Getting back into the swing of things after a layoff can be a tricky matter. Eager to get back to their previous level, many people hit the ground running, only to find that such unbridalded passion is not always a good thing. For fear of over doing it (or laziness), others may move too slowly when progressing in the duration and intensity of their workouts.

Somewhere in between these two extremes lies the optimal way to safely and effectively get back to your previous level of strength and appearance.

This article will detail just how to do that. Likewise, this information can be applied to someone who is begining a weight training routine for the first time.

How Long Will it Take?

Many people often ask me how long it will take to get back to their previous level of strength after having taken time off from the gym. My experience has shown that most people get back to where they were in double the time that they took off.

For example, if you didn’t work out for one month, it would take approximately two months to get back to where you were. That may seem like a long time, but I’d be willing to bet that’s still faster than it took you to get in shape in the first place.

We gym rats cll this phenomenon “muscle memory”. There are several anatomical, neurological, physiological, biochemical and other ‘ical’ explinations or theories for this occurence. I won’t bore you with them, but just be thanful that muscle memory exists.

Why Use Caution?

It is very important to progress at a slow but steady pace in the gym. Actually,  this is true all of the time, not just after a gym hiatus. This due primarily to the fact that connective tissue (tendons and ligaments) can’t adapt to stress nearly as fast as skeletal muscle.

Muscle tissue is very qynamic in nature, meaning it ‘turns over’ or is broken down and replaced quite regularly, partly due to its’ ample blood supply. Connective tissue, however, has very poor blood supply and doesn’t turn over, adapt, or get stronger near as rapidly as skeletal muscle. For this reason, it is important to only progress in strength as fast as the connective tissue can accomodate. Otherwise, tedonitis, joint sprains/strains, or een a major muscle or tendon tear may ensue. When it comes to training, patience is a virtue.

Prescription for Three or More Weeks Away From the Gym

On your first workout for each bodypart, I would only perform one exercise per body part. For that exercise, perform three progressively heavier sets, but avoid going to failure on any of them. Although your warm-up set could be the same as it was beofore, use only 75%-80% of the load you previously used on the following sets.

For example, if your final set used to be 225 lbs for eight reps, then use about 175 lbs for eight reps on your final set. I know that seems wimpy and you are capable of much more, but just trust me on this.

On your next workout for that bodypart (about four or five days later), perform the same number of exercises (one) and sets (three), but take the last two sets within a rep or two of failure. Using a load that’s about 80%-85% of your previous weight for these sets should put you right where you need to be.

For your third workout for that bodypart, take one or two of the sets on the first exercise to failure with a load that is 85%-90% of where you left off, then also add in a couple of sets of a different exercise to your routine. Those sets should be a rep or two short of failure with a weight that’s about 75% of your previous best on that exercise.

The fourth wokout is almost back to normal. Perform three sets of two exercises and feel free to take the sets after your warm-up to failure.

From this point forward you should be able to use about 90% of the weight you did before your layoff, and you should be able to progress a couple of percent each workout until you are back to where you left off.

If you normally perform three exercises for a bodypary, do so on the fifth workout for that particular muscle. If you normally perform four exercises for a particular bodypart (which I would only recommend for back and legs), then add the fourth exercise on the fifth workout.

Sample Chest ‘Comeback’ Program

Workout One

Barbell Bench Press (flat bench):

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 set stopping about four reps short of failure (75% of previous weight)
• 1 set stopping about two reps short of failure (80% of previous weight)

Workout Two

Barbell Bench Press (flat bench):

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 set stopping about two reps short of failure (80% of previous weight)
• 1 set stopping about one rep short of failure (85% of previous weight)

Workout Three

Barbell Bench Press (flat bench):

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 set taken about one rep from failure (85% of previous weight)
• 1 set taken to failure (90% of previous weight)

Dumbbell Press (inclined bench):

• 1 warm-up set
• 2 sets taken to failure (90% of previous weight)

Workout Four

Barbell Bench Press (flat bench):

• 1 or 2 warm-up set (s)
• 2 sets taken to failure (90% of previous weight)

Dumbbell Press (inclined bench):

• 1 warm-up set
• 2 sets taken to failure (90% of previous weight)

