How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long break

[the.gladiator1987]

I took 3 months off, strength went way down. Now Im working out and for the 2nd straight week I feel better, but nothing drastic. No major strength gains. Obviously its gonna take a little longer. I just wanna hop back on cycle but I dont wanna do it if I can get some strength back naturally first.

Im thinking of doing 12 weeks of a 5x5 routine - when would be a good time to start that? I would then start a cycle after I stall on a 5x5

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

I notice gains immediately workout to workout whether on or off after a long layoff.

I just make sure I eat enough and sleep enough.

I have come back off a long layoff many times and 5x5 linear style has ALWAYS worked awesome. 5lbs jump every week is the slow method building back up and beyond over several months time and 10lbs a week is the fast way, but obviously loads your body alot harder.

This is the 5x5 I would recommend

Monday

squat 5x5, last set is the heavy main set
bench 5x5 same deal
row 5x5 same schtick

wednesday

military press 5x5
deadlift OR powerclean 5x5
pullups OR chinups 5x5

Friday

Squat 4x5 warmup sets, 5th set do a triple with 5-10lbs more than monday, then do a 6th set of 8 with your 4th warmup set, example 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x3, 275x8

Bench-Do the same things as the squat above

Next monday squat and bench the weight you did triples with for 5 reps and then that following friday go up 5-10lbs and do a triple etc etc.

This has NEVER failed me so long as sleep and eating were in order. Actually it has never failed me period and I've come off more layoffs than I care to admit.

I would suggest finding "roughly" where your max is on the squat, bench and dead and then set your starting weight below that where you are confident you can do a solid set of 5 without having to work too hard. That way within a week or 2 you will be straining, but it will always feel doable especially because you know on monday's that you only have to do 5 reps with what you did a triple on the friday before.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

I notice gains immediately workout to workout whether on or off after a long layoff.

I just make sure I eat enough and sleep enough.

I have come back off a long layoff many times and 5x5 linear style has ALWAYS worked awesome. 5lbs jump every week is the slow method building back up and beyond over several months time and 10lbs a week is the fast way, but obviously loads your body alot harder.

This is the 5x5 I would recommend

Monday

squat 5x5, last set is the heavy main set
bench 5x5 same deal
row 5x5 same schtick

wednesday

military press 5x5
deadlift OR powerclean 5x5
pullups OR chinups 5x5

Friday

Squat 4x5 warmup sets, 5th set do a triple with 5-10lbs more than monday, then do a 6th set of 8 with your 4th warmup set, example 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x3, 275x8

Bench-Do the same things as the squat above

Next monday squat and bench the weight you did triples with for 5 reps and then that following friday go up 5-10lbs and do a triple etc etc.

This has NEVER failed me so long as sleep and eating were in order. Actually it has never failed me period and I've come off more layoffs than I care to admit.

I would suggest finding "roughly" where your max is on the squat, bench and dead and then set your starting weight below that where you are confident you can do a solid set of 5 without having to work too hard. That way within a week or 2 you will be straining, but it will always feel doable especially because you know on monday's that you only have to do 5 reps with what you did a triple on the friday before.

Awesome bro. I feel like this would be perfect routine for me as a pre cycle routine to get some strength back. I dont wanna hop on when i can still bust out some natty strength. I lost a lot too Thats what happens when you start your PCT and you have a baby at the same time. Being a new dad = no time for the gym. Now that he is 3 months old, I have some more time.

Ill also prob add some abs on monday, pullups on wednesday, and dips/curls on friday

 

[Peterlumberjack]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

good for you getting real priorites straight.
I have to take 2 months off every year. May 15- july 15.
Ive found that every year it gets easier to gain it back. Its worked best for me to start with whole body workouts 3 times a week, than start to split it out. So a month of full body workouts 3-4 days a week, than legs, chest/back, arms shoulders, off repeat for a month than legs, chest/tris/front delts, back/bis/rear/side delts, off repeat.
With that being said, i do the 5*5 routine once a year and focus on strength till I peak out than go back to more of a body building routine, and I think that the 5*5 workout would work great. My only fear would be that you'll probably progress faster than the format of the routine and if you try and skip ahead you end up stalling in it very pre-maturely.

goodluck

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

Thanks peter, I actually believe in the philosophy of strength training and then switching to more of a bodybuilder style of training, then go back to strength training, repeat. I believe thats the best way to get size and strength

I think if I can follow the 5x5 and only add 5lbs to bench/military a week and 10lbs to dead/squat a week, I will progress for a while. The worst part is trying to do too much and then stalling

BTW congrats on getting 1st place!!! lookin swole brotha!

