Muscle Memory? Best back to gym tips?

PeterB95
PeterB95 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 24 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
So finally getting back into the gym after a long 5 month off. Hear a lot about this muscle memory being there after people even taking years off, anybody shed any light with the best way? I’m guessing more reps light weight to begin with?

Replies

  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    Start light until your body acclimates itself to the exercises.
  • PeterB95
    PeterB95 Posts: 2 Member
    Yeah most people say stick to the weights you know your not struggling but it’s enough to feel the burn for 3/4 weeks then try a week of heavier weights and see what the outcome is. Hopefully will be back in routine soon enough
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Just start back at a comfortable weight and a,fairly high rep tange to start. Ina few weeks you will likely find that's your strength takes off. Don't presa too hard too fast or you risk injury but just progress as quickly as your body lets you and you'll do fine.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    This is something I’m worried about. I normally work out 6 days a week and fractured my knee cap yesterday randomly. Please come back to this thread and let us know how it goes.
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    edited February 2018
    I lifted, then got sick and lost a lot of weight/muscle. I didn't work out at all for over a year and a half. Started lifting again April 2017 with the lowest weights doing 3x12. It really sucked at first, but the muscles were quick to come back, and then some. So yes, muscle memory is real.
  • Inspirationalwaterjug
    Inspirationalwaterjug Posts: 384 Member
    You’re gonna have to find your Minimum and maximum adaptive volume again and work around that. Hypertrophy then strength then peak then start again. In other words start slow with a good base. Build up the volume; then start to increase intensity
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Go really slow. Diving in too close to where you dropped off is a great way to get injured and fall back even further.
  • Atmc1
    Atmc1 Posts: 18 Member
    edited February 2018
    I always find that I'm able to push more weight after taking days off, I'd say just listen to your body and if u feel weaker then stick to the weight that u can lift, you'll get where u used to be quicker than you think.
  • KaduParga
    KaduParga Posts: 26 Member
    PeterB95 wrote: »
    So finally getting back into the gym after a long 5 month off. Hear a lot about this muscle memory being there after people even taking years off, anybody shed any light with the best way? I’m guessing more reps light weight to begin with?
    PeterB95 wrote: »
    So finally getting back into the gym after a long 5 month off. Hear a lot about this muscle memory being there after people even taking years off, anybody shed any light with the best way? I’m guessing more reps light weight to begin with?

    Start with light weights for some weeks till your body be used to workout Again and you avoid muscle sore that In the beginning can be what make you don’t want to go the gym again. And always nutrition. I got back 6 weeks ago after 10 months off and I already put back 15 pounds eating 5000kcal daily and training every day.
  • Atmc1
    Atmc1 Posts: 18 Member
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    Atmc1 wrote: »
    I always find that I'm able to push more weight after taking days off, I'd say just listen to your body and if u feel weaker then stick to the weight that u can lift, you'll get where u used to be quicker than you think.

    Days off isn't anything like 5 months off

    Yes and ur right,I was just speaking from my personal experience.

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    KaduParga wrote: »
    PeterB95 wrote: »
    So finally getting back into the gym after a long 5 month off. Hear a lot about this muscle memory being there after people even taking years off, anybody shed any light with the best way? I’m guessing more reps light weight to begin with?
    PeterB95 wrote: »
    So finally getting back into the gym after a long 5 month off. Hear a lot about this muscle memory being there after people even taking years off, anybody shed any light with the best way? I’m guessing more reps light weight to begin with?

    Start with light weights for some weeks till your body be used to workout Again and you avoid muscle sore that In the beginning can be what make you don’t want to go the gym again. And always nutrition. I got back 6 weeks ago after 10 months off and I already put back 15 pounds eating 5000kcal daily and training every day.

    Congratulations on your fat gain.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Start at a weight that you are challenged but can hold form.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    PeterB95 wrote: »
    So finally getting back into the gym after a long 5 month off. Hear a lot about this muscle memory being there after people even taking years off, anybody shed any light with the best way? I’m guessing more reps light weight to begin with?

    not sure what you're thinking of with 'muscle memory' . . . you mean being able to remember the form/relearn it more quickly than the first-ever time? or the idea that your body 'remembers' how to grow muscle and or-make you strong so your progress comes faster than the first time around?

    i'm also not sure if my experiences are of any relevance to you. i've never taken that long away, just a couple of month-two-month kinds of layoffs. never all that powerful a lifter in the first place. but fwiw for me, the approach is jsut to go back to the gym and treat myself like i was brand new. linear progression programme, start with the bar, carry on. for reference i've almost always lifted 5x5 or 3x5 in my linear phases.

    so given that, yes my experience was that the second and third 'newbie' experiences did move much faster than my very first actually-newb one. some of it just experience, i think. and maybe some of it the other kind, idk. on that second thing i'm a woman and 52 anyway, so my own results with putting on actual muscle are probably only relevant to other people like me.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    edited February 2018
    I had over double the time away from the gym (badly broken leg), and returning I just had my trainer set up a nice "get back into it" routine (I actually had a 3 day/week plan I did at home to start, then back to the gym in late November). As each plan got "easy" I had him set up a new one. Now back to what I would consider a longer-term training program, with intensity levels that are what I need for my racing.

    Granted, I'm still dealing with issues with my leg (muscle atrophy that bad is a nightmare, in addition to the f-ed up ankle), but I was actually surprised at how quickly my fitness came back. Strength still isn't quite where it was, but getting pretty darn close as of this week (bad leg not being included of course).

    Your form and such shouldn't really take a hit, so just be careful not to overdo it too quickly.
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