advice wanted,

[oldman]

I am taking an ECA stack right now twice a day to lose fat.  I want to increase thigh size, shape if possible and chest.  Diet should reveal back muscularity.

any suggestions...I am 52 in better shape than most.  lower back injury so squats are not a good idea.

thanks

[Bluto]

it will be hard to increase size of thighs while cutting fat

[Zach Trowbridge]

First, I assume you're following a good diet/cardio program along with the ECA?

Second, focus on one goal for right now - either adding size or decreasing bodyfat.  It is theoretically possible to do both at once, but more difficult than the effort is worth, and usually gets you half-assed results in both directions. 

What kind of lower back injury do you have?  Have you had anything diagnosed?  Have you had an experienced trainer check your form on squats and other lower-back intensive exercises?  If squats aren't an option, leg presses, hack squats, smith squats, etc. might be viable options. 

[NoCalBbEr]

Agreed, people have to understand that to gain mass you need extra calories. to lose weight you need to decrease calories. its like one step forward, two feet back.

taking a ECA stack is already burning calories. its desined to burn calories by increasing your body's temp.

so you have to pick one or the other.  you can do 8 weeks cut and 8 weeks bulk pphease.

[QuakerOats]

drop the ECA, worst thing imaginable for bodybuilding, if you want to look like a skinny, weak meth addict then take it, otherwise hit the leg press and hack squat and go heavy.

[Cap]

Do you think you could do Bulgarian split squats?  I know Coach recommends them and they are pretty useful for leg strength.  It would require less of a load on your back and if needs be you use a Smith Machine to keep balance.  Be careful, even with Hack Squats (not saying you shouldn't do them) because there is still somewhat of a load on your back.

I would cut out the ECA.  It may be harder at an older age to burn fat but interval cardio can help you burn fat fast and save muscle.

As for chest, stick with the basics.  How are your shoulders?  Any problems lifting heavy/ier on chest moves?

[BAZZERKER]

I am taking an ECA stack right now twice a day to lose fat.  I want to increase thigh size, shape if possible and chest.  Diet should reveal back muscularity.

any suggestions...I am 52 in better shape than most.  lower back injury so squats are not a good idea.

thanks

I have ran the eca a stack to drop some fat although i threw in a few steaks and eggwhite meals during the day to make up for the lack of carbs i dont eat due to the fact of my appetite suppresion from the eca. You can definitely still add muscle to your body while on the stack. I also take a lot of Bcaa and a NO product, before eca stack i was 230 now i am 225 and look five times bigger at 225 with lower body fat. I put in  about 7 meals a day cardio 20 minutes 3 times a wk walking.

[thewickedtruth]

it will be hard to increase size of thighs while cutting fat

pretty much what I was going to say..you can work on maintaining what you have while dieting but it's very hard to gain muscle size while losing fat effectively for MOST people.

[The Coach]

52? Get a blood panal and hormone profile and find out where you stand as far as test levels go. If test levels are down, it's going to be difficult to put on any size.

[oldman]

Interesting comments, I am eating low carbs right now, I want to get ripped.  My lower back was injured in the military, I could not walk, sit, or stand for months.  I really have to be careful, I could injure myself picking up a feather. 

I am about 220 now and look good, but not good enough.  I will work the legs, leg presses are ok.  Weight on my spine is a no no though.

thanks for the constructive comments.

[DK II]

Interesting comments, I am eating low carbs right now, I want to get ripped.  My lower back was injured in the military, I could not walk, sit, or stand for months.  I really have to be careful, I could injure myself picking up a feather. 

I am about 220 now and look good, but not good enough.  I will work the legs, leg presses are ok.  Weight on my spine is a no no though.

thanks for the constructive comments.

First, at your age be very careful with ECA. it's a heartattack or stroke waiting to happen. Better switch to something more healthy like green tea extract, L-Tyrosine, guarana, omega 3 fatty acids in the morning and before bed and sesamine. Works as well and will not kill you.


As for losing fat AND building muscle, the keyword is nutrition timing.

Have some simple carbs before, DURING and after WO, best in a combination with BCAA and glutamine (Glutamine will be debated as useless here, but it helps your immune system and regeneration). After WO, have a protein shake with some carbs added.

Cut out carbs after noon and do a very high carb day once a week. If you stop losing fat, drop more carbs, if you feel tired add some.


As for your workout and injuries: Go see a professional. Internet message boards are not a good ressource for information in that case because nobody has seen you or knows your real condition and nobody will giva a fuck if you end up in a wheelchair.

Sorry to say it, but be more careful.

