Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I was trying to open a new jar of Branston Pickle yesterday and realised I simply didn't have the strength to do it. It has been getting progressively harder over the last few months and finally I met my match. I had to go into the shed and clamp it in the vice to remove it!

I knew I had lost upper body strength as I can barely do one push up now! but I've never been unable to open a jar!

I'm wondering whether you lost a significant amount of strength through HRT?

I think this is the first negative I've encountered since going on HRT but it really did make me laugh. Considering I used to work in the trades, I've gone all puny ha ha!

I'm hoping to lose some muscle mass as my upper arms are too big and I'm not keen on them. I look too toned and that's not what I'm after!

I'm only 11 months HRT so may take longer.

Charlotte

You will Charlotte unless you're doing regular weights (and even then they will get smaller).

After your comment I have just looked at mine as it's not something I do really but I have virtually no bicep bump if I flex them now! I hadn't really noticed that happening, weird. I used to have chunky biceps as I used to lift heavy gas boilers around all day!

It seems likely it will happen to you too Charlotte, probably much more rapidly once you have you surgery in Feb.

It seems that estradiol based HRT will, in time reduce most peoples strength and muscle mass, but there are factors which will affect this. If genetics has given you naturally large muscle mass, the reduction from HRT may be less, and age can also affect results.

Studies have shown that within the first year on HRT, blood chemistry changes so that trans women have equivalent haemoglobin to cis women. This limits ability to carry oxygen to muscles, and as most have greater muscle mass than cis women, it actually causes a disadvantage in performance as larger muscles take more of the energy producing oxygen just to stay healthy. This oxygen deficit affects endurance more than short cycle strength.

I have been on HRT for over 7 years, from age 65, and strong genetics for strength and muscle mass. I have lost little muscle mass, and compared to others my age in my gym group, I work with higher weights than all the women and men. I cannot wear sleeveless tops as my deltoid muscles stand out, and I get looks from checkout staff at my bicep flex when lifting shopping bags. My endurance loss has been minimal also, and at 72 years old, I can still swim 3000 metres non stop at my local pool. I have had almost no Testosterone in my system for 7 years.

So, while HRT will reduce strength and muscle mass for most trans women, not everybody benefits.

Hugs,

Allie

I definitely lost strength after I started HRT.  I don't lift weights or anything like that, so I don't have any numbers to quantify the loss. 

I am still our household's designated jar-opener.  That is because I learned long ago to always open jars left-handed, even if you are strongly right-handed.  (Anatomically, the left hand can exert more torque counter-clockwise than the right hand can.  This is why screw threads tighten clockwise, designed for right-handed people.)

My endurance is still quite fair, as long as I moderate my effort level.  At a moderate pace, I can walk all day.  At a brisk pace, I run out of steam quickly.  That is more a result of a lung injury from pneumonia, not anything due to muscles.

I got a Black & Decker jar opener.
https://a.co/d/01eS6MlI
It works real well and dosen't take a lot of counter space

When you've spent a lifetime forcing various mechanical assemblies then opening jars is zero effort! I'm just naturally strong, probably as I've had excess T for most my life until now!

Yes to loss of strength.  I assumed there would be some but I was surprised by how much. A small price to pay in my opinion.

There is some diminishment in strength.

Last year (2024-2025 season) I had some guy friends help me with the snow on the driveway.

I'm at 5 months of HRT, so no observable loss yet, but I'm expecting it. I'm trying to finish some of the heavy outdoor work quickly before it becomes impossible.

I've always done what Kathy recommends, opening jars left-handed. I guess I just discovered it works better.

Here's another trick: Exhale forcefully as you apply the torque. It's not all about the arms. What you really need are the abdominals (obliques), and the sharp exhale will engage them. I've done this with stubborn jars, and it really does work.

Quote from: Charlotte Kitty on March 27, 2026, 08:02:13 AMWhen you've spent a lifetime forcing various mechanical assemblies then opening jars is zero effort! I'm just naturally strong, probably as I've had excess T for most my life until now!

Well, lifting gas boilers and tightening or freeing plumbing fittings can take a hell of a lot of strength and force too I assure you. I wouldn't be able to do some of it now.

If you don't want to loose strength maybe adding some upper body weight training might be the thing. Doesn't really bother me personally, just an observation really.

You sometimes just get really tight jar lids I suppose, could have been that. I have broken my wrists twice on each hand plus some ligament strains so maybe I'm naturally weaker. But my biceps do seem to have disapeared! Still got powerful legs though.

There are various devices that can give you some mechanical advantage in opening up those tight jar lids.

It's definitely a fact that when you take away testosterone and replace it with estrogen you have to work alot harder to build muscle.

I've seen some women with that bulked up look though. Personally I don't like it so the hormones work in my favor I guess.

I have definitely lost muscle mass. I was never bulky, but I was strong and in good shape. Nothing on an Army tank is lightweight.

My prospecting involves a lot of digging, moving rocks, and carrying 5-gallon buckets of wet gravel. I can still do it, but it wears on me more at 68 years old.

