I started working out at 31. Only have taken two extended times off; 2 months for shoulder problem and, most recently, 7 months of “staying home”, which I ended a week ago. I’m sorta an “atypical 69er”, ( also the year I graduated HS ), and healthy except for a few co-morbidity “partners”, which to me, are minor. I give them no power…therefore, they have remained static for years…KOW! Working out has helped! I was 275 for a couple of days, at about 15-18%, a decade or so ago. A couple of years after, I had bi-lateral, anterior, total hip replacements, which after I maintained at about 255-60. Most complimented part were legs, which I continued to train, as before the hip surgery, eg., incline presses with 16 plates. Had to drop squats, a few years before, due to not being able to do anything but Z-Squats, which I didn’t like. However, my new gym has the bar with the handles 90° off the bar, so today I start them again!
Enough. Question is, I have been to the gym 5 times during this past week. I think I was going too light, as I barely feel any muscle pain. I was being extra careful, perhaps too cautious, as injury is not an option. I did occasionally vent some frustration, calculatedly, by raising the weight a little higher than I thought I should, fortunately, without incident. I basically do my old routines (not good), but lighter and with 3 sets, sometimes four, to get my stamina back.
In my head, I am telling myself I need to start, yet again, over again. Would you recommend the 5-3-1 routine to be a better starting point for a month or two and occasionally repeat as I build? Orthopedics ( had stem cells w/PRP, in both shoulders in ‘18, NO replacement, as I wanted to lift ) say incline bench and incline front shoulder presses, only. I have adhered to that command since ‘11. So, I would use a Smith Machine for bench and shoulders presses. Would doing so knock out purpose or benefits of 5.3.1?
Thanks for any pointers!