Workout Five

Barbell Bench Press (flat bench):

• 1 or 2 warm-up set (s)
• 2 sets taken to failure (92% of previous weight)

Dumbell Press (inclined bench):

• 1 warm-up set
• 2 sets taken to failure (92% of previous weight)

Dumbbell Flyes (flat bench):

• 1 warm-up set
• 1 or 2 sets taken to failure (92% of previous weight)

Prescription for a One or Two Week Layoff

If you’vve recently taken a week or two off from the gym (which I highly recommend at least twice per year), then I would perform your standard number of exercises and sets but avoid taking any of them to failure. Stop about two reps short for your first workout back, then within one rep of failure the following workout.

Due to the brevity of this break, you should be able to handle 85% of your previous best on your first workout back and about 90%-95% for the second workout. Your third workout will be back to normal-taking most sets after your wam-up to failure with a weight that’s equal (or very close) to that which you were using before your brek.

Conclusion

Proper rate of progression is always important in the gym but even more so after a layoff or when beginning weight training for the first time. That’s why I always say, “Train hard and train smart.” Training smart will ensure a steady and injury-free progression in the gym.

Till next time, train hard, train smart and expect success!

Yours in Fitness,

Dr. Clay

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Getting Back on Track Article 

Has your step lost its’ pep?  Has your get-up-and-go got up and went?  If so, then you’re among the majority of adults who periodically suffer from fatigue. 

 

Although your goal is probably not to have enough energy to play hopscotch and hide-n-go-seek like when you were a kid, it would sure enhance your quality of life to have that youthful energy again, wouldn’t it?  Don’t worry, my friends, I wouldn’t be writing this article if I didn’t have some solutions.  Read on to learn more about fatigue and how to beat it.

                                   

Causes of Fatigue

 

Fatigue, though all too common, has baffled the medical community for eons.  One of the reasons is that there is a seemingly endless array of causes.  One obvious potential cause is lack of sleep.  For most people, the solution to sleep deprivation is simple: sleep more.  Just like anything else, you must schedule time for this all-important activity.  If you desire to get the coveted eight hours per night, then you must make sure that you’re in bed about eight ½ hours before time for you to get up. 

 

For others, quality is the problem when it comes to sleep, not quantity.  Make sure that you don’t use any stimulants after about 4 or 5 o’clock in the afternoon.  In addition, make sure to get your daily water requirement within about two hours before bed.  Waking up in the middle of a deep sleep to go to the bathroom is a real bummer.  If your mind tends to race when trying to go to sleep, try reading in bed to wind down.  Don’t read anything too interesting, though, or it may have the opposite effect. 

 

As an alternative, you could try some natural, over-the-counter sleep remedies like valerian, kava, or melatonin.  With melatonin, make sure you can get a full eight hours of sleep before using it.  Otherwise, you may have a hard time getting up in the morning.  Three mg about 30 min before bed on an empty stomach works very well for most.  As for the herbs valerian and kava, follow the label recommendations.

 

Among those who use thermogenic products that contain caffeine and especially ephedra, the most common cause of fatigue seems to be adrenal fatigue or adrenal burnout.  I, myself, have been guilty of taking thermogenic products day in and day out for months on end when preparing for a bodybuilding competition.  That was a big mistake.  By the end of my contest preparation, I had to take the products to perform simple tasks like walking and talking.  That’s adrenal burnout at its’ worst! 

 

For years I wasn’t sure whether or not I believed in the concept of adrenal fatigue, like many traditional doctors today.  After opening my mind a bit and doing a little research on the topic (along with suffering from it), I now know differently. 

 

In basic terms, the adrenal glands are responsible for making hormones that help our body respond to stress, whether physical, mental, or chemical.  After long periods of stress from one of these sources, the adrenal glands can become fatigued and fail to respond as they should.  That will leave you tired, lethargic, and often mildly depressed or gray feeling. 

 

Taking thermogenic products causes the adrenal glands to work overtime.  If used infrequently and responsibly, this is usually not a problem.  Over time, however, it can wreak havoc on the adrenals leading to burnout.

