What do you do for maintaining size?

[PAUL-E]

Short story after part of my hand was crushed I was diagnosed with CRPS type 1 in my hand I basically went from about 16% BF to 32% and loss a lot of muscle mass during the process. I am currently 5' 9" and 225lbs. My wife say my arms are about 40% smaller
reasons: medications, inability to train the way I used to, and be as active. I have been trying to do more cardio to lower my BF% but I seem to be losing more muscle that fat. Before I was curling 50lbs dumbbells now the 25s are hard. Grip strength is definitely weaker and is partly a factor as well as hypersensitivity. I was thinking about trying to do lower weight higher rep work (going after the pump)with a little less cardio but I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance

 

[Periandros]

Paul,

What is your age? Are you on TRT? These two parameters are critical to determine optimal program.

If you are 100 natural (no TRT). I would focus on big compound movements like chin ups, barbell pulls and do not focus much on curls. You will get more overall mass including your arms. Since most of the arm size is actually the triceps, I would do barbell presses and ideally heavy overhead presses. You will get stronger on a basic strength program and will get some good mass too. I have low testosterone (around 370) and got a lot of muscle and strength on a program like that. Now if you could add deadlifts, even better. In my view, light high curls will do very little for real growth (not just pump). Now if you are on TRT and your test levels are over 800 or 1000, it is different story and will be happy to elaborate.

My recommendations are based on trial and error during the last 25 years. I wasted years on high rep pump type routines. My arms got huge on a heavy low rep (3-6) compound movement based strength program even with low levels of testosterone.

good luck!

 

[DLK]

Paul-E, If you are at a point where you can't handle heavy weights without pain or risking injury by all means go to a higher rep lower weight routine. Just get your muscles to exhaustion however you can, it will definitely make more of a difference than not going at all.

 

[socks]

Cut the cardio to minimal amounts and focus on using/building metabolically active tissue (muscle) if you want to get leaner. If not able to physically lift weights (injuries), be sure to rely primarily on cardio that utilizes a lot of muscle, ie. stairmill/stepper or inclined treadmill instead of elliptical or bike. (DON'T be one of those people who holds onto the treadmill when it's inclined, defeats the whole purpose, ha)

Cardio isn't the answer to bf% issues. Grow muscles and eat whole foods is the ticket. I have a longer-winded response below that's very conceptual.


For aesthetics and health, there is no reason to do heavy lifts or the big compound movements. Although very valuable, they are a tool best suited for people who are already genuinely strong with little to no existing injuries with a good mind/muscle connection (greatly reduces injury risk). If you fall into this category, great, do them. They're awesome.

It sounds like you want to build a new foundation and that means performing non-technical movements that present a low risk for injury. During this time you should be focusing on muscular contraction and technique. If you want to grow muscles, you need to learn how to activate/contract them. Using free weights is a recipe for utilizing excess momentum and thus deloading muscles through much of the strength curve for 98% of lifters. I can ego curl 50lb DBs too, but I'd rather keep doing 15-25lbs with exquisite, beautiful, precise technique all while sporting bigger better shaped arms than my younger days "slinging weights".

Machines/cables, a little bit of free weights, focus on MAIN movement patterns, and don't train like a powerlifter or college athlete if you don't feel like one (no injuries, good training base, hormonally healthy).

Any questions, just shoot back.

 

[PAUL-E]

I have a treadclimber and treadmill, my diet is good (cant afford organic) no MCdonalds though. I started losing the weight/fat I gained taking a medication for the CRPS but not being able to be as active I have lost a lot of mass and strength. I worked out 4-5 days a week for 2+ years to be able to do the 50s with good form. No point in ego lifting that's how injury's happen IMHO. I will try to find things I can do that will fatigue my muscles.

Thanks for the advice stay positive a keep moving forword

 

[Ramrod]

Short story after part of my hand was crushed I was diagnosed with CRPS type 1 in my hand I basically went from about 16% BF to 32% and loss a lot of muscle mass during the process. I am currently 5' 9" and 225lbs. My wife say my arms are about 40% smaller
reasons: medications, inability to train the way I used to, and be as active. I have been trying to do more cardio to lower my BF% but I seem to be losing more muscle that fat. Before I was curling 50lbs dumbbells now the 25s are hard. Grip strength is definitely weaker and is partly a factor as well as hypersensitivity. I was thinking about trying to do lower weight higher rep work (going after the pump)with a little less cardio but I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance

Have you tried wrist straps? Wrist straps might be the answer to your grip strength. I would think you could still do Squats, Deadlifts and rows...

How does it effect your Pressing movements like Bench or DB Presses?

 

[PAUL-E]

Wrist straps wouldn't help as I cant put a lot of pressure into part of my right hand(hyper sensitivity). Deadlifts, rows, pull ups, and any type of pulling/lifting/gripping is challenging. Pressing is easier but it depends on what I'm doing. handless squats I can still do but cant go as heavy. Your post did make me think of something however maybe hooks could help. Thanks

 

[Vince Carter]

With grip strength an issue how do you feel on machines...universal, Hammer Strength, anything but free weights.

 

[Vince]

Paul, how's your weight loss going? It definitely sounds like you can't go heavy any longer. Ever think about yoga. I've never tried yoga, but I heard it has many benefits.

 

[PAUL-E]

With grip strength an issue how do you feel on machines...universal, Hammer Strength, anything but free weights.

I'm not sure I workout at home its fun getting the kids involved and its healthy for them.
one of the biggest issues is hyper sensitivity part of my hand I am unable to tolerate hardly any pressure and bumping it feels like I hit it with a hammer. Then theirs the swelling and all the other fun stuff, activity seems to aggravate it.

 

[PAUL-E]

Paul, how's your weight loss going? It definitely sounds like you can't go heavy any longer. Ever think about yoga. I've never tried yoga, but I heard it has many benefits.

I wish I could say weight loss is good but in general my metabolism seem to be all screwed up and to be honest a little while a go I had a few really bad days got depressed and stopped working out for about two weeks whale indulging in fast food and pizza which made things worse but I'm back on track now and almost back to where I was before that. The only yoga I have done is in P90x I like it but the plank position doesn't workout so well anymore. I've been just trying to what I can when I can throughout the day. its slow going but in time I'll get there just have to keep moving forward.

 

[Fireproof]

They two biggest factors in maintaining muscle while dieting (apart from drugs) are (1) protein intake, and (2) resistance training.

For protein - aim for 1g per pound of LBM. And resistance training - aim for hitting your main muscle groups twice per week. If you are having wrist/grip issues - hooks or straps can be a big help for pulling exercises.

 

[Vince Carter]

I'm not sure I workout at home its fun getting the kids involved and its healthy for them.
one of the biggest issues is hyper sensitivity part of my hand I am unable to tolerate hardly any pressure and bumping it feels like I hit it with a hammer. Then theirs the swelling and all the other fun stuff, activity seems to aggravate it.

OK I get it...being a serious lifter myself, some of the naggy problems I've had most notably minor shoulder impingement on both sides really cramps my style and holds me back so I can sympathize...