Back to the gym after 5 month layoff...muscle memory??

[thagkib]

Day 0 (July 29, 2012) –

Weight: 182lbs


Tomorrow I am heading back in to the gym after an almost five month layoff from the gym due a sudden break up that resulted me losing my fiancé, being laid off just prior to the break up and as well as my gym closing down for good all in the same week. During these five months I have slumped into a serious depressed state that has lead me to drink almost every night and eat horribly if at all some days which was not like me prior to our break up – my diet was in tune and I rarely consumed alcohol as I was more concerned on seeing good solid results (my diet has been in check for the last few weeks just have been putting off going to the gym). When I came back in March I was 197lbs, 12-13% body fat sitting at 5’10 but due to my life style change I have obviously atrophied immensely and now sitting at 182lbs with who knows how much body fat I have (estimate 16-18%) at the age of 27. This is my second extended layoff in a matter of two years, in 2010 I stopped going to the gym for 9 months (November-July) – fortunately I bounced back pretty quickly and went from an atrophied 174 to 189 in a matter of 7 or 8 weeks as well as gaining all my strength back and then some in that time. I am hoping muscle memory is going to serve me well again and quickly, I am afraid but also excited to head back in to the gym because I know I am going to be disappointed with the strength I have lost but I am signing up at a new gym out of town so I won’t really know too many faces at first. I am hoping within 5 to 7 weeks I will have gained my strength back, most of my size and hopefully the doms won’t be too bad. This will be the last time I ever take an extended layoff because the agony of seeing all my hard work, countless hours in the gym, sweat and money on food and supps going down the drain and being wasted – it almost depresses me more than the break up itself with the ex. Let’s hope it comes back quickly again this time. I will be writing a daily review from my work out for my own record to see where I am improving, where I could improve and how slowly or rapidly it is coming back – I will also be checking my weight weekly to see if the poundage is coming back and at what rate. I am going to check my ego at the door and hopefully people won’t notice how weak I am.


My Workouts in the first week or two will be full body then they consist of a five to six day a week split routine with cardio three days a week starting late in to the second week back to the gym as that’s when I started to see serious strength and size gains after my nine month layoff.

Anyone else have any experiences with muscle memory?
Thanks guys!!

[rodneytrotter]

Day 0 (July 29, 2012) –

Weight: 182lbs


Tomorrow I am heading back in to the gym after an almost five month layoff from the gym due a sudden break up that resulted me losing my fiancé, being laid off just prior to the break up and as well as my gym closing down for good all in the same week. During these five months I have slumped into a serious depressed state that has lead me to drink almost every night and eat horribly if at all some days which was not like me prior to our break up – my diet was in tune and I rarely consumed alcohol as I was more concerned on seeing good solid results (my diet has been in check for the last few weeks just have been putting off going to the gym). When I came back in March I was 197lbs, 12-13% body fat sitting at 5’10 but due to my life style change I have obviously atrophied immensely and now sitting at 182lbs with who knows how much body fat I have (estimate 16-18%) at the age of 27. This is my second extended layoff in a matter of two years, in 2010 I stopped going to the gym for 9 months (November-July) – fortunately I bounced back pretty quickly and went from an atrophied 174 to 189 in a matter of 7 or 8 weeks as well as gaining all my strength back and then some in that time. I am hoping muscle memory is going to serve me well again and quickly, I am afraid but also excited to head back in to the gym because I know I am going to be disappointed with the strength I have lost but I am signing up at a new gym out of town so I won’t really know too many faces at first. I am hoping within 5 to 7 weeks I will have gained my strength back, most of my size and hopefully the doms won’t be too bad. This will be the last time I ever take an extended layoff because the agony of seeing all my hard work, countless hours in the gym, sweat and money on food and supps going down the drain and being wasted – it almost depresses me more than the break up itself with the ex. Let’s hope it comes back quickly again this time. I will be writing a daily review from my work out for my own record to see where I am improving, where I could improve and how slowly or rapidly it is coming back – I will also be checking my weight weekly to see if the poundage is coming back and at what rate. I am going to check my ego at the door and hopefully people won’t notice how weak I am.


My Workouts in the first week or two will be full body then they consist of a five to six day a week split routine with cardio three days a week starting late in to the second week back to the gym as that’s when I started to see serious strength and size gains after my nine month layoff.

Anyone else have any experiences with muscle memory?
Thanks guys!!

Glad to see you are getting back to it.
I've noticed some muscle memory when i've had layoffs but I would put it mostly down to getting older and more developed as I was still growing.

Good luck and be patient if you don't get it back in 5-7 weeks, I'm sure you will be close though.

