volume and 'feel' and pump and bodybuilder kind of terms like that rather than just big heavy weights like I was used to when I was under 30. I fcked up my neck pretty badly late last year on a back day, where I trained neck as well, I woke up basically screaming in pain. I couldn't really turn my head properly for about 12 weeks.

My sister has an issue with slipped discs, and since I've had lower back problems since I was 11 (I was kicked once so hard I slide across the floor and my glasses flew off my face) I have always been careful, but Prince, and others, as we've gotten older training just has to change.

As for running 2-3g of gear, well... I've never been that high, but I find I can maintain enough with very low doses and just longer training (almost sounds contradictory). I don't look at this as a death sentence, just that things change, and I'd rather adapt than quit. I used to train through colds so bad I couldn't breathe through my nose! When its a part of you, you do something, even if its not repping with 4+ plates.

 

[1bbigger]

It's sad to heard that brother, but you are making the right choice there is more than bodybuilding and a family will occupied a lot of your time to get your mind you limitation spend as much time as you can with your loved ones. With all the knowlage and expirience you have you can helping people coaching them and still do what you love.

You will be in my prayers to find the streinght to keep pushing forward.

 

[Rayjay1]

It really has nothing to do with being huge (well....for the most part). It's upsetting watching many years of hard work just fade away. What bothers me most is the change in lifestyle that I have to make. Hitting the gym hard and relaxing there after was like a drug...a drug I am no longer able to get a "fix" from.

/V

This makes perfect sense. But remember, it was never a waste. Your character has been strengthened by the commitment and consistency. Everybody gets old and soft some day.

I'm just trying to find words that might help. I have had quite a few surgeries and have lost the activities that I once loved the most. The adjustment is extremely difficult but it gets better as you get used to what you can and cannot do. Keep searching for new things to love and maybe you'll land on something even better. I cannot do as much with my legs as I would like, but I have found that I love bicycling. if that is bothersome also, possibly a recumbent bike? Swimming? etc etc.

Best wishes is really what I mean to say. You'll be alright just refocus

 

[Mike Arnold]

Brother, it makes me sad to hear this.

As disappointed as you are, I think you may not be thinking things through fully. For one, anyone can grow without squatting or deadlifting. The belief that those 2 exercises ae necessry to get bug oir continue making progress is a myth. Quite frankly, I can't belivee it has survived as long as it has. Will someone be able to gainmaximum thickness in their erectors without deads? Probably not, but the erectors are of lesser importance to someone's overall apperance and impression of size than many other muscles. Dorian Yates had one of, if not the bst back of all time, and he never spent a lot of time doing heavy deads, relatively speaking. 450 lbs is about as heavy as he ever went and he did them at the end of his workout. Certainly, all his rows, pulldowns, and shrugs were much more instrumental in building his lats, traps, and all the other upper-back muscles. Look at Haney--no deads he he had a great back. the point here is that while you may not be able to develope every area of your back to its maximum, you can still have a massive, very impressive back.

Same with squats. Many guys have built killer quads with leg presses and hacks. Now, if you can't do stuff leg presses or stiff-leg deads either...and you basically have to rely on leg extensions and curls, then there is no way you will be able to maintain all your leg mass, but you may be surprised by how much you can "maintain" with those exercises if you train them hard enough. Once you already have the mass, it is much easier to maintain, even with inferior exercises.

At this stage in your development, free weights are not necessary for havinga great physique. There are many, many great machines out there which target the muscle with precision and work it very hard. It is all about how much stress we can place on the muscle, regardless of whether it is a free weight, cable, or machine. In your situation, you are going to have to really focus on the mind-musce connection, whch is what we should all be doing anyway.

In addition, once you have already built your mass, moderate and in some cases even light weights are sufficient for maintaining that mass, especially when combined with an excellent mind-muscle connection and various intensity technqiues. There are lots of way to get a muscle to repomnd. We are not limited solely to heavy, free weights.

At this point you will have to change your entire training mentality, but I am confident that, as long as you are able to find at least one decent alternative for the exercises you can no longer do, that you will be able to do FAR more for your physique than you are giving yourself credit for. I realize the situation is not ideal, but you are experienced enough to overcome adversity. Things won't be perfect, but they can still be a hell of a lot better than total defeat.

 

[Linuxian]

I feel ya bro. I'm heading in the same direction with spinal stenosis. My fingers are a little numb and my peck on that side is out of whack. I fucking hate getting old!!! To be honest, it's outright terrifying!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BIGBEN2011]

getting old is not for the weak.