Going back to the gym, FINALLY

[thefonz]

Ok, this question is mainly directed for Warboss but I'll listen to all advice.

Basically I cut my hand over the summer and had to get surgery to repair a severed flexor tendon on my left hand. I haven't been to the gym in about 4 months and it has been hell because I used to go like 5 days a week. I'm a skinny person naturally so I'm a little surprised that I didn't completely waste away like I thought I would after having no lifting exercises accomplished for such a long time. Well, my physcal therapist gave me the thumbs up (no pun intended) to get back into the gym and start lifting again. I went back yesterday to try doing a bi and tri workout and I noticed that alot of the smaller muscles I used to have are missing.

It was alot harder to get back in to it than I thought it would be, almost like going to the gym for the first time. My usual routine is to bomb the **** out of 2 body parts a day but would that be wise to start off doing this given I haven't worked out in awhile. Should I concentrate on doing a full body workout to get all the muscles warmed up first and start doing the bodyparts routine alittle later? What's the best way to get back into the game after being on the sidelines for so long?

 

[Morphiex]

i think u should startout slow cuz as u said u havent hit the wights in 4 months and your muscles prolly wont be able to work as they did 4 months ago..... ANd they will also prolly get really sour if u hit them tooo hard....

maby u should start by doing the rutine u did when u started lifting weights for the first time.... then after some time ul eventually be able to go back to the same program but it might take tsome time.... no fast sulution i think.....

but hell im no expert at this... maby someone with more experiance might be able to help you out some more....

peace and god luck mate =)

 

[thefonz]

thanks man, anyone else?

 

[Warboss Alex]

First, congratulations on your comeback. Don't worry, your strength/mass will return much, much quicker than it did to get there in the first place, and a couple of workouts in it'll be as if you've never been away.

1-2 weeks of light fullbody workouts are a must to remind your muscles of what they're supposed to do; after that a 3-day (or preferably 2-day split) with straight sets (just one for each exercise) with heavier weights, try to do as many different exercises as possible in your warmup workouts (without putting too much strain on yourself).

My guess is that you'll feel 'ready' by yourself, when you go in for a warmup workout and it seems too easy, then you'll be off! Muscle memory is a wonderful thing.

Incidentally, congratulations for not jumping straight back into your old program, I know a few people who'd do that and set themselves back just trying to build up to the intensity again .. slow and steady wins the race here.

 

[thefonz]

Originally posted by Warboss Alex
Incidentally, congratulations for not jumping straight back into your old program, I know a few people who'd do that and set themselves back just trying to build up to the intensity again .. slow and steady wins the race here.

Unfortunately, that's what I've been doing the past couple of days before I read your post. This probably explains why I had the 2 worst chest and back days of my life! It was so bad I wanna pretend I never even went to the gym those days. I hear you though, I'll do alot of pushups, jumping jacks, and weight free squats to get back in rythm than to the 2 day split for a little while before I do the bodyparts again:woo:

 

[Warboss Alex]

Yeah mate, don't worry, you'll be able to get back into your old routine quickly but not immediately.

Be patient, but it's cool that you're raring to go, just hold it in for a coupla weeks and see how you go!