At what point is working out worthwhile?

[Kreuzfidel]

I realise that muscles don't transform overnight, but I've tried in vain to build muscle in the past and have never had results outside of just look leaner.  At what point do I begin working on helping along my male muscle development?  I'm afraid that I don't yet have sufficient T levels to have muscle definition as I've only been on T for 2 weeks. This is probably erroneous.  If I start working out now, will I be able to see results more readily than in the past or do I wait until I see signs elsewhere that the T is working?

[Rock]

I've always heard that the sooner you start the better.

I don't tend to work out much but I got good results from doing chin-ups on the shower rail over a 4 month period.  Started off with 4 and worked up to 15.  Started doing 1 set after a shower then slowly added 1 or 2 sets sometimes lol.  As you see rather lazy about it.  I know it worked though because when my back was stuffed over the new year I stopped and then my t shirts didn't fit the same anymore because they were stretched around the neck and shoulder areas. 

I have always been very lean without T and struggled to gain muscle too btw. 

Peronally I think my fat and muscle distribution happend quickly.  Showing good results within the first 6 months so starting changes even before that.

Whatever you can do now will certainly boost whatever you do in the future I think.

[Kreuzfidel]

Awesome, Rock - that's good to know!  I just didn't want to put all this effort into working out just to be disappointed and have the same non-existent results that I had pre-T.  Thanks!

[Felix]

Exercise increases T levels even in women, and it can give you a little bit of definition. I used to do construction work for a living, and it showed in my upper arms. I commuted by bicycle, which showed in my calves. Even when I was a server in a restaurant I had more definition in my forearms than when I was doing more sedentary work.

I'm only 6 or 7 weeks on T and experiencing rapid muscle growth from the same exercises I did before. I do frequent but easy (5lb) lifting with a medicine ball on both arms, sets of 10 pushups at a time whenever it crosses my mind, and sets of squats. And tons of walking. Some hiking. Pretty haphazard routine, really.

Working out in some way is always a good idea if you are physically able to do it.

[supremecatoverlord]

I realise that muscles don't transform overnight, but I've tried in vain to build muscle in the past and have never had results outside of just look leaner.  At what point do I begin working on helping along my male muscle development?  I'm afraid that I don't yet have sufficient T levels to have muscle definition as I've only been on T for 2 weeks. This is probably erroneous.  If I start working out now, will I be able to see results more readily than in the past or do I wait until I see signs elsewhere that the T is working?

I started working out my muscles (at least seriously) about a year or so before being on testosterone
For me, I almost immediately saw more more from working out around the same amount I had before.
Even people who never start testosterone can still have some muscle definition though, so working out is simply worth it just for the sake of being in shape. As far as finding a workout regimen though, looking into Menshealth.com and Bodybuilding.com might be two good places for those sort of resources.

:3

[Kreuzfidel]

Thanks, guys.  Do you think I can get okay results using just resistance tubing?  I looked into weights, but someone told me I'd have to buy heaps of different sizes which I can't afford as they're bloody expensive in South Australia.  Felix, that's good to know - I can always do pushups.  And Jason, I worry about some routines and suggested regimens because of the diet requirements.  I assume I can gain muscle without the strict protein intake, but I get so confused reading bodybuilder info

[supremecatoverlord]

Thanks, guys.  Do you think I can get okay results using just resistance tubing?  I looked into weights, but someone told me I'd have to buy heaps of different sizes which I can't afford as they're bloody expensive in South Australia.  Felix, that's good to know - I can always do pushups.  And Jason, I worry about some routines and suggested regimens because of the diet requirements.  I assume I can gain muscle without the strict protein intake, but I get so confused reading bodybuilder info

Not the results you want probably, no...at least easily.
You might have to get extremely creative working with what you have right now.
If I were you, I'd join a gym. Though memberships aren't always cheap,  I'd say they are definitely less than your own entire set of free weights and are usually well worth the money as long as you know what you're doing.
A lot of these list diet requirements separately. If you want to see muscle mass gain anyway, you're going to have to have a high protein diet anyway, but a lot of the diet requirements don't extend beyond that (at least for what I'm talking about) unless you're looking to lose belly fat.

[Kreuzfidel]

Ah, okay - thanks, Jason!  I guess I'll just have to work with my resistance tubing until I can afford a gym membership.  That and pushups and running maybe.  There's a trans-friendly gym in the city and an FTM friend of mine said he'd show me how to use the machines.  There's a membership deal that includes personal training, too, for about $500 a year.  I may do that when I'm able to work.  Thanks again to everyone who replied.

[Sharky]

You have to feed your muscles. Youre adding mass to your body. Eat a surplus of calories and get a lot of protein.

