First Day Back In The Gym: How Much Strength Did You Lose?

[EmperorPenguin]

I just came back from the gym today for the first time in ninety days, and I am very depressed. Here are my numbers.

Push-ups: before the lockdown about 20 (perfect form), today 5.2. Pull-ups: before the lockdown 12, today 3 (imperfect form).Bench press: too scared to start with even 135, so I started with 95 and did ten reps easily, but the movement felt very unnatural and I already feel the pain.Squat: Too scared to even try 135 (don't want to tweak my back so I used a hacksquat machine and did ten reps with just 90 lbs, but I feel the lactic acid alreadyI know I will be in great pain two days from now.. Anyone here had similar strength loss?

[bscinstnct]

 

Youll get it all back in no time.

 

I posted the long post below to describe how the lockdown changed my workouts.... and I think I’ll never even go back to the gym. Even thought my overall Strength as far as moving the most amount of weight will drop a lot.

 

Just curious, why didn’t you keep doing pull-ups and pushups and some bodyweight leg workouts during the lockdown?

 

Either way, you’ll be crushing it soon ; )

 

Here is my post from the other thread....

 

As far as lifting, I had to change my workout completely with the gyms closed *but, I discovered an entirely new way to do strength training and I think I like it better. You may want to consider.

 

I was previously doing a pretty standard lifting routine. Flat bench/seated cable rows on Monday. Squats and deadlifts on Wed. Incline bench/lat pull downs on Friday. Then, cycling on the off days. At 50 years old, I was staying with the upper end of the rep range (6-12). I was hitting 205 on flat bench for 10 reps, didn’t see any need to go crazy trying to recapture Uncle Rico days ; )

 

But, with the lockdown I had to change. Instead of rows/pull downs, I do wide grip pull-ups twice a week. I’m up to 4 sets of about 10. And my lats look better than before, lol. 

Instead of bench, I bought a 40 pound weighted vest. I’m up to using 26 pound in it. I do slow pushups twice a week, all the way to the floor and all the way to lockout. I could probably do 50+ push-ups in a row fast and bouncing up and down but with the vest and doing slow, I’m in the 10-15 rep range for 4 sets. Then I do 3 sets with my feet on the bed. 

Obviously, I’m not as strong as far as pounds but it feels fantastic. And I wasn’t eating a ton so the muscle mass hasn’t dropped. I think my delts are actually bigger, lol. 

For legs, I put the vest on and do Bulgarian split squats. And single leg deadlifts. Again, I’m losing strength but I feel that functionally, I’m just as strong and my balance is even better. Plus, it doesn’t kill my legs as much and I can cycle the next day.

 

Overall, it all just feels more natural and better on my joints. I think I’m gonna stick with it even when the gym opens. I’ll just need like a 100 pound vest at some point but that will take a while ; )

[highergr0und]

I did a ton of walking and a little running on lockdown. I did 1-2 (usually 1) workouts a week with bodyweight stuff, but I still lost a good bit of strength. Im fat and hate bodyweight stuff. I did pushups, air squats, core stuff, band assist pullups. I lost a few lbs overall.

Prior to covid, I was 7 weeks into a 12 week HLM program. My max squat at week 0 was 285, deadlift was 365, bench was 175, press 120. I'm fat but was losing fat and gaining strength, last workouts were 4x5 squatting 240, DL 315 (1 set), benching 145, press 100. My goal for 2020 was to get to 405 DL, 315 squat, 225 bench, 135 press while continuing to burn fat.

First day in the gym little over two weeks ago, I did 2x5 of 135 bench and knew I couldn't do a third and pulled weight off, press 3x95. Squats started 135, hit 155 and could feel the DOMS already coming. DL did 285 for a set and called it. Heart rates were higher and not recovering as quick. Could barely walk for two days.

I reset everything. Went back to linear 3x5 to rebuild some strength, started 115 on bench, 135 squat, 225 DL and 65 press. Adding 5-10 lbs per workout, up to 135/175/265/75 but it feels really heavy. Back to gym elliptical cardio instead of walking and my base is improving.

I really enjoy lifting, so it's not hard to get motivated. Got to get diet under control again and get protein way up. My linear stuff will crash within next few weeks since I won't overeat and I'll test my lifts then start HLM again. I'm sure my maxes will be lower but it is what it is. I probably won't hit my strength goals in 2020 but I need to prioritize some weight loss so that's fine

 

 

 

 

[wcgolfer]

I was off for about 10 weeks during quarantine. I’ve been back at it about two weeks. I lost about 40% but I intentionally started back slowly on th weight so I didn’t overdo it. I am almost back. Some exercises I’m 100% back. Others maybe 80%.

Last week? Rather sore. ?

[alexdaqt3]

I have been doing indoor cycling at home during quarantine and afraid of the soreness of being back in the gym after taking 3+ months off

[AngryGilmore]

A lot. I've been on a diet of protein shakes and bench press for the last few weeks.