I don't have muscle definition in my legs or arms/shoulders like I used to. I am okay with that.

For tough jars, I insert a small screwdriver under the lid and twist. That is usually just enough to break the vacuum seal, and it will come right off.

You can get little robot thingies that open jars for you these days.

Or a swift stab with a knife through the middle of the lid to break the pressure seal makes them extremely easy to open. I've done that many a time with particularly troublesome jars of sliced beetroot.

Quote from: Sephirah on March 27, 2026, 02:22:01 PMYou can get little robot thingies that open jars for you these days.

Or a swift stab with a knife through the middle of the lid to break the pressure seal makes them extremely easy to open. I've done that many a time with particularly troublesome jars of sliced beetroot.

But will the jar still seal afterward?

My method allows air in, but the lid retains its seal when tightened.

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 27, 2026, 03:28:22 PMBut will the jar still seal afterward?

My method allows air in, but the lid retains its seal when tightened.

No... but I really like beetroot :P

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 27, 2026, 10:39:54 AMThere are various devices that can give you some mechanical advantage in opening up those tight jar lids.

If you do a Web search on:  Jar opener

You will see images of many such devices!

The first thing I noticed when I started HRT age 32 in January 1990. Within a few weeks I lost muscle from my upper arms and strength. I was working in a warehouse shifting 25kg bags of powdered chemicals so it was difficult!

Quote from: Sephirah on March 27, 2026, 03:33:31 PMNo... but I really like beetroot :P

Creased! Stabbing beetroot jars? anything we should be woried about Lauren?

Quote from: Stottie Girl on March 27, 2026, 03:59:31 PMCreased! Stabbing beetroot jars? anything we should be woried about Lauren?

Probably not... just... be worried about your arteries if you are in a relationship with me. I don't boil bunnies but I do have an affinity for beetroot...

Quote from: Sephirah on March 27, 2026, 04:10:20 PMProbably not... just... be worried about your arteries if you are in a relationship with me. I don't boil bunnies but I do have an affinity for beetroot...

Probably the blood red juice! Get's your vamp senses tingling.

Lauren likes her steaks rare enough that with a little first aid, you could save the cow.

🤣

I have lost some significant strength, but as to how much it was from HRT or me choosing to change my diet and training to something different is debatable.

Initially starting HRT and for about 6-7 months I continued to train as I always did. My normal bodybuilding routine. Near the end of it I was def not lifting the same amount of weight that's for sure. For example if I was able to do 125lbs dumbbells on incline or flat bench I was now struggling to get 10 reps with the 80s.

Leg strength didn't change much until I decided to change how I trained.

Eventually I decided to forgo all upper body training and only focused on legs. Since then I have definitely lost more strength and muscle size but not as much as I would have expected. Now if I was struggling to get 10 reps with the 80s on a chest press now I'm at 50-70 lbs dumbbells for 10 just depending on how many calories I've had to fuel my workouts.

So there has definitely been some strength loss, and muscle loss but again with how much I've switched my training routines I can't say for sure what were the most contributing factors to it.

At this point I'm still back and forth between what my ultimate goal is. If I want to try and chase what is considered a feminine figure or to continue to be on the more muscular side.

I'm sure if I continue to just workout as I had always done I would still eventually shrink in size and strength, it would just take longer than an approach that is actively trying to lose size and strength.

 

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 27, 2026, 04:43:10 PMLauren likes her steaks rare enough that with a little first aid, you could save the cow.

🤣

If it ain't mooin', I ain't chewin'. :P

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 27, 2026, 04:43:10 PMLauren likes her steaks rare enough that with a little first aid, you could save the cow.

🤣

Yikes!

Quote from: Robbyv213 on March 27, 2026, 05:22:01 PMSo there has definitely been some strength loss, and muscle loss but again with how much I've switched my training routines I can't say for sure what were the most contributing factors to it.

You raise a good point here.

Pre-transition, I was mining about three days a week. Then I started HRT, but we had other issues that kept me out of the rivers. COVID and floods that refused to bring water levels down to safe levels. That kept me away for two summers. When I was able to get back to it, I could only get in about one or two days a week. Then it wasn't every week, but every other week.

I just chalked it up to getting old. But your point is interesting. It wasn't the HRT, but my activity level had also decreased. Now, I choose to "work smarter, not harder." Instead of doing everything from digging to screening to sluicing all in the same day, I now dig for a day, then screen and sluice. My upcoming mining plan will be similar. I will dig and screen, then sluice at a later date. The plan was due to water availability issues at the dig site.

Or maybe I am just getting old and worn out.

😁

Uh, huh. Lori, you are like whiskey. You don't get older, just better. :)

Quote from: Sephirah on March 27, 2026, 08:19:04 PMUh, huh. Lori, you are like whiskey. You don't get older, just better. :)

Thanks.

I'm not done yet.

My new camping gear arrived the other day. Now, I am just waiting for the Bureau of Land Management to open the gates. If this warm weather continues, I may take a scouting trip. There is a 4-wheel-drive trail that climbs a mountain and offers an overlook of the gold-mining area. It should be a good place to take some photos, too.