Recovering from surgery

[Outstanding]

Since February I have been doing the starting strength program as much as possible. Deadlifts have come along nicely, bench press slower, but making progress, still working on a proper squat.

I had a major surgery planned for August, but underestimated just how "major" it was going to be. I thought I would be out of the gym for a couple of weeks, but it's going to be closer to a couple of months.

During my progress I eventually switched from 3 x per week workouts, to once a week in order to keep making progress. While I am recuperating, I am trying to plot out my next months' program.
I expect I will have lost a lot of gains that I made over the past months, but not sure if that puts me back at zero and I should start over. I pencilled out a schedule following my one day a week per lift that I had been doing, pared back to about 50% weight to start.

Is this how you would approach this?
FTR: I am female, 59 years old, with two total hip replacements, and partial rotator cuff tears, so my progress has always been slow, but it's been steady.
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Thanks.

[Jeff Illingworth]

It's hard to say as it depends on the kind of surgery, how long you stay away, and your own personality. Read through Michael Wolf's training log to get an idea. He had a substantial shoulder repair awhile ago and was back pretty quick. A few weeks ago he had an open abdominal triple hernia repair and is facing a much slower recovery and strength regain.

Generally, the more peripheral the surgery, the quicker lifts come back. The more you can move and stay active, and push your comfort zone, the quicker lifts come back.

Do you have access to a coach or are at least able to film and watch your lifts? It may take more work to have good form as you come back and bad form will derail things pretty quick.

When you get back in, you'll certainly be off your old numbers, but it's hard to say how much. Usually it will be uneven with some lifts off by a little and some off by a lot. The longer ans better you lifted before the surgery, the quicker you'll get back and the closer to your old numbers you'll probably start. Just treat your first day back like your first day lifting and that'll be how you figure your restart weights.