Dominik's Training Log, After an 8 Month Layoff

Training Logs
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Hey! :slight_smile:

My name is Dominik, I am 22 years old and am from Slovenia, Europe.
I have been training for about 5 years now (first 2 years were a teen-broscience non-productive years tho). In 2014 I started powerlifting. But in January 2015 I ended up in a hospital, and was diagnosed with myocarditis. I wasn’t allowed to do any kind of physical activity for 8 months.

Now the doctor finaly gave me a green light for my training, and it is time to get back in shape.
I decided to do a public log, so everyone interested in muscle memory effects (including myself) can follow my progress. I want to see how long will it take for my strength, endurance and muscle mass to return.

My stats before the layoff were:
BW around 90kg
Squat 3RM @105 kg (best was 5RM @150 kg, before I snaped my lower back in 2013)
Deadlift 1RM @130 kg (best was same as squat, but than I took a snap in my back)
Bench press 1RM @105 kg
Military press 5RM @60 kg
and a 63 minutes 10km run.

My stats now:
BW 91-97 kg (depending if i am home or at my grandparets hehe)
6 rep max BW dips
6 rep max BW chin ups
have to test my lower body strength

In November this year I will houpfully finally be joining the Slovenian armed forces. That means that i have about 15 training weeks until the basic combat training.

My main focus in those 15 weeks will be:
Regaining strength (and hopufaly muscle mass)
Regaining my runing endurance
Regaining my ruck/hiking endurance/strength

Everyone interested in the muscle memory effects on strength and endurance is welcome to follow my journey via that log.

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some before pics

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Current state is dadbodish.

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7.8.15
Superset:
Dips 6, 3, 3 @bw
Chin ups 6, 3, 3 @bw

Superset:
Inverted row 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 @bw
Push up 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 @bw

Plank 71 sec, 60 sec

8.8.15
Dumbbell squats 30 reps with 20 kg (2x10 kg dumbbell)
Dumbbell romanian deadlift 2x20 reps with 20 kg

My legs were shaking alot. I feel weak and i dont like it haha

Will test my front squat and deadlift amrap with a 40 kg homemade barbell when i get to my grandparetns

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another before pic

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9.8.15

Started doing C25K

Run:
3.4 km in 28 min, 60sec run/90 sec walk intervals x8

First run after 8 months. Felt like i could do more tho.

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I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how fast strength and stamina come back, especially if you have a solid foundation built before the layoff. I did something similar, with a 4 or so month layoff due to a combination of life events and inertia, and now less than 4 months after starting back on 5/3/1 I’m actually stronger than I was before the layoff. I’m 50, so I’m sure at your age it’ll come back even stronger.

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10.8.15

Afternoon training

  1. superset:
    Chin up 4x3, 1x4 (amrap) @bw
    Dips 4x3, 1x6 (amrap) @bw

  2. superset:
    Inverted row 4x8
    Push up 4x8

  3. superset:
    Plank 45 sec, 45 sec, 60 sec
    Upper body mobility

Evening traning

2km run, 800m hill walk, 2km run.
Lower body mobility

Encouraging, OTHSteve! :slight_smile:
I have the mindset and the expertise, just have to put in some hard work :smiley:

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11.8.15

Easy conditioning, nearby hill

1km @ 11min

Started taking creatine yesterday.

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12.8.15

  1. superset:
    Chin up 5x3, 1x4 (amrap) @bw
    Dips 5x3, 1x8 (amrap) @bw

  2. Wooden bench sumo deadlift from below the knee /w a friend sitting on it (very improvised haha)
    4x10, not sure how heavy it was but every set i had at least 3 reps left in the tank. Next week will do more quality leg work

  3. superset
    Inverted row 3x9, 1x7
    Push up 4x9

  4. plank 60 sec, 60 sec, 75 sec

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13.8.15

Skipped to week 4 on c25k plan. It felt more appropriate to my endurance state.

