Just wanted to give my personal opinion on the benefits of taking a long layoff. It was just about 13 weeks since I had been to the gym when I finally returned, then after 2 workouts, I had to take another 2 weeks off due to illness. So I was deconditioned...no doubt about it.
Anyway, most of us would never schedule anything like this into our program, and neither would I, but it happens for various reasons. For me, it was a combination of burnout (mental) and laziness...once the ball starts rolling, it's easy for it to gain speed. So, I felt like crap for most of my time off, had workout dreams, weird stuff...but I didn't let myself get out of control. Meaning, I didn't start doing anything unhealthy, just wasn't being healthy...probably went from 10% to 14% BF, okay maybe 16%.
My point is that years of training were ingrained into my mind and body. I followed some of the HST principles, but not all, and just basically lived in fear of losing what I had worked for. Amazingly, after just 3 workouts, things are already coming back together...and I feel great. The weights are low but the workouts are intense...and I have controlled soreness (c'mon, we all love to know for SURE that our workout was a success). I am reset, I can concentrate on strict form, pinpointing the feel in each and every muscle I am working...visualizing and perfecting each movement. This will ultimately lead to better long term results.
This is the biggest thing...believe it or not, my body didn't actually change all that much. Yes, there was atrophy, but not as much as I had imagined. Now, had I gone 6 months it may have been another story...I'm excited. At a relatively similar size, I am significantly weaker. If I progress slowly, maybe even slower than traditonal HST might advise, I think there will be a LOT of potential for significant hypertrophy. HST
Anyway, most of us would never schedule anything like this into our program, and neither would I, but it happens for various reasons. For me, it was a combination of burnout (mental) and laziness...once the ball starts rolling, it's easy for it to gain speed. So, I felt like crap for most of my time off, had workout dreams, weird stuff...but I didn't let myself get out of control. Meaning, I didn't start doing anything unhealthy, just wasn't being healthy...probably went from 10% to 14% BF, okay maybe 16%.
My point is that years of training were ingrained into my mind and body. I followed some of the HST principles, but not all, and just basically lived in fear of losing what I had worked for. Amazingly, after just 3 workouts, things are already coming back together...and I feel great. The weights are low but the workouts are intense...and I have controlled soreness (c'mon, we all love to know for SURE that our workout was a success). I am reset, I can concentrate on strict form, pinpointing the feel in each and every muscle I am working...visualizing and perfecting each movement. This will ultimately lead to better long term results.
This is the biggest thing...believe it or not, my body didn't actually change all that much. Yes, there was atrophy, but not as much as I had imagined. Now, had I gone 6 months it may have been another story...I'm excited. At a relatively similar size, I am significantly weaker. If I progress slowly, maybe even slower than traditonal HST might advise, I think there will be a LOT of potential for significant hypertrophy. HST