 

To correct adrenal fatigue, begin by abstaining from the use of any stimulants like caffeine and ephedrine.  Yes, I know, that’s hard as heck to do when you’re tired, but you’ve gotta tough it out.  In addition, I would supplement with a good quality adrenal extract to help get the adrenals going again.  Here again, the use of these extracts is often shunned by modern medicine. 

 

However, it’s interesting to note that these extracts were the medical treatment of choice for this condition (hypoadrenia) until the 1950’s when corticosteroids were synthesized.  It’s weird that they would’ve worked then but don’t work now!?  Regardless, in my humble opinion and experience, adrenal extracts are invaluable in treating adrenal fatigue.  Make sure to choose an extract from a reputable company like Metagenics. 

 

In addition, you could supplement with L-tyrosine to safely give you a mild energy boost while helping to alleviate adrenal fatigue.  I find that 3,000 mg on an empty stomach works well.  Lastly, you could also use Ginkgo Biloba extract for a mild mental boost and Coenzyme Q10 to facilitate energy production.  Of course you should also have all of your basic vitamin and minerals covered by eating a variety of fresh foods (esp. fruits and vegetables), with a good quality multivitamin and mineral complex, or both.

 

Poor dietary habits are often to blame for fatigue.  Not too long ago, I was hired to design a nutrition plan for someone who had been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).  She came to me for weight-loss, not for help with her CFS.  After having had numerous tests performed by numerous doctors to no avail, she was convinced that she would just have to live with her fatigue. 

 

Ironically, after a few weeks on her new eating plan, her CFS was gone - and she was thinner, too.  The point is, a poor diet can, and will, wreak havoc on your energy levels.  The specific cause is often refined carbohydrates that cause dramatic fluctuations in blood glucose (sugar).  In addition, an excess of carbohydrates (even healthy ones) can do the same thing.  Opt for complex carbohydrates that have a low glycemic and insulin index like All-Bran cereal, oatmeal, and lentils. 

 

In addition, eating moderate amounts of healthy fat will not only provide a slow-burning energy source, but they will also help your body metabolize carbohydrates more efficiently.  Fish oil, flax oil, and olive oil are great sources.  Another simple concept that many people neglect is to eat small, frequent meals to avoid plummeting blood glucose levels.  If your blood glucose is low, you will be tired - it’s that simple.

 

Ironically enough, overzealousness in the gym can lead to chronic fatigue.  Training hard day in and day out will, overtime, put a lot of wear and tear on your body.  We typically think of over-training affecting the muscular system.  However, the central nervous system (CNS) is actually just as, if not more, likely to suffer from the effects of over-training.  Of course, the endocrine system (including the aforementioned adrenals) can also be affected with excessive training. 

 

There are a few symptoms that you should look for to see if you could be over-training.  Lethargy is the primary subjective sign that will manifest with a lack of motivation to train, along overall fatigue.  The two best objective measures of over-training are decreased performance (strength) and an increased resting heart rate (RHR). 

 

To find your true resting RHR, take your pulse upon wakening.  Generally, if someone is over-training, his or her RHR will increase.  If your RHR is consistently elevated by about ten beats per minute or more, you may very well be over-training.  Of course you would have needed to establish a baseline measurement after a week or two off of training to have a point of reference.

 

To prevent over-training, it’s important to periodize your workouts.  It’s a good idea to have a low-intensity week or two of training every couple of months.  Additionally, a total week off from the gym every three months or so is a good idea.  In the long run, you’ll make much more progress this way. 

 

Another cause of fatigue that should be ruled out is hypothyroid (low thyroid levels).  Ask your doctor to run a comprehensive thyroid panel on you to eliminate the possibility of low thyroid levels.  Otherwise, beating fatigue will be next to impossible until your thyroid levels are normalized.

 

The last cause of fatigue that we’re going to discuss is anemia.  You probably thinking, “There’s no way I have anemia; that’s for frail, elderly people.”  That’s not so, amigo.  To begin with, there are various types of anemia.  The kind that everyone thinks about is iron deficiency anemia, also called microcytic anemia because the red blood cells (RBC) are smaller than normal. 