 

[ExtraMile]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

I notice gains immediately workout to workout whether on or off after a long layoff.

I just make sure I eat enough and sleep enough.

that's the secret to fast gains there.

Better diet = better gains

 

[stevesmi]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

just dive right back in.. who cares if you are sore, the body will adjust quickly.. muscle memory is a wonderful thing.

pro athletes take time off to rest up, so its not a totally bad thing.. i remember you were having some issues in your forearms so i'm sure the time off gave u a chance to rest.

I've been hammering away nonstop since mid 2009.. the longest i stopped was 2 weeks to give my joints a chance to heal up, but i realize that i probably should take a break at some point to let things heal up.

 

[JWBurns]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

It SUCKS coming back from a long break. Just stay focused and you'll cross that hump in a few weeks

 

[miked8c]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

I know you probably don't want to say...

But any chance you could post up what your numbers are right now for the big 3?

 

[cuthroat]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

Yeah...I don't buy into the whole "Taking a break" bit... The only time I ever take off from the gym is when I feel I am getting sick/or when I do get sick as this aggravates the illness. <---this probably accounts for two weeks out of the year, then I have days where I can't make it to the gym for priority reasons (work, travel, family, etc) which is probably another two weeks altogether. I see that as my one month off during the year.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

fuck, I wish I didnt have reasons to take breaks! I always seem to get hella sick, or get a new g/f, or have babies (well just 1 for now hahaha)

Mike, my lifts are

bench - 245x10
dead 405x5
squat 275x5

On cycle -
Bench 395x1, 315x9
dead 500x5
squat 455x1, 405x5


lmfao

 

[cuthroat]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

could be worse...they'll get back up there man.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

could be worse...they'll get back up there man.

thanks homie

I guess it could be worse. Gonna go this week and get an estimate of my 5 rep maxes and start the 5x5 the following week. Gonna add 5lbs to bench/military every week and 10lbs to my squat/dead every week. Cant wait, I always get good results from the 5x5. Its just boring but now that I have a baby it will fit in just fine with my schedule.

 

[Tblock1]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

Yeah I hate losing strength when I take time off lifting. I've never taken three months off mainly for me it'll just be missing a week then only doing 1-2 workouts one week. It all adds up

 

[stevesmi]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

in my experience in both lifting and running is the more often you workout the better you will be.

i once trained with an ironman and he told me flat out.. if you want to get good at any particular sport.. whether it be running, swimming, bicycling, lifting, pullups, pushups.. etc etc. you need to workout atleast 5X per week. cannot do 3X per week and expect to improve.. mantaining YES, but not improving.

also there is an old saying in the athletic community among vets that says "however much time you take off, it will take twice as long to get back to where you were at"

i think that is about right, of course if you juice the dynamics will change and vice versa.

since we are not robots and not made of steel it is probably a good idea to take time off though to let the body re-cuperate. (did i spell that right? lol) stuff comes up.. problems with your girl, babies, death, family crap, injuries, work crap. so I wouldn't purposely ever take time off.. but when something does happen then by all means take some time off. I've got a hernia myself so I know I will need to take a few weeks off to get that taken care of with surgery so my time is coming

 

[ExtraMile]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

you need to workout atleast 5X per week. cannot do 3X per week and expect to improve.. mantaining YES, but not improving.

I bet to differ. Countless people including myself do great from training 3x per week.

also there is an old saying in the athletic community among vets that says "however much time you take off, it will take twice as long to get back to where you were at"

i think that is about right,

yah and there is also a saying in the lifting community amount vets that says "muscle is built outside of the gym when your recovering, not during the training sessions"

hence the importance placed on recovery time especially amoung powerlifters.

 

[stevesmi]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

yah and there is also a saying in the lifting community amount vets that says "muscle is built outside of the gym when your recovering, not during the training sessions"

hence the importance placed on recovery time especially amoung powerlifters.

