weight lifting

Using exercise and physical therapy for recovery from the effects of MS, and for maintaining physical function.
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lucaslavelle
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Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:45 am

weight lifting

Post by lucaslavelle »

I am 26 and suffer left side weakness,I just began working out at the local gym. is anyone using any supplements while working out? I notice a few gains but wondered if taking a supplement could increase my muscle gaining, which would help me walk better..


thanks..
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CureOrBust
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Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 2:00 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: weight lifting

Post by CureOrBust »

I exercise, and tried Whey Protein mixed in Soy Milk, and personally noticed I built more visible muscle but neurologically felt weaker and increased other symptoms.

One other thing I have tried recently is caffeine (energy drink) and noted I can work out longer. I mainly perform aerobic exercise.
Scat89
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Re: weight lifting

Post by Scat89 »

lucaslavelle wrote:I am 26 and suffer left side weakness,I just began working out at the local gym. is anyone using any supplements while working out? I notice a few gains but wondered if taking a supplement could increase my muscle gaining, which would help me walk better..


thanks..
Hi Lucas,

You can try creatine for building muscle and gaining some mass. According to Dr. Mercola creatine is good for pwMS because it helps with in proper mitochondrial function. It will take maybe a week or two to kick in, but you should notice a difference. Btw, the directions for use will most likely say you need to do a loading phase for about 5 days...you don't need to do this, just 5 grams after your workouts. Let me know how it goes or if you have questions. Also, whey protein is essential for building muscle and muscle recovery. Definitely try some whey protein isolate.

Scat
Jim829
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Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 10:32 am

Re: weight lifting

Post by Jim829 »

Hey Lucas, I was dxed with RRMS last year. After I was dxed, I started lifting & working out at a gym pretty religiously ---- I really feel much better after my workouts. Don't know if it is true or not, but I feel that the workouts flush new blood through my brain which helps clean out any accumulated toxins. For workouts I do what ever my body is capable of doing at the time. If it is a short workout just lifting on the bench, so be it. If I can run on the treadmill or do the eliptical, I do it. I'm also in the camp that beleives that there is a gastrointestinal connection with MS (at least mine), so I stay away from all the foods that might trigger an autoimmune response and that have caused me aggrevation of symptoms in the past (sort of the eilmination diet that folks like Dr. Wahls and others talk about). So, no gluten, eggs, dairy, red meat (a lot of folks on the Paleo diet say it is ok to eat grass feed red meat, but I haven't found that it works for me), soy, sugar, artificial sweetners or colorings. I take fish oil, vit D3, and some other supplements for the MS, but for working out I drink protein shakes made Garden for Life Raw Protein (it doesn't have any of the triggers I mentioned), and I get creatine through a product called Kre-Alkalyn. Kre-Alkalyn is a ph buffered form of creatine that does not cause the gastrointestinal distress I experienced with creatine monohydrate. I stay away from the whey proteins because they are dairy. Again, that might just be me but there are a lot of folks who counsel against dairy for MSers. I started a page on Facebook called "Athletes Fighting Multiple Sclerosis" where you can find some inspiriational stories of MSers staying physically active, and I have a page on the bodybuilding.com "bodyspace" site ("jim829") where I've been able to connect with some other MSers who are working out and get regular encouragment from others. Might want to check these sites out. OK, that's my two cents, I hope you find what works for you.
Pesho
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Re: weight lifting

Post by Pesho »

Hello all. I've just started working out again, but I'm not feeling very well after that. I have lost strength in all moves, and have some shoulder pains that drive me back a lot. I've had weak shoulders all my life, and now I'm wondering if this was connected with MS even before I was diagnosed. Since I'm new to the sickness I'm wondering if it is connected to MS or just me not training for quite a long time and not gained some weight.
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greenandchic
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Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: weight lifting

Post by greenandchic »

I've been power lifting for a couple years now. I make sure I load up on protein after my work outs for recovery. I also take L-Glutamine which is good for muscle recovery.

My diet is mostly primal/paleo, though I've been gluten free for several years before my diagnoses 3.5 years ago.
Pesho
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Re: weight lifting

Post by Pesho »

Hi again. Started weightlifting again but this time I feel great :). Maybe a change in the diet did it, I'm trying to make it as much Paleo as I can, but not with great success. I'm reading on other forums that you don't have to push yourself very hard and to be careful not to overheat. Any thoughts on that? Also some exercises that are not recommended, but didn't say which ones?!? I can't find a doctor who can tell me how to train. Any suggestions on how to train, or it doesn't matter as long as you don't injure yourself?
Scat89
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Re: weight lifting

Post by Scat89 »

Pesho wrote:Hi again. Started weightlifting again but this time I feel great :). Maybe a change in the diet did it, I'm trying to make it as much Paleo as I can, but not with great success. I'm reading on other forums that you don't have to push yourself very hard and to be careful not to overheat. Any thoughts on that? Also some exercises that are not recommended, but didn't say which ones?!? I can't find a doctor who can tell me how to train. Any suggestions on how to train, or it doesn't matter as long as you don't injure yourself?
Hi Pesho,

I would say as long as you are comfortable with your exercises/lifts and you are careful not to injure yourself then it's ok. I work out everyday including running, lifting, and brazilian jiu-jitsu 3-4 days/week. Even though my endurance and strength isn't as good as it was before my MS sypmtoms, there's no question that exercise makes me feel better physically and mentally.
Pesho
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Re: weight lifting

