Restarting with lifting after time off

[luisd]

hey
I've been kept off any sort of training due to a superficial foot injury and some complications with the stitches. My foot is now 100% operational and I want to restart my weight training. I'll first say that I don't even think I've lifted in the entire 2008 due to focusing on some judo competitions but now that those and my injury are done I can not wait to get back in the gym.
Before the gap in training I was doing a basic two day split, using everything I've learned here and I actually put on about 9 kilos (19 lbs) of muscle, mostly in my legs. After that I felt I had stopped progressing but now I'm ready to jump back in and my question is regarding that.

how do I go about getting back into weight training, should I get some overall conditioning first?
After about a month of inactivity I returned to some of my training and did feel a bit out of shape. What can I do to regain my lifting momentum, and mostly my recovery. I started with the boxing and grappling this monday and I feel really sore from workouts that normally didn't tax me at all.
thanks

 

[BayAreaGuy]

Starting off with lighter weights and going slow would be the best thing.

 

[joshetc]

Workout at the same intensity you've been doing, even if the weight is less. Everything should more or less be done as a % of your 1RM or with your 3RM, 4RM, 5RM, etc.

Use the same lifts at the same intensity, with less sessions. Add more sessions as you are able add more sessions. Theres no reason to do sub-maximal weights unless your injury is still a factor. How did you jump into weight training to begin with?

 

[thethirddiaz]

Just get back in the gym. Start with a bit less weight and go to it.

If you "try to get back in shape" in order to lift it will take much longer to start. You can do a lot of work while sore, so don't let that stop you. On the other hand, listen to your body and if you are actually fatigued (not just sore) rest up and eat clean.

 

[BlondeWarrior]

Do you have any girls you can train with?

Haha, jk.

Good advice so far. One thing about coming back from injury is that you're so excited to be back, you push yourself too far too fast. Take it easy, do less than you think that you should for a while, just to make sure that you won't re-injure yourself. The good thing about coming back is that you know where you were, so that you have a goal to make it back to. You'll be back to 100% before you know it.

 

[luisd]

thanks for the advice

 

[luisd]

gotta ask this though, see previously I alternated so that I would only DL every other week and I would also alternate front and back squats weekly. Should I continue this or is squatting and DLing weekly really not recommended.

 

[ThinkGreen]

squatting and DLing weekly is definitely recommended. Focus on lifting with correct form and not as much weight at first, and within 4-6 weeks I imagine you'll be back to where you left off, probably with better form though.

 

[BlondeWarrior]

YES. There are some nice routines in the FAQ and in training logs. We should have injury-recovery routines posted, too... that would be helpful. People could just copy & paste them from their logs...

 

[luisd]

thanks again
my injury was just a nasty cut on the top of my foot so that in no way interferes with training, and thanks for the training logs heads up

 

[EdmondDantes]

first day back, hate going down on lifts, so I did the same weight, but before I would do 5RM, now ican onyl do 1RM.

Feel a decrease in strength, as a weight that was easy before is now a huge challenge.

 

[Hojo undo]

I recommend some sort of linear progression until you reach your old level. It shouldn't be that hard but you should defintly start low. Why not try Starting Strenght? Rippetoe mentions in Practical Programming that even top athletes can start really easy and low but use an aggressive linear progression (Such as starting strenght) until former fitness level is reached. Only it should be a LOT easier this time.