Bodybuilding is finally over for me...

[Arnold]

How are you planning to loose that 20 pounds of muscle? There are some fun ways to do that.

not sure if I will actually lose that much, but I plan to lose a lot of my leg size and I will do it by not training legs except for cardio and maybe some extensions and curls. my other goal is to get as lean as I can.

 

[Arnold]

THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT POSTED IN HERE WITH SUPPORT, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT!

 

[Tier]

Best of luck Rob. I turned 50 a few days ago.... 18 months back, I was rocking. With the help of a few goodies I might add Then my left elbow went awol, so I slowed down. Deadlifts that once felt great, now seem to 'tweak' my lower back. Heavy squats are a thing of the past. Lately, my left knee hurts like a bitch, and that is just from walking (need to see the ortho).

Just want to say, I can relate. You have an awesome site here! Maybe we can start a "Over the Hill, Walking Wounded" category.

I love working out, and it is getting harder to do so. We need a site like this to inspire.

You could Make an "Iron, B12, & Fiber Magazine" forum.

 

[SuperFlex]

I am 36 years old and I have been "bodybuilding" for 20 years, I have decided I am finally done with it.

As some of you know I am recovering from a pretty bad disc herniation in my lower back (L5/S1). For the past 6 weeks I have suffered more pain (mentally & physically) than ever before. I am finally getting better and I can actually get through the day without drugs, still in pain but its bearable. There is light at the end of the tunnel now!

This is my third "bad" injury in 3 years (2 back & 1 shoulders) and I am taking this one as a wake up call, obviously my body has had enough. My goal is to lose about 20lbs of muscle and get back to a 'normal physique', lean and muscular, but no bulk. I have been maintaining a lean 190lbs at 5' 7" for several years so I am thinking maybe around 165lbs, we'll see. I still plan to work-out, eat healthy, etc. but I will not be lifting heavy weights or anything like that, it will be working out for just health and fitness reasons.

Don't think I am just quitting and giving up, because that is not what I am doing. I am just quitting "bodybuilding", if that makes sense. It took me several weeks to come to this decision. I still plan on running IronMagazine and IronMaglabs, helping others, and all of that. I am just no longer going to have any focus on bodybuilding personally. I feel that if I continue on I am going to suffer more injuries, and possibly get injured to a point where I cannot recover. I have decided that my long term health is more important, and it will allow me to focus more on other things as well.

Furthermore, I am not implying that bodybuilding or lifting heavy is unhealthy, but after 20 years it does take its toll on your body, i.e. back & joints. I now understand why pro athletes typically retire in their early to mid thirties.

I just wanted to share this with everyone... Train hard and stay healthy!

Don't get down on yourself Rob. You'll be back. It's who you are...

 

[myCATpowerlifts]

not sure if I will actually lose that much, but I plan to lose a lot of my leg size and I will do it by not training legs except for cardio and maybe some extensions and curls. my other goal is to get as lean as I can.

Why do you want to lose so much mass, especially on your legs as you mentioned?

Why not just let it happen naturally while still keeping in shape?
Nothing negative here, just wondering.

 

[Arnold]

Why do you want to lose so much mass, especially on your legs as you mentioned?

Why not just let it happen naturally while still keeping in shape?
Nothing negative here, just wondering.

well, I guess I could ask the opposite...why do you people want a lot of leg mass?

I plan to let it go naturally, I don't want to do squats or leg press anymore because I am afraid that I might re-injur my back. Furthermore, I don't want the extra muscle anymore anyway, it is no longer my goal to have it, so it serves no purpose. So, this leaves leg extension and leg curls to maintain my legs at a fitness level. I am not going to go out of my way to try and shrink my legs though.

A lot of my reasoning is mental, I have spent years "worrying" about msucle mass, I am tired of it. I don't want to care anymore about muscle, if that makes sense. I want to be fit and in shape, etc. but my primary goal will no longer be how big I am, how much muscle I have, or "oh shit I missed some work-outs now my muscles are smaller"...that has been my mentality for years and I want to rid myself of this body dismorphia mindset I have.

 

[Arnold]

Don't get down on yourself Rob. You'll be back. It's who you are...

