Re-starting...How much do I lift??

kshadows
kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
edited October 2019 in Fitness and Exercise
I did SL 5x5 a few years ago with fantastic results and then I slacked off. This past spring I went back to the gym and started over and was doing well. About 5 weeks in, I broke a rib playing softball and was strictly no heavy lifting for 2 months. Then with kids in soccer and baseball and it being summer, I didn't get back to it.

Now I'm ready to go back and my question is... do I start all over from the beginning? Do I try and go back to the weight I was at when I stopped? Somewhere in between?

Replies

  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    Definitely use less weight then you where doing it before. Maybe more weight then when you first started. You will have to figure it out, you will be better off starting out lighter instead of heavier. You can always increase the weight
  • Panthers89
    Panthers89 Posts: 153 Member
    I agree with ecjim - start out lighter than before your injury. One of my friends told me years ago..."Muscles have memory." You'll get back to the old weight pretty quickly after your body get acclimated to lifting again. WTG on your dedication and determination!!!
  • Start out lighter but maybe not at the beginning, muscle nuclei never die so they should come back relatively fast. I personally took 2 years off and got fat and within 4 months I had 90% of my strength back, and within a year I had surpassed every old PR by a good margin. The 7 years I spent lifting before depression counted for a lot.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    Start light, silly light, very light, seriously light. You can always catch up and add as you progress. Lift too much, too early and you're back to being injured. Starting light also give you a chance to revisit your form on the lifts and make sure you are doing them correctly.
  • I’d say start with the empty bar and take it from there. Stronglifts is a novice programme you will get back to where you were in a few weeks/ months. If you feel at the start that you can add more weight than the prescribed 5 kg then do so. Good luck.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    edited October 2019
    If you are just starting (or restarting), then the threshold needed for improvement is much, much lower than if you are lifting regularly.
    Research suggests that there is little difference in interim progress at the beginning whether you lift heavy or (relatively) light. I always tell beginners—pushing it at the beginning doesn’t get you into shape any faster—it just hurts more.
    Since you aren’t dealing as much with ego, restarting is an excellent time to go lighter and work on improving any form issues you may have had before.
    In the beginning, muscles can lift more weight than joints and tendons can tolerate—you need some time for them to catch up.
    We are not talking about a long time. But employing some restraint for the first 2-4 weeks can pay big long-term dividends.

    The great thing about lifting is that if you set the weight too light, you can always do more next time.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited October 2019
    I would start at a weight that you can complete the reps/sets with three in the tank on the final set without signs of form break down. It will be relatively low intensity compared to when your training halted.

    As soon as you are near or do in fact stall just move onto more advanced programming with appropriate volume and auto regulation built in for the optimal results short term while not sacrificing long term goals.

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
    kshadows wrote: »
    Now I'm ready to go back and my question is... do I start all over from the beginning? Do I try and go back to the weight I was at when I stopped? Somewhere in between?

    There's no shame is starting back at square one. It may feel very easy at first but with the way SL progresses I'm sure you''ll feel challenged (stronger & injury free) fairly soon.

  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    The key for me after a layoff because I knew I was going to start "in between" was to go very low volume the first day back. I was still sore.

    For the main lifts, I started at about 60% of where I was when I got hurt (car accident). And even at that I kept to 1-2 sets of each. Went 3 sets at the same weight the next time and now on the way back up.

    As I increase it's getting easier, which tells me that I could increase weight faster. But....as somebody else mentioned above, my ego is not in the way, my joints could probably use a slower buildup, and I have a chance to really dial in form.

    I suspect the first day soreness would have happened no matter what I did - unless maybe if I started at the bar...
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    Thank you all!! My Stronglifts app actually told me to deload when I opened it up so I followed the recommendation and reduced 50%, which means the majority of my lifts were empty bar and while they did feel silly easy, I still have major DOMS so it apparently was the right decision. Can't wait to get back today!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    kshadows wrote: »
    Thank you all!! My Stronglifts app actually told me to deload when I opened it up so I followed the recommendation and reduced 50%, which means the majority of my lifts were empty bar and while they did feel silly easy, I still have major DOMS so it apparently was the right decision. Can't wait to get back today!

    Just to be clear, DOMS isn't a indicator of how heavy, light, or correct volume.

    It is a indicator that you are novel to a movement in recent history.