Workout routine after COVID

notsoswoleCPA

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Since getting sick on November 19th with COVID, then catching secondary pneumonia, this is my first week to be cleared to return to exercising. Technically, it is supposed to be Thursday, but I am going to start tonight.

Anyhow, what workout would you recommend? Start light with the old split routine, or just do some super light full-body exercises to get my body accustomed to lifting again? No matter what I do, it will be light to assess where I am at, so there is no way around that part.
 

creekrat

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I'd probably start with a full body and do some endurence/stabilization exercises for a week or 2 and ease back into your normal routine. IIRC you were hit pretty hard with the Rona
 

NbleSavage

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Personally, I'd start slow.

Consider lifting 3x per week and hitting the big three 1x per week & adding in some light accessory work until yer body adapts to the training load once more.

A program like Dan John's OLAD might be a good place to start - just keep the intensity in-check fer a few weeks.

Good luck, Mate.
 

BigSwolePump

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Creek and Savage are spot on. The idea would be to start slow and get your body used to exercising again. Taking a few months off is almost like starting at ground zero of newbie soreness that can linger for days afterwards. No point in overdoing it.

Take is easy and work yourself back into your old routine.
 

creekrat

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Not just for the soreness but for the firing of the muscles. Your tertiary/stability muscles will be effected more by the layoff than the primary movers
 

Jin

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I’ll just echo what all the smart people have already advised: you cannot start too slowly back into things.
 

The Tater

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Today was my first day back in the gym after Covid. It was a real easy push day for me. Just focusing on feeling the muscles work and moderate weight. Nothing crazy. I'm going to do a light leg day tomorrow and then take a day off before getting into it to hard. leg day will be lighter weight squats after some GH raises and leg curls for warm up. probably some RDL's and some lunges and finish with a little bit of cardio. 30-45 minutes total.

AND WELCOME BACK!!
 

notsoswoleCPA

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Oh well, I figured I would post just to let everyone know what worked for me.. It was going back to a variant of the Stronglifts 5x5 method. I started with a reset last week squatting 135, bench pressing 95, overhead pressing 65, deadlifting 135, and bent over rowing 95 pounds.

Tonight, I was able to Squat 185, overhead press 95, and deadlift 215 pounds. I'm starting to think that the body inflammation was too bad when I first started back in January because I was going backwards in progression with my old split routine and sore as sh*t. I actually felt like there was more in the tank regarding the weight I could lift for ALL my lifts tonight. I figured I would slowly progress for a month, then reassess after that and potentially run 5x5 for six weeks or go back to my old split routine.

No matter how you slice or dice it, it feels GREAT to be back and actually see progression. It was a long road to get to this point and now I am actually satisfied with my progression versus regression!
 
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