[Negatiw]

First, i'm glad you started to go to the gym again, it will relax you, it's the best feeling in the world, being under those weights, touching that cold iron!
Second, it's not muscle memory. Muscle memory is another thing, here is a definition:

"Muscle memory has been used synonymously with motor learning, which is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort. This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems. Examples of muscle memory are found in many everyday activities that become automatic and improve with practice, such as riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard, typing in a PIN, playing a melody or phrase on a musical instrument" Wikipedia

I would post a link of article, but i don't know if I'm allowed to do that. I will just PM it to you.

I bet that in one month or so, you will be back at your desired weight! Only with good nutrition and proper training and sleep!

[thagkib]

I am heading to the gym in a little bit - got my little gym bag packed, my prework suppy in my cup so it's all feeling like it used to when I had a routine going before the gym..I will post how I felt later on - hopefully it will be better than I expect so I am going to keep my head high and battle through this first work out

@ Rodney - thanks bro...thats a good way of looking at muscle memory! hopefully back fully strength wise and just as big but I will settle for close to the same in 5 to 7 weeks just have to be optimistic and not get down on myself by comparing myself to other people or what I used to be

@ negatiw - thanks buddy and yes it one hell of feeling getting a pump and feeling great while clearing your mind - just wish I would have done it months ago lol that article explained a lot, i know there are many arguments and different theories and thoughts when it comes to muscle memory - i don't care if it's muscle memory or not i just want to get my size and strength back haha i hope so in a month or so it came back really fast after my last layoff and it was twice as long as this one but we will see how my body adapts but nutrition and training will both be on par

[thagkib]

@ Jag - Its a little embarrassing at first coming back from a long layoff (I try to go when it's quiet so I don't think people are judging/laughing at me while I push half of what I used to and struggle lol). It definitely puts your ego in check which I am going to leave at the gym door but when you start seeing noticeable strength and size gains watch out there is no stopping. It's awesome to know that it tbake a little amount of time after your layoff to get back to where you once were.

[MusicForMuscles]

Welcome back, and good luck. You'll be back to smashing the weights before you know it

[thagkib]

Day 1 - (July 30, 2012)

Weight: 180lbs

Today was my first day back in almost 5 months off, when I stepped in to the gym I at first became overwhelmed but then estatic that I was finally back. I was at first a little sluggish until about half way through my work out then I was energetic. Today's work out was a full body routine <-- (full body, 2 exercises per body part, 3 sets, 9-20 reps and 5 minute cool down). My strength was considerably down but not as bad as I thought it would be. The doms aren't too bad this morning so I will be heading the gym in a little bit to do another full body work out with cardio.



@ Jag - Thanks bro, I will stay positive - I want it bad enough that I won't let anything get in my way. It's game time!!

@ Music - Thanks man, feels good to be back! It's going to be a process but I will have fun with it

[thagkib]

Day 9 - (August 9, 2012)

Weight: 186lbs

Today I headed in to the gym for my ninth work out in nine days, I was a little sluggish at first but had decided on day five that I would start a split routine consisting of:

- Chest/Biceps/Ab's -
- Shoulders/Traps/Cardio -
- Back/Triceps/Obliques -
- Legs/Cardio/Ab's -

This routine has worked well for me in the past - I have noticed that every work out I am having more muscle stamina and my strength seems to be going up. My diet, supplements and rest/sleep are dialed and I could be completely insane but it's almost like I am starting to fill out a bit again (maybe its all in mind haha)...I did have DOMS pretty badly the first few work outs but nothing I couldn't work through - the DOMS still do crop up from each work out but with a little stretching they seem to subside quickly....I will be heading back in to the gym to crush a chest/bicep/ab work out....

[BumbleBuzz]

Remember rest is as important as working out. Do not push too hard at first and lose motivation or get burned out. Taking a day off is good for your body. You can still do something active to get your mindset out of sitting on the couch.

Go for a walk through the park...or walk the mall and imagine all the hot chicks you are going to smash once you are back in shape.
I took a break after buying a house cause we had so much work to do on it. Felt like all I had time for was the house. Took me a few weeks but I got back into it hardcore. It helped me tremendously to post a picture of when I looked my best and be like.....fock where is that man?!?!? Was huge for me. GL brah repped for success

[Jammie1989]

Sucks big time went through this few years ago. Didn't get laid off tho so feel for you. Hopefully the gym is getting you back out there and raising your confidence levels. Definately did you me Good luck

[thatmccoyguy]

