Returning from illness

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safc_graeme

safc_graeme

Striker
I've been ill for about 3 weeks now with an infection, and haven't really trained properly since Christmas. I've gone from 180lbs to 165lbs in this 3 weeks of being ill too, and haven't started eating properly yet.

Obviously I don't want to get back into the gym without sorting my nutrition and hydration first, but I thought this might be the perfect time to attempt something new in the gym. I've been doing a lot of crossfit and compound lifting, but hadn't really put on much muscle with the food plan I was following.

Essentially I want to put on a decent amount of muscle (I'm 6'4 and currently 165lbs so I'm sure you can imagine just how stick thin I am). I tend to struggle to put on muscle and seem to put on body fat quite easily when I'm eating a surplus.

Just looking for recommendations for how to start when I get back to the gym (haven't really had a lay off like this in a long time), and what kinds of plan I should be following to put on muscle.

I consider myself very much an amateur so any advice is greatly appreciated!
 


Drop the crossfit and keep the surplus modest. There's a limit to how much muscle you'll gain as a natural over a period of time, so the bigger the surplus, the bigger the ratio of fat:muscle.
 
do you have a fat testing machine? One of those although probably not that accurate will give you an idea of whether you're actually gaining lots of fat and not much muscle or its psychological.
 
safc_graeme said:
I've been ill for about 3 weeks now with an infection, and haven't really trained properly since Christmas. I've gone from 180lbs to 165lbs in this 3 weeks of being ill too, and haven't started eating properly yet.

Obviously I don't want to get back into the gym without sorting my nutrition and hydration first, but I thought this might be the perfect time to attempt something new in the gym. I've been doing a lot of crossfit and compound lifting, but hadn't really put on much muscle with the food plan I was following.

Essentially I want to put on a decent amount of muscle (I'm 6'4 and currently 165lbs so I'm sure you can imagine just how stick thin I am). I tend to struggle to put on muscle and seem to put on body fat quite easily when I'm eating a surplus.

Just looking for recommendations for how to start when I get back to the gym (haven't really had a lay off like this in a long time), and what kinds of plan I should be following to put on muscle.

I consider myself very much an amateur so any advice is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...

Numerous threads on 5x5 stronglifts or starting strength. Look at those, they're what you need.
 
Thanks folks.

I don't have a fat testing machine, is there one you'd recommend or could it just be done by reading up and becoming a bit more knowledgable?

I'll definitely look at getting my food plan in check, might try trial and error but going to try and eat very clean doing it. Did a 'spartan project' before Christmas and eating clean foods felt great. Blame letting that slip for my illness to be honest.

And yes, I've heard of 5x5. Haven't read much about it, but I quite like to train 4/5 times a week, where I was under the impression that was less than that?

I'll do some reading of older threads!! Thanks again.
 
safc_graeme said:
Thanks folks.

I don't have a fat testing machine, is there one you'd recommend or could it just be done by reading up and becoming a bit more knowledgable?

I'll definitely look at getting my food plan in check, might try trial and error but going to try and eat very clean doing it. Did a 'spartan project' before Christmas and eating clean foods felt great. Blame letting that slip for my illness to be honest.

And yes, I've heard of 5x5. Haven't read much about it, but I quite like to train 4/5 times a week, where I was under the impression that was less than that?

I'll do some reading of older threads!! Thanks again.
Click to expand...

5x5, as Lewberry says is 3 days a week but I see no reason you can't do assistance/recovery work on off days if you feel you need to.
 
Right cheers, I've got a few threads found that I'm going to give a good read tomorrow when I'm having another day of being passed out on the sofa. I've always done the gym thing kind of half-arsed, always made an excuse I suppose, but this illness feels like it's given me a blank canvas to work with now so I'm going to absolutely go for it.

And cheers @Banana Boy , but some of us have to actually work at it you know, not just God-given! Hoping to be back for footy next week. Weak as piss from this.
 
Apart from the nutrition...

Are you going too often at 4/5 times a week and not giving body a chance to recover?
Are you spending enough time under tension when you're lifting?
How often do you change your program around?

Just a few thoughts
 
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