How long will it take to get it back?

[VenomX]

Well i am really dissapointed... i went to the gym after two months off because i hurt my back doing squats before spring break....

Well all my lifts are off, as to be expected. Plus this was after doing some construction for about 9 hours so i wasn't exactly fresh. But i struggled with a set of bench of 225 where as i was doing 265 before and dumbell bench which i used to do 120's i was hurtin with the 80's

my arms which used to be 16.5-17" symetric are now R:15.5 and L: 15!

its really disheartening but i know if i can find that fire i had before i can make it happen... how long do you think it will take to get atleast to where i was before? naturally that is

 

[TopBanana81]

What exactly did you injure? Assuming your hurt your back, you should lay off doing Bench Pressing(heavy and w/ a barbell), light Squats, and no DL's. I injured my lower back a couple years ago while doing a Snatch Pull. I was just about to enter my OLY lifting competition then there goes a herniated L-4 which would require surgery a year later at the age of 22. What I learned during the time off is that when you hith the gym do the opposite of what you want(not all the time, just until you back to form). That means, doing your core work first, then getting your upper and middle back strong, then strengthening your legs, and so on. ALSO! Another thing I learned from one of the top PT's where I live(he worked with the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, and when he lived in Fla he worked with TB lighting, TB Bucs) that the Bench Press in any form(DB or BB) is extremely hard on your entire vertebrae. He advocated using a physio ball to do OH presses, and incline presses. Why? Simple- stabilization, which in turn will strengthen your core right back up. Just leave your ego at the door right before you enter the gym. There is absolutely no need what so ever for you to be doing heavy Bench Presses, unless you want to become a PL'er. There are other exercises to gain from(Squat, OH Press, Incline, Dips).

 

[Golden_Muscle]

If I was you, and I read your thread perfectly, it would take me about 5 months to gain what I lost in that time perioid.

Your going to have many boring weak workouts ahead of you, and your gonna feel like a pussy. Thats the SHITTY thing about bodybuilding, but if you start eating like you did, you should go up 1 or 2 reps per week on ALL your exercises until your back.

It feels like forever just to get back, but when you are, you feel amazing.

It has happened to me a few times in my life. We are human. Everyone on earth has ups and downs. As long as you have more ups than downs, your ok, and you can never give up.

Again, your gonna feel like a loser for a few months, haha. Just keep cool, it will come back.

 

[VenomX]

well i hurt my back doing heavy squats trying to get my legs ready for comp. but something in my lower back went.... it felt like something was out of place but i never went to a chiropractor... i was in bed for a day and a half and when i got out something up top went too i think may have been from walkin funny or something i don't know but i couldn't twist or anything... But im back now...

Golden Muscle: i know its going to be a hard road. i just wish i hadn't taken so long off. But i couldn't risk another injury. i can't stop looking at my old pics and thinking about how hard it was to get there... oh well i just gotta dig my way out now.

 

[Bast]

How was youre diet? Sounds like it wasnt all that good, cause that much u wont loose.

 

[VenomX]

after i got hurt it went to crap... i didn't eat near the same as when working out, so that had a lot to do with and i know diet will have a lot to do with gaining it back.

 

[pullinbig]

you'll get it back quickly and bust thru old sticking points. stick to the compound movements and get you food right. you'll back before you know it. dont be discouraged be inspired. you have a challenge in front of you so attack it.

 

[Bast]

Im with Pullinbig here. Use it as inspiration! Told a friend of mine the exakt same thing yesterday. GOGOGO get that diet in TODAY and not tomorrow bro!!

 

[MP5]

I too missed 3 months from the gym due to a back injury and surgery.

It took about 2 months before I didn't feel tiny in the gym. My workouts have never been the same since though. I cannot do squats or deads ever again and that is fine by me, sugery really sucked!

I disagree on the benching though. I was able to get up to some record lifts for me 7 months after being back in the gym. Dude, every week you will get stronger and your appetite will come back strong. I would say that even after one month of solid lifting you will feel harder and look better so hang in there!