Redwood,
I believe I started about 2 years ago. I didn’t know about Thunder’s and was jelqing as my main PE. I was also doing fowfers occasionally, though I somehow didn’t know them as fowfers. After 7-8 months I stopped for 3-4 months and then picked back up with the same routine. Then I stumbled onto Thunder’s and added manual stretching to my routine, but have not been good about doing manual stretching much. In 2004 I’ve gradually done less jelqing and more fowfers and just some manual stretching. Actual PEing time is about 1 year and 8 months when I deduct my off time.
I’ve put off hanging because of what has seemed to me as a definite increased risk. Since I’ve had no injuries, figured that as long as I could gain with my routine then why stop. But my gains have almost come to a halt, so time to change. By studying proper hanging, taking it slow and moving up in weight patiently, I believe I can remain injury free and hopefully will see good gains in time. I’ve started with 5 lbs. I don’t know if some start less or not, but I saw a sample beginning routine that started with 5 lbs and felt I could safely start with that.
I’ll be following your reports, as you progress, with interest.