Back when I was 18 I was a gym rat for just over 3 months before getting into boxing and subsequently I stopped lifting. Haven't completed a weeks worth of lifting since. Here's my stats from then... I was doing SS so everything's 3x5, 3x8 or 1x5.
Body Weight: 145lbs (65kg)
Squat 3x5 : 230lbs (105kg)
Bench 3x5 : 145lbs (65kg)
Deadlift 1x5 : 275lbs (125kg)
Overhead Press 3x5: 99lbs (45kg)
Chinup 3x8: Bodyweight + 33lbs (15kg)
On those odd days I've went back into the weights room since, I've been able to perform these lifts (see below). The most recent was last week, at least 6 months from my last gym session. Also, I didn't go for maxes as I didn't really think it was a smart idea.
Body Weight: 145lbs (65kg)
Squat 3x5 : 145lbs (65kg)
Bench 3x5 : 110lbs (50kg)
Deadlift 1x5 : 198lbs (90kg)
Overhead Press 3x5: N/A
Chinup 3x8: 3x8 unweighted
Now, from the FAQ this definition of beginner/intermediate is posted:
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"I like Madcow's definition of differentiating between beginner and intermediate lifters. If you are able to keep putting weight on the bar for that lift from session to session consistently then you're still a beginner in that particular lift. If you keep stalling on that lift despite multiple deloads while ensuring your technique and recovery is sufficient; then you're intermediate in that particular lift and need to look at weekly progression. One bad day and a missed lift or two does not mean jack - it will likely keep happening more and more as you progress - it's usually telling you to de-load that lift or that you aren't recovering enough."
Quote:
Originally Posted by From Madcow's training primer:
Beginner
Typically a beginner will have a very simple program and can progress workout to workout for a decent stretch. This might be adding 5lbs to the back squat 2 to even 3 times per week or maybe it's 2.5lbs to the bench on the same frequency. Essentially every time or most times he goes into the gym, he's a different lifter. Simply the rate of adaptation is high, the time between personal records is low, and the necessary complexity of the programming to elicit these progressions is low.
Intermediate
An intermediate may ramp up to his records over a few weeks and then get decent stretches where he'll set new records on lifts on a weekly basis. At first he might get 12 week runs, later on only 3-4 weeks, but nevertheless he is making fast progress and adding weight to his lifter weekly or almost weekly. Within a week lifts and stress on the body will generally undulate. If 3 full body workouts are used it's typically Heavy, Light, Medium with the work geared to getting that next record the following week. Rate of adaptation is still medium, time between records is medium, and complexity of the program is medium.
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SO, basically what I'm asking is:
What's the best way to train after such a long time off? Should I approach it as if I'm a beginner, adding 5lbs a day... then a week... then a month eventually until I hit my old maxes?
Or is there a better way to train, where I use my muscle memory and experience to benefit moreso from my return to the lifting of things that are heavy? I'm having trouble finding any information on this from all the old sites I used to haunt, and couldn't find it in the FAQ either.
If you read this all, and understood my shitty train of thought then well done.
Peace
jmob
Body Weight: 145lbs (65kg)
Squat 3x5 : 230lbs (105kg)
Bench 3x5 : 145lbs (65kg)
Deadlift 1x5 : 275lbs (125kg)
Overhead Press 3x5: 99lbs (45kg)
Chinup 3x8: Bodyweight + 33lbs (15kg)
On those odd days I've went back into the weights room since, I've been able to perform these lifts (see below). The most recent was last week, at least 6 months from my last gym session. Also, I didn't go for maxes as I didn't really think it was a smart idea.
Body Weight: 145lbs (65kg)
Squat 3x5 : 145lbs (65kg)
Bench 3x5 : 110lbs (50kg)
Deadlift 1x5 : 198lbs (90kg)
Overhead Press 3x5: N/A
Chinup 3x8: 3x8 unweighted
Now, from the FAQ this definition of beginner/intermediate is posted:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I like Madcow's definition of differentiating between beginner and intermediate lifters. If you are able to keep putting weight on the bar for that lift from session to session consistently then you're still a beginner in that particular lift. If you keep stalling on that lift despite multiple deloads while ensuring your technique and recovery is sufficient; then you're intermediate in that particular lift and need to look at weekly progression. One bad day and a missed lift or two does not mean jack - it will likely keep happening more and more as you progress - it's usually telling you to de-load that lift or that you aren't recovering enough."
Quote:
Originally Posted by From Madcow's training primer:
Beginner
Typically a beginner will have a very simple program and can progress workout to workout for a decent stretch. This might be adding 5lbs to the back squat 2 to even 3 times per week or maybe it's 2.5lbs to the bench on the same frequency. Essentially every time or most times he goes into the gym, he's a different lifter. Simply the rate of adaptation is high, the time between personal records is low, and the necessary complexity of the programming to elicit these progressions is low.
Intermediate
An intermediate may ramp up to his records over a few weeks and then get decent stretches where he'll set new records on lifts on a weekly basis. At first he might get 12 week runs, later on only 3-4 weeks, but nevertheless he is making fast progress and adding weight to his lifter weekly or almost weekly. Within a week lifts and stress on the body will generally undulate. If 3 full body workouts are used it's typically Heavy, Light, Medium with the work geared to getting that next record the following week. Rate of adaptation is still medium, time between records is medium, and complexity of the program is medium.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SO, basically what I'm asking is:
What's the best way to train after such a long time off? Should I approach it as if I'm a beginner, adding 5lbs a day... then a week... then a month eventually until I hit my old maxes?
Or is there a better way to train, where I use my muscle memory and experience to benefit moreso from my return to the lifting of things that are heavy? I'm having trouble finding any information on this from all the old sites I used to haunt, and couldn't find it in the FAQ either.
If you read this all, and understood my shitty train of thought then well done.
Peace
jmob