I am not down on myself at all, and no I won't.

 

[Flex]

I want to be fit and in shape, etc. but my primary goal will no longer be how big I am, how much muscle I have, or "oh shit I missed some work-outs now my muscles are smaller"...that has been my mentality for years and I want to rid myself of this body dismorphia mindset I have.

Good for you.
I couldn't get rid of that if I tried.


Tis why i'll die with a barbell in my hand. (no, literally. When i'm 85 years old, I'm going to get under a 600lb barbell on the squat rack and let it crush me to death......at least i'll die happy )

 

[Nick+]

THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT POSTED IN HERE WITH SUPPORT, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT!

I'm hardly training with weights at the minute, and am not getting my act together......(at all---yet) with regards to trying to build muscle.

But this is a good site, people say what the hell they want (and don't get banned).And...There's plenty of good bodybuilding advice, if one asks or goes after it......

This is the best site.

 

[ANCAM]

Good luck with all you do Dude!

 

[Dale Mabry]

I have spent years "worrying" about msucle mass, I am tired of it. I don't want to care anymore about muscle, if that makes sense. I want to be fit and in shape, etc. but my primary goal will no longer be how big I am, how much muscle I have, or "oh shit I missed some work-outs now my muscles are smaller"...that has been my mentality for years and I want to rid myself of this body dismorphia mindset I have.

The words of a future girlie-man.

 

[The Monkey Man]

my momma always said it is only fun until someone gets hurt!

And then thats when someone poked thier eye out -

 

[BritChick]

Sounds like a tough but smart move on you part.
I think my husband should have made the same decision a few years back, he'll be turning 50 in 5 months and physically is wearing out, I don't remember the last time he was pain free, most of the time it's excrutiating for him... but d'ya think he'll listen to me??! lol
Good luck with your new fitness goals - hopefully you'll be pain free soon enough.

 

[Tough Old Man]

I am 36 years old and I have been "bodybuilding" for 20 years, I have decided I am finally done with it.

As some of you know I am recovering from a pretty bad disc herniation in my lower back (L5/S1). For the past 6 weeks I have suffered more pain (mentally & physically) than ever before. I am finally getting better and I can actually get through the day without drugs, still in pain but its bearable. There is light at the end of the tunnel now!

This is my third "bad" injury in 3 years (2 back & 1 shoulders) and I am taking this one as a wake up call, obviously my body has had enough. My goal is to lose about 20lbs of muscle and get back to a 'normal physique', lean and muscular, but no bulk. I have been maintaining a lean 190lbs at 5' 7" for several years so I am thinking maybe around 165lbs, we'll see. I still plan to work-out, eat healthy, etc. but I will not be lifting heavy weights or anything like that, it will be working out for just health and fitness reasons.

Don't think I am just quitting and giving up, because that is not what I am doing. I am just quitting "bodybuilding", if that makes sense. It took me several weeks to come to this decision. I still plan on running IronMagazine and IronMaglabs, helping others, and all of that. I am just no longer going to have any focus on bodybuilding personally. I feel that if I continue on I am going to suffer more injuries, and possibly get injured to a point where I cannot recover. I have decided that my long term health is more important, and it will allow me to focus more on other things as well.

Furthermore, I am not implying that bodybuilding or lifting heavy is unhealthy, but after 20 years it does take its toll on your body, i.e. back & joints. I now understand why pro athletes typically retire in their early to mid thirties.

I just wanted to share this with everyone... Train hard and stay healthy!

You are no longer Prince in my books. Robert will have to stick. Prince was the tough guy and Robert is the sissy. Does this mean your going to take up Bowling with all the old farts around?.....

Hey I no what you mean. At 53 all it seems that I doing is tearing this and that. There has been several times in the last year that I was going to call it quits.

Good luck Boss and take care of those injuries. The last thing we need is no ADMINISTRATOR around so we can do what we want here. HeHeHe. J/K.

Tough

 

[Arnold]

You are no longer Prince in my books. Robert will have to stick. Prince was the tough guy and Robert is the sissy. Does this mean your going to take up Bowling with all the old farts around?

nope, bowling is a bit too much for my lower back right now!