 

Generally, this can be corrected with iron supplementation.  Another type of anemia is megaloblastic macrocytic anemia.  In this type, the RBC is larger than normal.  This is usually caused by a deficiency of either vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) or B8 (folate).  Supplementation will usually correct these, too. 

 

One could also have a normocytic anemia in which the RBCs are of normal size but there simply aren’t enough of them.  This is usually due to chronic bleeding, which, as it sounds, is often a serious medical emergency.

 

If you happen to be chronically fatigued, it would be wise to have a CBC and SMAC (types of blood lab work) done to evaluate your RBC status.  If you are diagnosed with anemia, ask your doctor specifically which type you have.  You would be surprised how many doctors will simply prescribe iron supplements with any type of anemia.  As you now know, that would only work if you had iron deficiency anemia. 

 

Unfortunately, not many doctors are nutrition experts; they shouldn’t be expected to be nutrition experts.  Respectfully ask enough questions to ensure that you’re getting adequate care.  Regardless of the type of anemia, correcting it will allow the RBC to transport oxygen to working tissues as it should and help enormously (if not totally) to correct fatigue.

                       

I hope I’ve shed some light on the potential causes of fatigue and given you a basic understanding as to how to begin alleviating your condition.  After all, going through life tired is no way to live.  You deserve to have your youthful energy levels back to stay. 

 

Till next time, I’m Dr. Clay Hyght. 

 

Feel free to contact me via my website at www.drclay.com

 

If you want to print a copy of this article (which you are more than welcome to share with your friends), right click and hit ‘Save As’.

 

Beating Fatigue

I’ll admit, when eaten by itself, cottage cheese is pretty nasty. But even if you’re like me and the thought of eating it turns your stomach, stay with me on this one because when combined with the right ingredients, cottage cheese can be turned into a great recipe. The addition of the Splenda is the key to modifying its horrid taste, and if its the texture that bothers you, then there are some great tricks you can use to improve the consistency.

 

To improve the texture of the mixture, put it in the freezer for about 30 – 40 minutes prior to eating it.  Or as one of my clients taught me, you can even take this modification a step futher by puréeing the mixture in the blender for a few seconds prior to chilling it. Making both of those texture modifications will actually have this recipe reminding you of frozen yogurt! 

   

Additionally, if you don’t yet have them on hand or simply don’t want to use them, you could nix the lecithin granules and ground flax seeds; but I’d recommend using both, as they add some very beneficial nutrients to the mixture.  After all, if your removed those two ingredients, then the recipe wouldn’t be so loaded, now would it?  You’d have to call it Not-so-loaded Cottage Cheese, and that sounds kind of wimpy.

 

In keeping with the quicker is better theme, you should be able to prepare this in only a few minutes.

 

 

  Ingredients

• 12 oz Fat Free Cottage Cheese          
• 2 oz Fat Free Yogurt              
• 100g (3.5oz) Strawberries (frozen, unsweetened)
• 1 tbsp Lecithin Granules
• 1 tbsp Ground Flax Seeds
• 8 packets of Splenda (to taste)

                       

Directions

• Add ingredients to a large bowl
• Stir
• Eat

 Nutrition Value

• 365 Calories
• 45g Protein
• 32g Carbs
• 5g Fat

 

For a printable version of this recipe, click on the link below and hit ‘Save’.

 

Loaded Cottage Cheese Recipe

 

This is my absolute favorite “I woke up late” breakfast.  Even in a groggy-headed stupor, you can still prepare this meal in one minute flat. 

 

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add some strawberries to this for an even more tasty concoction.  Adding three to four ounces of strawberries will only add about ten gram of carbs to the total.  If you need more carbs, you could add one sliced banana, which would give you an additional 25g of carbs.

 

 Ingredients

• 60g Cheerios (two cups)
• 12 oz Calorie Countdown Fat Free Dairy Beverage
• 1 scoop Protein powder (I like Vanilla for this recipe)
• 4 packets of Splenda (optional)

 Directions

• Add ingredients to a large bowl
• Stir
• Eat

 Nutrition Value

• 444 Calories
• 49g Protein
• 54g Carbs
• 4g Fat

For a printable version of this recipe, click on the link below and hit ‘Save’

 

Protein Cereal Recipe