You don't have to buy heaps of weights. I would just get some dumbbells . You can do a lot with them. In the us you can get a adjustable set that goes up to about 40 pounds for under 50 bucks. You can prob find a good deal online.

Even just mastering your own body weight is a good start.

500 usd? That sounds like a lot for a gym membership. You could prob buy your own stuff with that.

Keep in mind that you can only gain so much muscle at once. If you don't eat a good muscle building diet there's no point in trying. I think it would be a good idea to figure out your calorie and protein needs and start eating for it. Just starting T should have your body trying to grow muscle. Help it and after that start working out. Remember if you want to run then you will have to eat more to make up for the burned calories.

[Nathaniel]

If you are dedicated to it, you can get good results from just body weight exercises.

I've heard great things about Convict Conditioning, though I've never used it myself. I can also recommend the Nerd Fitness Rebel Strength Guide, which I know has a section on body weight only exercises.

Or if you didn't want to buy a book, I'd maybe pop on the the Nerd Fitness forums and ask about it there. I haven't been on there for a while, but when I was using it regularly, I was quite impressed wi how helpful, accepting and knowledgable the community was.

[Felix]

I agree a gym membership might be more worthwhile than purchasing much equipment for your home.

I myself live in a little teeny tiny house on a limited budget. I avoid regular dumbbells and free weights because my daughter is schizoid and violent, and I try not to have things around that might injure if she threw them at me. So I have a leather bean-filled thing that's 5 lbs, and I have a 5 pound medicine ball. I mostly use exercises that rely on my own body weight.

I have some therabands (big rubber bands) but I don't like using them so I tend not to. I do love using some of the yoga-ish stretches my physical therapists have taught me in the past. Good warmup stuff.

Bodybuilding info is too jargony and complicated for me, for the most part. If you let the advice overwhelm you it can be easy just to tune it all out and give up, so try to edit and simplify to fit your own life and abilities.

I am currently having trouble with protein. I'm veganish and was barely holding on protein-wise even when I was okay with looking like a heroin addict. I've been upping my protein intake lately and I feel a lot better.

[KamTheMan]

Working out is ALWAYS worthwhile!!! And I hear all the time "don't work out your pecs it'll make your boobs look bigger." but if you ever want top surgery you want the best pecs you can possibly have for them to form the tissue to. i love pushups and pull ups. i do them daily and my upper body keeps looking more masculine because of it. i'm about to start a real program where i'm  gonna push the hell out of my self. i want HUGE shoulders

[Zerro]

As early on as possible. Working out is worthwhile regardless of how your body looks, because if you can keep yourself healthy and strong, it will come in use later on.

[Bird]

I think people who are FTM should always be working out, there is no reason to leave it for later. It will help you stay healthy and strong and upper body exercices may help with your dysphoria.

[Nygeel]

I don't know when it makes a difference but the first time I worked out was around one year and my recovery time was very short to the point that I injured my shoulder.

@Bird I disagree with you. My mental health is better when I don't work out. We should do whatever we see fit for ourselves.

[Lee]

Aside from the physical benefits, there are always the mental ones too.  For me, being able to feel the muscles and having the feeling that I'm doing something about it makes working out worthwhile even if I'm not going to end up like a body builder at this point.

Edit:  Just read Nygeel's post.  I guess we're all different, but it's worth a shot.

[supremecatoverlord]

@Bird I disagree with you. My mental health is better when I don't work out. We should do whatever we see fit for ourselves.

Working out often causes the body to release endorphins and adrenalin which often help people feel energized and in a positive mood. There is some truth behind the mood boost, though it may not apply to you. It also follows more true for people who routinely participate in more moderate-intense regular work-outs.

Either way, to each his own, I guess.

:]

[Bird]

Nygeel: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to generalize. I thought it would help for reasons the other guys already said.

[Nygeel]

My issues were mostly dysphoria related. Ex: I can't work out unless I'm binding which causes problems physically. Then with recovery being so short I over did it and my arm is kinda shot. Plus the intended work out made me feel like blowing chunks.

[Rock]

Kreuz, this post https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=84528.0 by bibilinda is what helped me.  I have trouble eating enough too.  Pasta and rice and chicken as often as I can helps with body mass.

Between not eating enough and a stupid neck that ceazes up means I don't do too much working out.  So I chose the pull-ups/chin ups and nothing else.  Like bibi said in her post, they DID broaden my neck and shoulders, beefed up my back and upper chest and arms.  I can't say if it's the hormones or the pull-ups or both but I feel the right shape and I look more masculine due to those muscles.  And like I said, I really was slack about it.  I haven't done them for about a month now because of my neck and back.  My muscles are smaller but haven't lost their shape.  And where I said sets in my previous post, I meant reps. 

Before that I was doing about 100 reps of 5 kilo dumbells a day.  In various lifts.  Never got ANYWHERE with em.