After brain surgery and chemo therapy I have realized that I am not as strong as I should be. Why? Not sure, probably a lot of reasons. My question is, where does someone start over? My lifts were basic, 3x a week since I ditched a bodybuilding method. Would the beginner program be somewhere to start? My goals are simply to get strong and progress where I feel I never progressed much.
Hey, there, Navin!!! Glad to have you back with us.
What are your goals? Do you want to be strong? Are you wanting to just get back into the swing of things and hit your old numbers in your lifts? Or do you have body composition goals (i.e., put on some muscle, drop fat, etc.)?
Additional questions are:
- How are your energy levels?
- Have you been given any restrictions or guidance by your doctors?
- Do you have your diet in order?
- How old are you?
Look forward to hearing back from you. The information will be helpful.
Navin just wanted to say good to hear you are recovering and ready to start in the game again.
All the info. TT has laid out for you to gather will be of great assistance to any of us gining you some advice.
As a blanket statement, coming from my experience of helping out my mother with strarting in on training after recovering from major cancer surgery is to start slow and consistantly progress and you will be going in no time.
As far as specifics gather TT info. and we will all try and help.
Phill
I am 30, diet is ok, maybe low on protein. Energy is lower so I can’t go “balls to wall.” O rather train smart. I would just like to bench 315, squat 405 (I am 6-3 @ 250)
Navin, I like the idea that your goals are strength vs. body composition. The problem is that there’s a strong CNS component to strength training. Challenging your CNS is not something I really want to see you doing right out of the starting gate. I’m with Phill. I’d like to see you ease into things with an emphasis on general conditioning/GPP.
Another thing is that preparatory to lifting heavy/strong again, I’d like to see you do some higher rep work to strengthen tendons, ligaments and joints. Take a look at Hypertrophy Specific Training. The 2-week 15-rep cycle is specifically a pre-hab cycle to strengthen tendons, ligaments and joints.
HST is a 3-day a week progrram. I’ve recommended it often to friends who are pressed for time, have high stress levels and low energy levels. You’ll be in and out in less than an hour, but the best thing is you’ll feel energized and pumped when you leave.
I know it says “hypertrophy,” but you’d be doing a 15-rep cycle (2 weeks), a 10-rep cycle (2 weeks), a 5-rep cycle (2 weeks), and an eccentric cyles (2 weeks) which is optional. So you’d be getting 2 weeks with an emphasis on muscular endurance, 2 weeks with an emphasis on hypertrophy and 2 weeks with an emphasis on strength. You’re talking total muscular development.
BTW there’s a web site for HST and an article here on T-Mag.
Re protein you could probably get away with 1g to 1.25g X LBM, divided into at least 6 meals, but more if you prefer. And you could probably get away with using some rice and beans and other vegetarian sources of protein. Mike Mahler is vegetarian and has some resources on his web site. And don’t get me wrong, vegetarian protein sources or not, Mike’s one seriously strong dude!
With every passing day you’re going to feel better and better. Make sure you listen to your body and get all the sleep you need. If sleep is a problem, look at melatonin or ZMA.
If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask!!!