I don't want to give the wrong idea here because things are generally going very well right now. Strength is up, I am much fuller and have gained muscle in the last 3 or 4 weeks without question. I am just starting to feel some of the side effects of getting stronger and hitting the weights with more intensity - namely some pretty consistent knee aches.
The problem isn't so bad that I can't train legs but it is slowly getting progressively worse over the last handful of weeks so it is concerning as to how it may progress if I don't give them a break. Here is the catch-22, though: Sometimes I can take a little bit of time off to rest the "itis" ache (tendonitis) and come back and the situation is almost entirely resolved and I feel great. Other times, I take some time to skip a workout or two and it gets even worse, ending up with more stiffness from not using the joint than I already had. I have been doing what I do a very long time and I have been dealing with old man shit for a very long time but ... I still am not always correct in the decision I make simply because most times it is nothing more than a crapshoot. So, I tend to keep going as long as I can until it either gets better or it gets to the point where I am forced to skip a session or two.
A big part of the instruction I give or the advice I provide these days is based on decades of gym time and dieting. There is a huge demographic out there that has been training for 20 or 30 or even more years and needs information from people that have dealt with or are dealing with the same issues they are. I mean, you can't take training advice from a 25 year old that hasn't had any injuries to their back if you have been dealing with back pain for over 20 years. I guess you COULD but it wouldn't be the best idea. This is almost entirely the premise behind the TRTbodybuilding/Longevity2 DVD that I am putting together this year to be released (finally) later in the year. It will be jam packed with information about diet, supplementation, training and more that is related to all of you that have been training for 20 or 30 years and even for those that haven't been training that long but PLAN to be in the game for that long.
As it stands right now I am warming up more than usual and that is taking care of a good part of the stiffness and inflammation (with tendonitis you can usually warm up and warm up to the point where it gets better so that you can train). The problem I am concerned about is the stiffness and mild inflammation is returning after getting through the first exercise for quads and is to the point that I am unable to do some exercises based on how irritated the knee gets. Example: I was unable to squat halfway through a leg session yesterday due to my knees (primarily my left) bothering me more after finishing the first leg exercise than before I even started warming up. Now, by the time I get really fatigued and I am deep into my leg session, the knee issue is almost non-existent.
My next move will be to use knee sleeves to make sure that the knee stays warm - very warm - the entire time I am training. Right now I already start my leg sessions with abs and then calves so I am pretty warm by the time I get to quads but I need that knee structure to be really warm and ready to go.
I considered whether the increase in frequency for leg training that I just started about 2 weeks ago is playing a part but I don't believe it is. First, I have only had one extra training session and if anything my joints feel better for the more frequent training.
I ran out of a supplement that I was using for joint pain about 5 months ago and while using it I never had an issue. I cannot for the life of me remember what the hell it was so I will need to go back and figure it out. I do not think that I am having this issue because of not using the supplement but I do feel that if I had it in there it would help.
Again, aside from this small issue I am having incredible training sessions and I am very happy with my progress. I am watching my condition closely so that I don't just wake up one day and go, "Oops. I'm fat again". My weight is steady and it is clear that I am holding water from the MK677 especially as the day progresses and for the couple days after the Skipload (more than usual) but as the week progresses I am quite tight again.