 

[Steele20]

nope, bowling is a bit too much for my lower back right now!

As long as you have a hot wife (who loves you) there's really no need to keep working out that much at your age

 

[kicka19]

As long as you have a hot wife (who loves you) there's really no need to keep working out that much at your age

r u kiddn me, if u have a hot wife all the more reason to work out, gotta smash heads when dudes hit on her, come on man

 

[swetty]

hi all body builders wife ere , my q is if anyone can ans , is i have just got back in training after having a total hysterecttomy, in november, i feel fantastic, parti suffer from sciatica, and after traing on fri, it is flaring up havnt had an attack for a while up untill now, thing is i carnt for the life of me think what it was i did on fri that could have brought this attack on , could any of you guys tell me what exercises to avoid while being a sciatica sufferer, could it have been the abs machine do you think????? please any replies would be appriciated,. now having to take time from the gym now, which is depressing and will be scared to death now when i go back , incase of brininging another attack on, soz to go on , happy training to you all x coleen

 

[Arnold]

hi all body builders wife ere , my q is if anyone can ans , is i have just got back in training after having a total hysterecttomy, in november, i feel fantastic, parti suffer from sciatica, and after traing on fri, it is flaring up havnt had an attack for a while up untill now, thing is i carnt for the life of me think what it was i did on fri that could have brought this attack on , could any of you guys tell me what exercises to avoid while being a sciatica sufferer, could it have been the abs machine do you think????? please any replies would be appriciated,. now having to take time from the gym now, which is depressing and will be scared to death now when i go back , incase of brininging another attack on, soz to go on , happy training to you all x coleen

you really should start a new thread...

have you had an MRI to find out why you have sciatica? if not, that is step one.

 

[swetty]

Hi Robert Dimaggio, Thanks For Reply Yes I Hve Had Mri And Yes I Do Have Sciatica, And New Here , Y Should I Start New Thread ?????? Thanks Again Coleen

 

[LoadedBats]

Good Luck Rob, hate to see you hang it up, but we all understand. We all look forward to hearing any advice and feedback you can and will continue to share in the future. Thanks for keeping the site alive.

 

[Gazhole]

All the best Rob! At the end of the day, no matter what anybody else says, you know your body better than anyone, and if it's saying it's had enough it's the smart man who listens.

I'm sure i could rephrase that into a proverb...

Anyway, good luck, and stay iron

 

[juggernaut]

Hate to see you stop. I understand what you are going through, as my wife is going through the same EXACT herniated disc problem-same disc area and all. She is using a walker and cane to get around, so I know what kind of terrible shit you are going through. I hope in the future that you will rethink such a big decision as this sport needs advocates like you.

 

[juggernaut]

It's called crack.

And it smells like dogfood tastes.....................delicious

 

[Arnold]

Hi Robert Dimaggio, Thanks For Reply Yes I Hve Had Mri And Yes I Do Have Sciatica, And New Here , Y Should I Start New Thread ?????? Thanks Again Coleen

what is causing your sciatica?

because this is an old thread that was about me no longer "bodybuilding".

btw, I started back to training a few weeks ago, very light weights, upper body only, but it is a start.

 

[Gazhole]

what is causing your sciatica?

because this is an old thread that was about me no longer "bodybuilding".

btw, I started back to training a few weeks ago, very light weights, upper body only, but it is a start.

Funny that when people say "very light weights" here, it would probably destroy me

How did it go anyway? Strange not maxing out?

 

[Rykard Maximus]

good luck, it would be interseting if you could post your new routine and how your are progressing.

cheers
Rich

 

[Pedigree]

The fact that you understand autoregulation and shut it down when you know you should is awesome. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and weight training can still be a part of your life, but heavy training does take it's toll. The overall quality of life is far more important than bb'ing.
I just hung the basketball shoes up for good the 5th of this month. I'm only 34, but I played ball for 25 years with much of it on bad surfaces. (outside & tile gym floors) I love the game and the thought of not playing anymore sucks, but we have to realize when it's time. The upside is, I have a 16 year old who has D-1 potential, so 100% of my focus is on his playing career now. It's a blast to help him along, plus it fills the basketball void.