Regain Strength After Layoff

Would the best way to do this be through heavy singles and doubles? I’ve always heard that lifting heavy is the best way to train neuromuscular efficiency; however, people don’t do this often though because it’s hard to recover from.

However, would doing this after a layoff be okay? After all, it would only be for a short period until one regains the lost strength.

Obviously, lifting heavy right after a layoff could lead to injuries. But assuming the person could stay injury-free, would singles and doubles be the fastest way to regain strength?

Its a complicated question, because it depends on what you were doing before and how long the layoff was.

Why not just get into training how you plan to train for a long time. It may be difficult at first, but you should regain lost strength/muscle very fast initially.

Faster than with singles and doubles?? lol

[quote]FROGGBUSTER wrote:
Faster than with singles and doubles?? lol[/quote]

It really depends. I mean if you are training for strength, regardless of a layoff or not, you are probably going to be doing singles, doubles, and triples.

I dont think there is one specific protocol that is recognized as the best way to come back from a layoff.

I would just start with a prep phase and progress from higher volume to intensity as you cut the volume.

low rep is easier to recover from froggy

I would go with an elevated amount of volume for 4-8 weeks before going into a strength phase. Especially when coming back from a long layoff. Your body needs to be prepared to deal with the heavier loads and higher intensity that come with singles, doubles, and triples.

[quote]kickureface wrote:
low rep is easier to recover from froggy[/quote]

not when the weights are heavy

[quote]FROGGBUSTER wrote:
kickureface wrote:
low rep is easier to recover from froggy

not when the weights are heavy[/quote]

The weights should always be heavy

[quote]bjjwannabe152 wrote:
I would go with an elevated amount of volume for 4-8 weeks before going into a strength phase. Especially when coming back from a long layoff. Your body needs to be prepared to deal with the heavier loads and higher intensity that come with singles, doubles, and triples.[/quote]

This is good advice. Maybe 4 weeks of 8’s, 4 weeks of 5’s, and then 4 week’s of 3’s. Then do whatever works for you. Some patience at this point will likely pay big dividends. When my shoulder is rehabbed and ready to go perhaps I’ll remember what I just wrote.

[quote]dankid wrote:
FROGGBUSTER wrote:
kickureface wrote:
low rep is easier to recover from froggy

not when the weights are heavy

The weights should always be heavy[/quote]

oh?

[quote]dankid wrote:
FROGGBUSTER wrote:
kickureface wrote:
low rep is easier to recover from froggy

not when the weights are heavy

The weights should always be heavy[/quote]

lol i assumed dankid was being facetious, but now i dunno…

[quote]FROGGBUSTER wrote:
dankid wrote:
FROGGBUSTER wrote:
kickureface wrote:
low rep is easier to recover from froggy

not when the weights are heavy

The weights should always be heavy

lol i assumed dankid was being facetious, but now i dunno…[/quote]

I was actually serious. If you are doing sets of 3 with 85-90% or sets of 5 with 80-85% its still going to be heavy either way. One way is a bit more volume, one way is a bit more intensity.

If you look back at one of my original posts, I seem to remember saying go from volume to intensity. You seemed to miss that.

Hey dankid, thanks for the responses. But I looked up your post history and some regulars here seem to think you give bad advice for some reason. I dunno, I think I’m not going to listen to you. Thanks anyways.

can’t really answer the question without the following info:

how long you’ve been off - if the layoff is a few weeks vs a few months, it makes a huge difference

why you were off - if it was for injury or for other reasons

what you have been doing during the layoff - if it was for injury, have you kept movement patterns fresh? done alternative exercises?

Hypothetical, assuming layoff for a few weeks & no injury.

[quote]FROGGBUSTER wrote:
kickureface wrote:
low rep is easier to recover from froggy

not when the weights are heavy[/quote]

yes it is

[quote]FROGGBUSTER wrote:
Hey dankid, thanks for the responses. But I looked up your post history and some regulars here seem to think you give bad advice for some reason. I dunno, I think I’m not going to listen to you. Thanks anyways.[/quote]

thats fine, dont listen to me. Just understand that my advice doesn’t change because some others give me crap.

If its been just a couple of weeks, like 2-4, then you should be able to just pick up where you left off. You might be slightly deconditioned, and have lost a tiny amount of strength, but you’ll also be well recovered. If its been much more than 4 weeks though, you should definately start with higher volume, and then progress toward intensity.

Theres a very big difference between a weight being heavy and a weight being difficult. You maybe be able to double 405 in the squat and that would be heavy. But 225 on the bar and do 20 reps its going to be hard. Thats very difference. I thought we’ve all come to agree that you dont always have to train maximally to elicit gains. You need to train optimally with submaximal weights.

And about strength loss during layoffs:
It is found that after two weeks of NO strength training you can experience up to 15% strength decrease. HOWEVER, the muscle memory is there and it should come back relatively easily. For example, before my last wrestling season i had a 425 DL at 170 pounds. At the end of the season with no heavy training i struggled at 365. 5 months later i pulled 475 for a PR. You just have to be patient and train SMART. Something I’m still learning and i know most people struggle with.

[quote]kickureface wrote:
low rep is easier to recover from froggy[/quote]

i have a feeling somebody is gonna find some obscure study to contradict me but speaking from my experience low rep high weight is ALWAYS harder to recover from. mid to lower reps will give u that often cited “Bro my biceps are fucking sore as shit today! had a good ass workout!” then they do the same workout in 2days. but near max squats will have it so that u could not possibly squat the same weights again in much longer than that. call it what you will but thats a harder recovery for me.

edit: eh my thoughts came out somewhat unclear but the jist is there and im too lazy to fix. ill be taking that extra writing class…

[quote]FROGGBUSTER wrote:
Would the best way to do this be through heavy singles and doubles? I’ve always heard that lifting heavy is the best way to train neuromuscular efficiency; however, people don’t do this often though because it’s hard to recover from.

However, would doing this after a layoff be okay? After all, it would only be for a short period until one regains the lost strength.

Obviously, lifting heavy right after a layoff could lead to injuries. But assuming the person could stay injury-free, would singles and doubles be the fastest way to regain strength?[/quote]

I would go about this the same way your planning it. Especially if your relatively injury free.