How to come back from the Flu

[eavdr10]

Hit my first stall on squat and a week later came down with the flu. Its now Friday, haven't trained since Monday. Hoping to get back at it on Monday. Should I go right where I left off being I dropped the weight for a reset anyhow? Diet has not been on par past few days either, i have not had an appetite at all. Frustrated for the first time since i started NLP.

[Michael Wolf]

First, make sure you're actually ready to start again Monday. Oftentimes flu symptoms are gone, but you're still not back to 100% and don't realize it till you try to do something hard, like lift heavy weights.

Then just titrate up to a moderately heavy set of 5, like you would for your first ever workout, but stop squatting there and do the same for press and DL. Once you have that baseline, use some common sense to ramp back up over the next little time period - you should be able to take bigger jumps to get back to where you were, than you did to get there the first time, at least until you're very close to where you were. You can add a second top set the second or third workout, and then go back to 3x5 across after warmups a workout or two later.

Use the way you are recovering from the flu to decide on these things: your starting point, the size of the jumps, and how quickly to add back in more volume.

[eavdr10]

First, make sure you're actually ready to start again Monday. Oftentimes flu symptoms are gone, but you're still not back to 100% and don't realize it till you try to do something hard, like lift heavy weights.

Then just titrate up to a moderately heavy set of 5, like you would for your first ever workout, but stop squatting there and do the same for press and DL. Once you have that baseline, use some common sense to ramp back up over the next little time period - you should be able to take bigger jumps to get back to where you were, than you did to get there the first time, at least until you're very close to where you were. You can add a second top set the second or third workout, and then go back to 3x5 across after warmups a workout or two later.

Use the way you are recovering from the flu to decide on these things: your starting point, the size of the jumps, and how quickly to add back in more volume.

Thanks Michael, sounds good. I have to come see you in the city one day so you can fine tune my lifts, I live in western Nassau County. Been following your IG account, good stuff!

[Michael Wolf]

You're certainly welcome to come see me for some technique work on your lifts, but my very good friends Drs. Rori Alter and John Petrizzo and soon to be Dr. Nick D'Agostino may be a little closer to your neck of the woods and more convenient to see for some in-person coaching.