Bodybuilders, Steroids, and Covid-19 by Jerry Brainum 9/23

 

 

When gyms were ordered to be closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it created problems for many people who depend on gyms to maintain fitness and health. A few gyms defied the order and remained open, risking fines and closure by government authorities. Other gyms got around the closure order by having outdoor, open training areas because of the notion that training outdoors would be less risky for becoming infected with the virus that causes Covid-19, SARS-COV-2. Others found other solutions to the training problem by having home gyms or building them. When the gyms first closed, I did no exercise other than riding a stationary bike that I had for the first three weeks. But I didn't consider what happens to those who are over 40 and abruptly stop all exercise. When I was younger, I could lay off for as long as two months, and while I would lose some muscle mass and strength, it was surprisingly minimal and bounced back as soon as I began training again. Although I had no resistance training equipment available to me, I tried to do free-hand, bodyweight training to keep in shape. I had written about bodyweight training in a past issue of Applied Metabolics, so I knew it could be effective for at least keeping in shape. But my severely arthritic shoulders precluded doing most kinds of bodyweight exercise, such as push-ups. I couldn't get even halfway up when I attempted to do pushups because of the intense shoulder pain the exercise incurred. 

After about 3 weeks of no resistance training, I began to notice a rapid loss of muscle mass, starting in my calves and arms. I seemed to be losing size by the day in those areas. That's when I realized that age is a major factor in how rapidly you can lose muscle mass. I had to do something fast to get some resistance training before I slipped into sarcopenia, the loss of extensive muscle mass related to age. I had noticed that advertisements for gym equipment had become more common on the internet and on social media sites such as Facebook. I was desperate for weight equipment, so I ordered a pair of 55-pound dumbells that seemed extraordinarily inexpensive. These were adjustable dumbells that normally listed for about $200, yet they were being advertised for only $80. I should have realized that something was wrong when I began to notice that the same ad was listed under different company names all over Facebook. Sure enough, it turned out to be a scam, but I managed to get my money refunded from my bank when hundreds of others who were also scammed complained to the bank. I also learned to never trust anything advertised on Facebook!

Then I began seeing YouTube Videos that touted the benefits obtained from resistance bands. The bands came in . . .