I don't understand what you are saying here. glad took months off when he had his baby and then he has lost almost 100 pounds on his bench.

when i was a powerlifter my strength was shot for a couple days after a meet. it doesn't mean I should take a month off... a couple days rest and then I was good to go again and train.


one of my buddies goes to the gym just on MON and THUR.. he only works out his chest.. and yes he has progressed well.. he can bench 450 pounds.. however his legs and arms get neglected bigtime. he's got no legs!

my splits hit every muscle group

i do

1. pushing
2. pulling
3. legs

the same muscle group gets hit every 4 days if i workout ED, and every 5 days if i go 6X per week. thats 4-5 days of recovery time per muscle group!!

 

[ExtraMile]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

I don't understand what you are saying here.

I was saying while it may be somewhat applicable to athletics, (particularly those involving fine motor skills) the idea that to keep progress coming you just have to practice or train more and more often isnt very applicable to powerlifting or bodybuilding or strength sports for that matter (I am talking about when training "naturally")

I was saying just adding more gym time in doesnt necessarily equal more growth or more strength gains

 

[moya]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

i would agree with EM on this...

 

[Tblock1]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

also I would reverse that. Id say however much time you take off it will take 1/2 as long to recover it. Muscle memory is an amazing thing. If glad took 3 months off he should be getting back to his max number within a month or month and a half.

 

[Tblock1]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

also I would reverse that. Id say however much time you take off it will take 1/2 as long to recover it. Muscle memory is an amazing thing. If glad took 3 months off he should be getting back to his max number within a month or month and a half.

 

[stevesmi]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

^^^ your right.. muscle memory is wonderful. and I know glad is a beast but come on.. you really think any person is capable of putting back on 100 pounds of strength in a month and a half? the problem with that is it kinda is a slap in the face for people like me that have been busting our butts for 2 years straight nonstop. i might as well take 3 months off and then come back and be right back in the same place after 90 days right? or is that kinda unrealistic?

but hey everyone on here is subject to their opinion, thats why this forum is so great!

 

[moya]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

i have taken a couple extended layoffs in the last few years...
my belief it this... the longer you've had your strength, the harder it is to lose, and the easier it is to build back up...
however, for someone newer i would say someone only training for a year or so, they are going to lose much more and probably spending almost as long getting it back as when they started...
im sure there are quite a few other factors as well... someone laying around on a couch all day is probably going to have a much harder time getting back than someone shoveling concrete... as with someone who ceases to eat enough vs. someone that gets in the extra calories....

 

[the.gladiator1987]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

yea def agree with you moya about the different factors. I like the 5x5 in the idea that it has me going up every week and it is based off of percentages, and making small jumps. Im in no rush to get my strength back however so Im ok with the small jumps

Just sucks repping 315 on bench, then repping 245 instead

The good thing is that I always keep a 6 pack and I still look good lol. Thanks guys, this was a good read for me. Thanks for all the posts. Steve I know what you are saying, but with the 5x5 you are doing lifts consistent enough to get gains imo, so 3 days a week should be ok for me to get back my strength fairly quickly

The nice thing will be that every week will seem light if my muscle memory kicks in, because 5x5 works for people that have been working out and NOT taken a long break like I did. I remember going 10 straight weeks on the 5x5 which put 30lbs on my bench. I think ill get 50lbs back on my bench this time around

 

[Tblock1]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

^^^ your right.. muscle memory is wonderful. and I know glad is a beast but come on.. you really think any person is capable of putting back on 100 pounds of strength in a month and a half? the problem with that is it kinda is a slap in the face for people like me that have been busting our butts for 2 years straight nonstop. i might as well take 3 months off and then come back and be right back in the same place after 90 days right? or is that kinda unrealistic?

but hey everyone on here is subject to their opinion, thats why this forum is so great!

oh I didnt mean those max numbers he posted sorry I should have been more clear I was thinking his max natural numbers. Those numbers were on cycle I think within 1.5 months on the 5x5 he could be putting up some great natty numbers though

 

[stevesmi]

Re: How long does it take until you start seeing strength gains after taking a long b

can't disagree there.