wow 3 months off what a difference

FeFiDoh

FeFiDoh

FeFiDoh

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I moved house and had no transport to get to the gym I like going to and refused to join the JJB around the corner.

So last week I go back after around 3months off, eating rubbish doing nothing all day. Man o man what a difference that time off has made to my weights. And the muscle ache, well it was like torture. At work my legs ached so bad that I had to "ski" to get around lol

It really is shocking though that just that short period off and my weights have all dropped significantly. On the other hand I did notice how much cheaper food was when I wasn't going :P
 
While I was in my third year at university, I went to the gym 4 times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday for weights and a bit of cardio, Saturday for all cardio)

When I finished uni, I couldnt afford the gyms back home as they were too expensive and I didnt have a job, so didn't go for about 2 months until I just gave in and coughed up for one of the local gyms

My first time there doing my old routine, I didn't think it would be so much of a problem

But boy oh boy was I wrong. I struggled with the same weights I was doing before, found I had to lower them to do the same sets and reps, I couldn't do it as a "finish and on to the next straight away" circuit training, I literally had to stop and take a break after each machine

And the next day, I was in absolute agony, every time I yawned and stretched my pecs felt like they were going to explode, and my biceps just hurt for days.

Needless to say, the next few sessions were to ease me back in slowly
 
I think we've all been here.

I've just finished my first week of a 3 day split after having four months off (couldn't afford the gym :(). My weights like yours have dropped so much, i'm a lot lighter, however I feel that I can push through this and be back on track shortly. I hope you feel the same way.

My chest is still aching from thursday, and now my legs are aching too!
 
You will begin to lose strength and muscle after about 10-14 days off from the gym. I find any longer than a week off and I'll suffer from DOMS, longer than 2 weeks and I'll drop weight, reps and sets to avoid suffering too much ;)
 
If you're a regular gym goer you'll have quite a lot of muscle memory and it should come back to you pretty sharpish. Fortunately I gain quite easily if I want to, and I've got pretty decent muscle memory and after a week I'm back to killing myself :D It sucks though when going away - that's why I always try and find a gym when abroad or do whatever I can, sit ups, pressups, dips, pull ups etc... It's still not as complete as going to the gym.

Is it just me that likes the ache of a good workout?! :o
 
Yeah muscle memory is a godsend :)

Aches are one thing and can be quite enjoyable in a weird way. However, very deep, full blown DOMS is agony. The ones you get from trying to carry on from were you left off after a 3 week+ holiday :eek:

Surely no one can enjoy those?

I find triceps and hammys the worst to cope with, though abs are a bitch too, simply because you use them for pretty much anything you do lol.
 
Chest and Hams for me are the killer - everything else I can cope with, though I associate chest with a bit of tricep too. I agree about the abs, there aren't many exercises that I do where I'm not giving them something to do, all part of your core strength in big compound exercises I find...
 
Its just killer! I have to take big rests in between exercises now. And the doms were enjoyable when I went a lot but after so long off they are so bad now that its agony to move :P

Did chest yesterday though and today it feels good little tight but so much better than last week. Legs today so tomorrow could be a tough day if the doms return ;)

I forgot how good it feels, theres just something so pleasing in lifting weights :D
 
Chong Warrior said:
Yeah muscle memory is a godsend :)

Aches are one thing and can be quite enjoyable in a weird way. However, very deep, full blown DOMS is agony. The ones you get from trying to carry on from were you left off after a 3 week+ holiday :eek:

Surely no one can enjoy those?

I find triceps and hammys the worst to cope with, though abs are a bitch too, simply because you use them for pretty much anything you do lol.
Click to expand...

Delts are the worst and traps, really limits what you can do!

I'm always happiest right at that point after a hard train as i start glugging my shake and almost 'feel' it refuelling the muscles, pure bliss!!!

I think loss or gain depends on the natural level of the trainee, i have a m8 whose 'natural' bench is 80kg (and he weighs about 85!) he got it up to around 105k training with me then left to become a teacher, pure desk work no PE. Comes home 6 months later and puts 90k up in the air for 8 which is my max having trained right thru. Some people are just made for it, i have another m8 who could bar curl 65Kg's he had some missus trouble and took 3 months off (ecto) and now he struggles with a 30k bar

6 of one half a dozen of 'tother
 
Yeah, I'm lucky that way too - I remember when I first hit 100kg on bench, I was gutted when I was away for a while. Came back to it and still managed to blat it out (though not as convincingly!).

I get that "refuel" feeling too - it's awesome :cool:
 
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