Questions to help my father

[KShedd]

Hello, my Dad is 62 yo, 6 ft, and 213 lbs.

He was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in March. Since that time he has had chemo, radiation, and hormone therapy. Along side the treatments he has had a colonostomy.

He also has two buldging discs L4, L5.

Up until his cancer, my dad has been fairly strong from a lifetime on the farm, now he can’t pick up a couple 50lb bags of salt without immense pain and fatigue.

The hormone therapy specifically blocks his body’s ability to produce testosterone to keep the cancer under control. This has had the consequence of greatly reduced muscle mass and an increase in body fat.

My question is, what should he do given the limitations listed above. The doctors keep telling him to only do leg and arm stuff, nothing with the torso and that walking is the best thing.

This sounds like malarkey and I am tired of seeing my dad miserably following the doctors orders and desiring to be a functioning adult again.

Any suggestions would be great, thanks

Correction on his weight. He is 225 lbs now.

[Mark Rippetoe]

He needs to start training. Now. Also:

Surprise: High-Dose Testosterone Therapy Helps Some Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer - 01/07/2015

[BostonFan9]

Fantastic post Mark. Testosterone is so demonized it’s unbelievable. We need more studies like this. I wouldn’t be surprised if the results of this sample size would have been even better with the addition of a 5 alpha reductase enzyme inhibitor.

[KShedd]

Thanks Rip,
Any watch outs for his ostemy when doing the lifts?

[Mark Rippetoe]

He doesn't need to any power cleans.

[KShedd]

Update: I have started my dad on strength training. He is doing squats, press, and bench. So far too scared to try DL. I will work him up to them. Thanks for the encouragement Coach Rip.