Day 0 (July 29, 2012) –

Weight: 182lbs


Tomorrow I am heading back in to the gym after an almost five month layoff from the gym due a sudden break up that resulted me losing my fiancé, being laid off just prior to the break up and as well as my gym closing down for good all in the same week. During these five months I have slumped into a serious depressed state that has lead me to drink almost every night and eat horribly if at all some days which was not like me prior to our break up – my diet was in tune and I rarely consumed alcohol as I was more concerned on seeing good solid results (my diet has been in check for the last few weeks just have been putting off going to the gym). When I came back in March I was 197lbs, 12-13% body fat sitting at 5’10 but due to my life style change I have obviously atrophied immensely and now sitting at 182lbs with who knows how much body fat I have (estimate 16-18%) at the age of 27. This is my second extended layoff in a matter of two years, in 2010 I stopped going to the gym for 9 months (November-July) – fortunately I bounced back pretty quickly and went from an atrophied 174 to 189 in a matter of 7 or 8 weeks as well as gaining all my strength back and then some in that time. I am hoping muscle memory is going to serve me well again and quickly, I am afraid but also excited to head back in to the gym because I know I am going to be disappointed with the strength I have lost but I am signing up at a new gym out of town so I won’t really know too many faces at first. I am hoping within 5 to 7 weeks I will have gained my strength back, most of my size and hopefully the doms won’t be too bad. This will be the last time I ever take an extended layoff because the agony of seeing all my hard work, countless hours in the gym, sweat and money on food and supps going down the drain and being wasted – it almost depresses me more than the break up itself with the ex. Let’s hope it comes back quickly again this time. I will be writing a daily review from my work out for my own record to see where I am improving, where I could improve and how slowly or rapidly it is coming back – I will also be checking my weight weekly to see if the poundage is coming back and at what rate. I am going to check my ego at the door and hopefully people won’t notice how weak I am.


My Workouts in the first week or two will be full body then they consist of a five to six day a week split routine with cardio three days a week starting late in to the second week back to the gym as that’s when I started to see serious strength and size gains after my nine month layoff.

Anyone else have any experiences with muscle memory?
Thanks guys!!

Let stupid **** get in the way of my lifting for a good 2 or 3 months. Moved to fathers for the summer until I go back for college since my mother moved out of state and decided to get back into it. Weights were all way below where I previously was EX: DB press went from 75s to 50s, Arnold press from 55s to 35s, etc. Its not been about 4 or 5 weeks since I have gotten back into it and almost all of my lifts are back where they were, some are higher than before, and some are only 5-10lbs away. You should be about back where you are within a couple month I'd think. Even though some of my weights are not where they were I'm fairly certain I'm bigger than what I was. Good luck OP don't let the drop in weights get you down!

[thagkib]

Day 28 - (August 26, 2012)

Weight: 187lbs

Today is the end of week number 4 of my comeback - I was pretty sick last week resulting in me having to take five consequtive days off and losing 6lbs but I have been back the past couple days and feeling great. My lifts have really started to pick up and I am about 80-85% of the way back to where I used to be. I haven't noticed a huge amount of size coming back but people around my apartment building are saying they are noticing a difference. I hope due to the little illness set back I can still meet my goals in the timeline I gave myself - I am not going to get discouraged if I don't suceed but I will be working my butt off between now and then.

@ Bumblebuzz - I am wondering if my sickness was my body going what the hell are you doing to me; great advice though bro!! I guess bodybuilding isn't a sprint but more of a marathon..

@ J1989 - Yeah man it forsure does suck big time but at least we are getting back on the bike after falling off and as for the confidence its coming back and hopefully where it was before in a few weeks...thanks for the post bro...

@ themccoyguy - That's really encouraging to hear its coming back fast for you..thanks man + it's hard not to get down on yourself for the drop in weight but I am using it as motivation to push past where I was before...

Back in the gym tomorrow to crush out a back/tricep/ab routine...thanks for all the advice and kind words on my come back everyone

[jasondickhaus]

Day 9 - (August 9, 2012)

Weight: 186lbs

Today I headed in to the gym for my ninth work out in nine days, I was a little sluggish at first but had decided on day five that I would start a split routine consisting of:

- Chest/Biceps/Ab's -
- Shoulders/Traps/Cardio -
- Back/Triceps/Obliques -
- Legs/Cardio/Ab's -

This routine has worked well for me in the past - I have noticed that every work out I am having more muscle stamina and my strength seems to be going up. My diet, supplements and rest/sleep are dialed and I could be completely insane but it's almost like I am starting to fill out a bit again (maybe its all in mind haha)...I did have DOMS pretty badly the first few work outs but nothing I couldn't work through - the DOMS still do crop up from each work out but with a little stretching they seem to subside quickly....I will be heading back in to the gym to crush a chest/bicep/ab work out....

Chest should be with Tri's and Back should be with Bi's since those are the supporting muscles. Chest support in pressing motions with tri and back is supported with pulling motions with Bi's. Shoulders/traps should probably be thrown in with back as they are part of the same exercises you work back with. Take a day off, 9 days straight is not allowing your body to recover properly, workout monday thru friday with sat and sun off for example. here is split that works well for some

Chest/Cardio
Back/Abs
Legs
Arms/Abs/Cardio
Rest

Aim high.

