advice

[Adam Mercier]

im sure you this is a re-post but i just want some opinions on this. I have some lower back problems and so i have not worked out in around 4 months. been doing a little bit of physio so far but there would be no way i could start dead-lifting or squatting right now. Is it worth me taking any form of steroids in this dilemma? I realize this is a noob question but i dont know if getting on the gear might help with injury rehab by strengthening my local stabilizers and allowing the muscle hyper to proceed quicker and ultimately stronger. A couple of pals are hittin up Anadrol 50 and so i thought about joining in on it but i think 20-30 lbs in 6 weeks is going a little quick.

Has anyone been in this situation that could shed some light on it?
Any feedback appreciated, links to articles or other forum topics id like to.


Thanks guys

[MickeyKnox]

What are your stats including previous cycle experience?

[JohnnyVegas]

I was out of the gym for seven years with a back injury. I have been back in the gym for two years and I still cannot squat or deadlift. I will probably never be able to. You just need to work around it.

Regarding AAS use, you will get better advice if you answer Mickey's questions above.

[Adam Mercier]

This is the longest I have been outa the gym for since I started resistance training. I think the reason I haven't gone now is more psychological. I could still lift light with some exercises but I can't really do cardio and so I don't really see a point but I know it's the wrong way of thinking.
I really hope I can recover so I can squat and dead. Did you go through rehab for your injury JohnnyV?
Not sure what you mean by stats. If you mean anthropometric measurements:

Age: 24
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 150lbs
Normal blood pressure
No history of any sort of chronic or genetic disease in family
No previous anabolic enhancement
Have been working out for around 8 years prior to injury, played lots of sports and overall generally healthy (minus low back mechanical problems)

Hope that's what you meant
Thanks,
Adam

[MickeyKnox]

I would have to say that if you feel strong enough to go to the gym to lift, take it slow and stay away from back exercises like Johnny does. Seated wide grip pull downs would likely be ok however. Monitor yourself very closely when you're in there and listen to your body.

And if you are feeling good then you could try a 400mg/wk cycle of juts test to see how you will respond. Im not sure about recommending deca at this point, but it is something you may want to explore later on. I have no experience with the healing properties of Deca (joints, tendons) but there are many here who do. Perhaps they will chime in.

But before you embark on AAS, i strongly recommend you hit the gym for at least 6 months before beginning any cycles.

[JohnnyVegas]

I had (still have, actually) one extruded disk and several bulging.

I did spinal decompression which got me back on my feet, but I couldn't push myself. I didn't want surgery so I just let a non-active life. I lost almost all my muscle and my body fat got up to 36%. I started TRT in January of last year and started lifting light and progressively went heavier. I start to get pain on occasion so I will take a few days off and get lots of rest. I push a lot more weight now and have put on a lot of muscle...it just takes patience.

What is your body fat?

At 150 pounds you will probably want to get your nutrition in place first. If you aren't growing naturally by eating enough food you will have a hard time making gains on AAS. And why put your health at risk if you aren't going to make big gains?

[Adam Mercier]

Ya these are all my thoughts exactly. I figured I should be doing a decent amount of cardio and resistance training before starting a cycle. Considering the hypertension an BP issues. Plus perhaps a rapid exponential weight gain might hinder me more so than help. I looked into Deca and its medicinal beni's for rehab but so far the literature says its inconclusive. I understand the additional water retention would help but there are other properties of synovial fluid than just H2O. I did read that doctors sometime prescribe it so I have made an apt for next week. Ill post what the quack has got to say about it. As for now I will just progress my physio.

Another question: I can't find any info on taking HCG and Novaldex with out any form of AAS. Why is this? Would it be stupid to take these two without AAS or is it just because the increase in test is not significant enough?

Thanks for the help gents

Adam

[JohnnyVegas]

I would have to say that if you feel strong enough to go to the gym to lift, take it slow and stay away from back exercises like Johnny does. Seated wide grip pull downs would likely be ok however. Monitor yourself very closely when you're in there and listen to your body.

Yeah, my problems are with things that compress my spine or require me to bend much at the waist. Squats just squish my spine and I get numb hands and tingly fingers for days. Same with deads. Stiff leg deads cause me to bend over which just results in spasms and pain. No problems with back exercises in general. Pulldowns feel great because they decompress my spine.

Some other exercises like shoulder work, bicep curls and leg presses cause me problems sometimes, but only when I have pushed myself too hard or if I am really short on sleep. I figure I am close to over training anyway by the time my back starts to ache. I am right as rain with a little rest.

[Lunk1]

As someone who has had to have back surgery because of a BB injury (my own fault) I can tell you it is a slow road to proper recovery. No amount of AAS will assist. Slow and steady is the key. Stay active and moving to keep blood flow to the area. Lift light and concentrate of ROM and form. It will come but it takes time. I was back in the gym in about 3-4 months, my surgery was about 4 years ago and I still am trying to work my way up to where I was with squats and deads (although that was the cause of injury lol)