[wes]

Leg Press:
Set # 1:-50 reps
Set # 2:-40 reps
Set # 3:-30 reps
Set # 4:-20 reps
Set # 5:-10 reps

Add weight each set..............helped my legs bigtime and I`m a year older than you and table salt. 

[oldman]

I am taking your advice.  I do see doctors since I have free medical care as a vet.  I am careful with the back, but I know its limits.  I think the nutritional advice is really what I need.
I have all the supplements you have mentioned and just need some real advice.  I wear a xxl shirt with a 34 waist, great calves and probably a 26 in thigh, shaply though. I need to put it all together and rip it up.
In the gym, rarely do I see someone in better muscular shape, remember I live in Mesa Arizona!
Hopefully, with some help from you gents, I can put it all together.

any contructive comments are more than welcome.

[DK II]

I am taking your advice.  I do see doctors since I have free medical care as a vet.  I am careful with the back, but I know its limits.  I think the nutritional advice is really what I need.
I have all the supplements you have mentioned and just need some real advice.  I wear a xxl shirt with a 34 waist, great calves and probably a 26 in thigh, shaply though. I need to put it all together and rip it up.
In the gym, rarely do I see someone in better muscular shape, remember I live in Mesa Arizona!
Hopefully, with some help from you gents, I can put it all together.

any contructive comments are more than welcome.

Post your diet and supplements on the nutrition board and we will see how we can help you.

[jpm101]

For legs you might consider Step-up's. Though not the same as One Legged squats, which also have a place in building the legs. Can hold a DB in the hand, rather than having a BB on the back, for resistance as you become stronger. Hopefully that would not stress the back. If doing leg presses, try doing one leg at a time rather than both together. In either case, working alternately, now and than, seems to give better balance in strength and size to the legs. Also seems to affect the hips and low back better.

There is a very large Naval medical complex in San Diego. I have know two Navy vet's, with bad backs, who have gotten excellent treatment there. Both are squating & DL'ing with very respectable weight  now. You have spinal cord, disc or muscular/ligament problems with the back, I wonder. Operation on the horizon? Anyway, only draw back with military treatment is the long waits and staff covering their butt's most of the time.

You have gotten good advise with regards to supplements. EGA's stacks for older men may not always be the best choice. Tends to affect the CNS more than it needs. With a solid diet and supplement plan you should be able to hold on to, or even increase, the thigh shape and size. Good Luck.

[oldman]

Diet, well I eat eggs, chicken, low fat cottage cheese, 1% milk, beans, some cheese.

Supps: I need to know how to maximize the supps. protein, yohimbe, bcaa, sesamin, coq10, cla, choline/inostiol, arginine, hawthorne root

I work so I cannot eat 5-8 meals a day, you tell me what to do and the timing, I will do it.

I have been as high as 248, now 220.  To be ripped maybe need to get to 190-195.

[DK II]

Diet, well I eat eggs, chicken, low fat cottage cheese, 1% milk, beans, some cheese.

Supps: I need to know how to maximize the supps. protein, yohimbe, bcaa, sesamin, coq10, cla, choline/inostiol, arginine, hawthorne root

I work so I cannot eat 5-8 meals a day, you tell me what to do and the timing, I will do it.

I have been as high as 248, now 220.  To be ripped maybe need to get to 190-195.

i don't see any veggies or carbs in your diet.

You need carbs, otherwise your metabolism will slow down. Add maltodextrose or vitargo before, during and after workout.

Then, do you take yohimbine HCL or yohimbe bark? The HCL is fine, the other is crap. Also, NEVER take yohimbine together with ECA, NEVER.
If you take Yohimbine (i hope you do not have high blood pressure, if you do stop it now), take some L-Carnitine along. Yohimbine helps the body to take energy from the body's fat stores, and L-Carnitine releases fat for energy. They work well together.

You don't need 5-8 meals per day, a snack inbetween will be enough.

[wes]

Good advice DK and jpm!!

[oldman]

forgot the oatmeal...threw the yohimbine out.

normal blood presure though. and thanks.

[oldman]

what about glutamine, policosinol, and dhea...

[DK II]

forgot the oatmeal...threw the yohimbine out.

normal blood presure though. and thanks.

no problem.

Oatmeal, whole wheat pasta and brown rice are good carbs, but don't forget simple carbs for WO.

what about glutamine, policosinol, and dhea...

glutamine is important for overall health and supposed to trigger hgh at doses around 4g before bed. Use it like that. No big dosages throughout the day, most of it will be absorbed by the gut. You can get the glutamin sublingual as well.
If you are prone to stress, take more glutamine.

policosinol, i don't know much about it. maybe fish oil is better.

dhea is worthless, it converts to estrogen as well as testosterone.

Get some zinc as well.

[oldman]

thanks again Kong...I will keep you posted.