Starting a cycle after extended time off from gym?

[warpyfunch]

Hey, quick question...

First I came down with a nasty cold, then I was on a family vacation, and when I got back I got swamped with work and wasn't able to hit the gym regularly. In that last part I made do here and there with some light home workouts consisting of pushups, pull-ups, and sandbag squats/lunges, but it wasn't what I'd call a real workout. All combined, I'd say I was really out of the gym for around 2 months.

Things have finally calmed down, and I've been able to get back into it this past week, with an unfortunately notable loss of strength. I feel good, though, and have no doubt the old numbers will be back rapidly now that I can be consistent and well-rested again.

Coming up, though, December 1st has been marked on my calendar as the date I'd start my next cycle, which had originally been planned as ostarine / epi-andro for a 8-10 week cut/recomp.

My question is whether it'd be wiser to start up as planned, or delay a month while I get back into previous gym form first?

Thanks for any feedback

 

[AnabolicGuru]

I’d wait a bit and try to rebuild what you loss during your time off before hopping on personally

 

[warpyfunch]

I’d wait a bit and try to rebuild what you loss during your time off before hopping on personally

Thanks.. will test patience, but that’s what I’d guessed

 

[TheMovement]

Definitely wait a bit. Honestly make sure the routine is sustainable. Life happens and I’d say wait until you’ve been back the same timeframe you’ve been gone. Then you shouldn’t be far off from you proper intensity and volume.

Starting too early will just confuse all training factors.

 

[chemjr]

I’d wait a bit and try to rebuild what you loss during your time off before hopping on personally

Thanks.. will test patience, but that’s what I’d guessed

I'd say it all depends on how disciplined you're going to be. If you are no doubt going to go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week without fail you will obviously noticed the best of gains and get back to your former numbers quicker but usually when first going back you have that mindset of skipping a day or two here there because you're not totally back in the routine. So I would say it all depends on your discipline, you know you best. You also know how you respond to those things best so that's another thing to take into consideration. As well as what's going on in life and whether or not something else could pop up in the near future interfering with said cycle

 

[chemjr]

Thanks.. will test patience, but that’s what I’d guessed

I'd say it all depends on how disciplined you're going to be. If you are no doubt going to go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week without fail you will obviously noticed the best of gains and get back to your former numbers quicker but usually when first going back you have that mindset of skipping a day or two here there because you're not totally back in the routine. So I would say it all depends on your discipline, you know you best. You also know how you respond to those things best so that's another thing to take into consideration. As well as what's going on in life and whether or not something else could pop up in the near future interfering with said cycle

 

[Whisky]

Hey, quick question...

First I came down with a nasty cold, then I was on a family vacation, and when I got back I got swamped with work and wasn't able to hit the gym regularly. In that last part I made do here and there with some light home workouts consisting of pushups, pull-ups, and sandbag squats/lunges, but it wasn't what I'd call a real workout. All combined, I'd say I was really out of the gym for around 2 months.

Things have finally calmed down, and I've been able to get back into it this past week, with an unfortunately notable loss of strength. I feel good, though, and have no doubt the old numbers will be back rapidly now that I can be consistent and well-rested again.

Coming up, though, December 1st has been marked on my calendar as the date I'd start my next cycle, which had originally been planned as ostarine / epi-andro for a 8-10 week cut/recomp.

My question is whether it'd be wiser to start up as planned, or delay a month while I get back into previous gym form first?

Thanks for any feedback

How’s your nutrition been in the 2 months? Just my 2 cents but a number of people I know the two go hand in hand (I.e when they are training well they eat well and look after themselves, when they aren’t training they don’t). If your nutrition has been solid and you previous experience means you’d be straight into a disciplined routine then I’d start sooner than if nutrition has been off. If that’s the case I’d maybe give myself 2-4 weeks to get that back on point, reset my baseline numbers and ensure that I took everything I could from the cycle......

 

[warpyfunch]

I'd say it all depends on how disciplined you're going to be. If you are no doubt going to go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week without fail you will obviously noticed the best of gains and get back to your former numbers quicker but usually when first going back you have that mindset of skipping a day or two here there because you're not totally back in the routine. So I would say it all depends on your discipline, you know you best. You also know how you respond to those things best so that's another thing to take into consideration. As well as what's going on in life and whether or not something else could pop up in the near future interfering with said cycle

I've been back at the gym for 10 days and been through a 3-day split twice at this point, and a third time by when I'd pop the first pill. I'm confident in my discipline, and feel like I'm over that early motivation hump already. The Dec 1st start date was originally planned based on counting 4 months time off since my previous cycle, but also worked out well since Dec and Jan are always fairly slow in my office with little potential for surprises. I already did Thanksgiving with the family, so no travel obligations for the upcoming holiday season. So it's a nice window I have to really go hard and consistent 4 days/week. The only significant risk factor would be a big snow making driving to the gym a real pain, but that seems to be less and less common each year.

How’s your nutrition been in the 2 months? Just my 2 cents but a number of people I know the two go hand in hand (I.e when they are training well they eat well and look after themselves, when they aren’t training they don’t). If your nutrition has been solid and you previous experience means you’d be straight into a disciplined routine then I’d start sooner than if nutrition has been off. If that’s the case I’d maybe give myself 2-4 weeks to get that back on point, reset my baseline numbers and ensure that I took everything I could from the cycle......

Should have mentioned nutrition! Ate as best I could while I was sick, but definitely more junk food and simple carbs. Vacation wasn't too terrible, Thailand has great cuisine, but I was certainly focusing more on enjoying myself than tracking macros. Made a somewhat effort to eat lots of meat and seafood and minimize the noodles. Once I got home, I actually surprised myself. Even though I was stressed at work I found it easier than usual to eat clean. This was the latter four weeks, and I think somehow not working out very much made me have less carb cravings. So yea, I've been good on nutrition the past month.

Thanks everyone. Right now I'm planning to push the cycle off by a week or so, but not much further so I can still maximize these lighter months at work. If by the end of cycle I'm pushing a little past my old lift numbers with a lower bf%, I'll be happy.

 

[Whisky]

I've been back at the gym for 10 days and been through a 3-day split twice at this point, and a third time by when I'd pop the first pill. I'm confident in my discipline, and feel like I'm over that early motivation hump already. The Dec 1st start date was originally planned based on counting 4 months time off since my previous cycle, but also worked out well since Dec and Jan are always fairly slow in my office with little potential for surprises. I already did Thanksgiving with the family, so no travel obligations for the upcoming holiday season. So it's a nice window I have to really go hard and consistent 4 days/week. The only significant risk factor would be a big snow making driving to the gym a real pain, but that seems to be less and less common each year.



Should have mentioned nutrition! Ate as best I could while I was sick, but definitely more junk food and simple carbs. Vacation wasn't too terrible, Thailand has great cuisine, but I was certainly focusing more on enjoying myself than tracking macros. Made a somewhat effort to eat lots of meat and seafood and minimize the noodles. Once I got home, I actually surprised myself. Even though I was stressed at work I found it easier than usual to eat clean. This was the latter four weeks, and I think somehow not working out very much made me have less carb cravings. So yea, I've been good on nutrition the past month.

Thanks everyone. Right now I'm planning to push the cycle off by a week or so, but not much further so I can still maximize these lighter months at work. If by the end of cycle I'm pushing a little past my old lift numbers with a lower bf%, I'll be happy.

Definitely a lot to be said for timing it when work is quieter.....something I’ve learnt myself.

Have a great run bro

 

[chemjr]

Great to hear man! Keep it up. You have just ,otivated me to go to gym early. Thanks bro and keep killing it