Post by Pesho »

Scat89 wrote:
Pesho wrote:Hi again. Started weightlifting again but this time I feel great :). Maybe a change in the diet did it, I'm trying to make it as much Paleo as I can, but not with great success. I'm reading on other forums that you don't have to push yourself very hard and to be careful not to overheat. Any thoughts on that? Also some exercises that are not recommended, but didn't say which ones?!? I can't find a doctor who can tell me how to train. Any suggestions on how to train, or it doesn't matter as long as you don't injure yourself?
Hi Pesho,

I would say as long as you are comfortable with your exercises/lifts and you are careful not to injure yourself then it's ok. I work out everyday including running, lifting, and brazilian jiu-jitsu 3-4 days/week. Even though my endurance and strength isn't as good as it was before my MS sypmtoms, there's no question that exercise makes me feel better physically and mentally.
Hi Scat89,
I would like to train that much, but I just don't have the time. For strength I'm not sure how I'm now, haven't trained for 3 years, so I really can't compare. After 5-6 months I would be as before and I hope even better. Just my legs are troubling me, but I still walk and run without a lot of problems, only pain in the knees.
Pesho
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Re: weight lifting

Post by Pesho »

I'm continuing to get stronger. Getting a lot better results than I expected. Trying to work out 3-4 times a week, but my dentist messed things up a bit Still far away from a good shape, but for now doing great. Just didn't train legs yet, maybe I will try this week. . They were very strong in the past, and even now my doctors don't believe how fast I walk compared to a normal person, not to mention a guy with MS. Just have to get rid of the belly and I will be great. Doing Paleo diet at the moment, for the last 3 days :).
Scat89
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Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:41 pm

Re: weight lifting

Post by Scat89 »

Pesho wrote:I'm continuing to get stronger. Getting a lot better results than I expected. Trying to work out 3-4 times a week, but my dentist messed things up a bit Still far away from a good shape, but for now doing great. Just didn't train legs yet, maybe I will try this week. . They were very strong in the past, and even now my doctors don't believe how fast I walk compared to a normal person, not to mention a guy with MS. Just have to get rid of the belly and I will be great. Doing Paleo diet at the moment, for the last 3 days :).
Hi Pesho,

Glad to hear you're getting stronger. If you haven't trained your legs in a while you will most likely be pretty sore for the next few days. I would recommend squats and lunges to start at light weight with a lot of reps to build lean muscle and endurance. Make sure you set some time aside for stretching as well.
Pesho
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Re: weight lifting

Post by Pesho »

Scat89 wrote:
Pesho wrote:I'm continuing to get stronger. Getting a lot better results than I expected. Trying to work out 3-4 times a week, but my dentist messed things up a bit Still far away from a good shape, but for now doing great. Just didn't train legs yet, maybe I will try this week. . They were very strong in the past, and even now my doctors don't believe how fast I walk compared to a normal person, not to mention a guy with MS. Just have to get rid of the belly and I will be great. Doing Paleo diet at the moment, for the last 3 days :).
Hi Pesho,

Glad to hear you're getting stronger. If you haven't trained your legs in a while you will most likely be pretty sore for the next few days. I would recommend squats and lunges to start at light weight with a lot of reps to build lean muscle and endurance. Make sure you set some time aside for stretching as well.
Did some training, then turned out that I have disk herniation so I stopped again for a long time. Doing some Cross fit, now heavily modified for the hernia and I don't do much of the workouts I used to. Now the question is how sore my legs can get? I did just 4x15 squats without weight and my legs were burning. Could barely walk after that, right after the last squat. Now 4 days after the workout my legs still hurt, will see how I do tomorrow. 3 months ago I did squats with 15 pound ball for 15 minutes straight, lunges also until I dropped to the ground competing with a a normal guy and I beat him :). Now only from 60 squats I was over with the legs workout and barely got home. I didn't have any new symptoms of MS and I really don't know why it happened like that. Trying warrior diet at the moment combined with paleo most of the time. Thinking if the diet is not good enough or just my MS is getting in the way?
THX1138
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Re: weight lifting

Post by THX1138 »

I have long believed in the concept of the 30 minute window.

Having a protein drink immediately after working out makes sense to me.

http://www.thatsfit.com/2007/10/11/the- ... ut-window/

THX1138
Pesho
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Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 1:39 pm

Re: weight lifting

Post by Pesho »

THX1138 wrote:I have long believed in the concept of the 30 minute window.

Having a protein drink immediately after working out makes sense to me.

http://www.thatsfit.com/2007/10/11/the- ... ut-window/

THX1138
I know about post workout and I take a scoop of egg protein and creatine. The problem is that I had the muscle pains right at training, not after that. And I was doing just fine 3 months ago and I didn't have MS flare ups at all I'm RRMS(hope I didn't go to progressive so fast). Will see how this week goes.
MrChris
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Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2015 4:45 pm

Re: weight lifting

Post by MrChris »

Not much action in this part of the forum.

As an avid lifter myself, i was diagnosed this past January. Since then ive stopped every supplement ie; pre workouts and post workouts ect ect. All the niacin, and other BS im sure wasnt helping matters in the CNS department. I still continue with my vitamins but im hesitant to start on protein supplement. Jim829, thanks for the heads up with the Gatden brand protein. Ive also started following you FB group and look forward to the motivational posts.
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