[criticallymass]

I lifted for 5 years strait... go pretty big. Took 2 years off, became a hard core drug addict and ate disgracefully. Seriously was appualed by what i have become. Started lifting again and got back to were i was in one year.

[brazilianbadboy]

whenever i take a long time off from the gym for whatever reason, when i come back the first week i always do total body. warm up and stretch and than do 2 sets for each body part. when the second week comes around i'm ready to jump back at it full force.

[inb4Arniestatus]

wOw OP is a fukin pussay

[SteveWanderlich]

sorry to hear about that i really am. Due to the chronic changes that happen during weight training, your muscle memory will be a lot better than you think. Stick to lighter weight to be on the safe side. That really is rough, but you'll be back in no time just stay positive!

[cmdrake]

Honestly, I haven't really seen any muscle memory. Just always seems to be hard and harder work.

[muscleshakes]

Im starting tonight after 5 months off and I was in great shape at least for me. I do it about every 3-4 years but this time I did it bc of a shoulder RTC injury. It is still there but I will just do light weight stuff and do what I can. Not worried about if Im doing half the weight I could do bc I will be lol. I need to strengthen up backs of shoulders and work on other things as well! Last thing Im worried about is gaining weight! Although my 4 year old did say daddy your arms are small now

[kbft]

Yeah I had a break, lost six pounds, but for the last two weeks I've hit it hard. I was feeling quite good, thinking I was looking good again till my mate asked me today if I've stopped working out. Dick.

[meerkat3.14]

I suspect over 3months off will take months to get back. Around 12 weeks+

It depends on the diet while off- if you were undereating you could have lost a lot (as you stated). If you were at least maintaining/ eating more than maintenance it would probably be a different story.I've been off about 5months myself, but deliberately ate over maintenance throughout to minimise muscle loss. I have gone from about 86kg to 106kg but my six pack is still visible and I don't have a belly as such. The reason I was off is I kept undersleeping and for me the gym is pointless without sleep as I train for strength. I will keep the thread updated to let you know how I do once I start working out lol.

[Stanee]

Please help, I hope you still use your account or someone I just made an account so I could ask someone for help. But Anyways I got severely depressed and took a whole 8 months off of the gym and my diet and sleep went to absolute Sh*t!!! I am only 16 and kind of a small dude I weigh 125 and am 5 foot 7. Anyways before I quit I could bench 180 and I just started to work out again and I swear most of my muscle is still there somehow just my stomach is not as lean as it used to be but its still flat but just not as defined... But Anyways most my muscle is still there but I swear I lost 60-70% of my strength I gained. I probably could not bench more than my body weight right now.. This is really depressing and demotivating.... I hope I can gain it back alot faster than it took me to gain it the first time. My diet is in check again and im doing HIIT sessions now and made me plan for workouts each week... I was gonna start training upper body twice a week and lower once a week because for some reason my legs always take way longer to recover idk if its because its just a much bigger and more powerful muscle on the human body or what but yea. Please any tips on how to gain my strength back fast its really depressing when I have to take all my plates off my bench and just have a little bit on and can barely do 15 reps with a weight I could literally throw the bar up out of my hands and catch it...... Any motivational quotes or something it is really bothering me and I do not know how to start really or how long it will take me to get back to where I was.

[SamTJones]

wOw OP is a fukin pussay

That's not right.

[SamTJones]

Congratulations on coming back to the gym!

[victorztw]

hello d00d i think my post will make u happy
i broke my pectoral muscles had to stop everything for close to one year
10 months im dumbellling and its coming back like if it has still memory
dont worry

[championrelentl]

Hello everyone my name is tony. Im 6'2 280lbs...i recently got a bench press of 475lbs! ....but unfortanerly i got a boxers fracture yesterday defending a blind guy who was being riduculed. Anyone got any ideas how i can stay buff?

[quiller4287]

Im 67 cancer survivor. I was given one year to live and well I just quit. What was the point I thought. Those 2 hr periods out of my day, it seemed more important to spend with family. Well thanks to president Trumps position on taking great care of veterans the VA spent a million dollars on treating me with an experimental treatment. It worked, I am currently with only scars from tumor removals. Im alive, my first long term lay off. Worked 11 months then smashed my hand, again lay off, then pre existing low back injury, again lay off, now righf shoulder injury 5 months off, it still hurts. Today will be the fourth day back. My personal experience is as follows. I normally work a split 2 on one to two off then 2 again. I start 50% of normal lifts, cut sets from 4 to 3 for 2 weeks. Its difficult to work out if you can barely move. The body starts to remember the old work outs. Then I go back to 4 sets increase lifts 5 to 10lbs each workout. Depending on how I feel I start to push myself again. Being careful to listen to my body what it tells me not what others say. Good luck to you all.