Run:
3 min run, 90 sec walk, 5 min run, 2.5 min walk, 3 min run, 90 sec walk, 5 min run

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14.8.15

Decided to test my bw rep max on chins and dips. I was kind of disappointed over chins, but dips on the other hand went great :slight_smile:

  1. superset
    Chin up 6, 4, 3, 3 @bw
    Dips 9, 4, 4, 4 @bw

  2. superset
    Inverted row 9x6 @bw
    Push up 8x6, 1x5 @bw

  3. plank 4x 60 sec

  4. Dumbbell shoulder complex /w two 10 kg dumbbells
    Side laterals 12, 10, 8, 6
    Back lateral 12, 10, 8, 6
    Neutral grip overhead dumbbell press 12, 10, 10, 10

Despite the lil chin up disappointment (if comparing to dips), it was a good workout.
What i realy miss tho is some heavy leg work. Cant wait for next week to kick my ass with some front squats and deadlifts.

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16.8.15

Loved todays training! Finally at my grandparents, surrounded with nature and fresh air.

I made an improvised barbell out of a pipe and tires. It weights around 40 kg but to be safe, i consider it 35. For extra weight i hang dumbbell 1.25 kg and 0.5 kg plates on the bar. It aint pretty but it works :slight_smile:

  1. Front squat 5x35 kg, 5x40 kg, 5x5x55 kg
  2. Barbell row 5x35 kg, 5x40 kg, 4x5x45 kg, 1x8x45 kg
  3. Military press 5x35 kg, 4x5x40 kg, 1x4x40 kg
  4. Chin up 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1
  5. Plank 3x60 sec
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17.8.15

Although the weather wasn’t that nice i enjoyed a 10 km hike with a 10 kg rucksack.

Ascent: 5km in 54 min
Descent: 5km in 47 min
Total: 10km in 101 min

Altitude differance was cca. 230 m.

I will be progressively adding weight to my rucksack and increasing the ruck/hike distance, up to 20 km with a 30 kg rucksack.
I will also trow in some steeper hill hikes.

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18.8.15

  1. superset
    Front squat: 5x35 kg, 5x40 kg, 3x50 kg, 5x3x60 kg. I was hoping for 5x5 but my core could handle only triples. Will build up to 5x5 in the next few workouts.
    Romanian deadlift: 5x35 kg, 5x40 kg, 3x50 kg, 5x5x60 kg. 60 kg was very light. I guess a big butt is a strong butt haha

  2. superset
    Military press: 3x35 kg, 4x5x40 kg, 1x7x40 kg. Second press workout but the improvement was huge. Previous workout i couldn’t finish the last set of 5, today i hit 7 reps with same weight. Very happy :slight_smile:
    Chin up: 6x3@ bw. Chins are my biggest struggle atm.

  3. superset
    Push up: 2x10 @bw, 1x13 @bw (amrap)
    Kroc row: 2x10 @25 kg, 1x15 @25 kg (amrap). will build up to 30 reps and then add weight.

I finished with mobility work and a band pull apart set of 25 reps.

I started taking vitamin d3, ZMA and fish oil as well.

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19.8.15

Almost skipped running today due bad weather, but then i manned up. In the military weather won’t matter, so i better get used to it while i train.

Run (c25k week 5, day 1):
5 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run.

In total i ran/walked 2.7 km which isn’t as much as I expected. I guess i have to skip another few c25k workouts and start doing harder ones, considering i could run 2 km in 10 mins previous week.

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20.8.15

  1. Front squat 4x35 kg, 4x40 kg, 3x50 kg, 5x4x60 kg.
  2. Chin up 4 sets of 3x2 clusters, 1x7 negatives (amrap) @bw
  3. Dips 4x6 @bw, Push up 1x15 (amrap) @bw
  4. Superset
    Back laterals 12, 12, 12, 10 @5 kg db
    Side laterals 12, 12, 12, 8 @5 kg db

Front squats were hard as fck. My core barely held up.
Otherwise, i had an awesome upper body pump. I guess cluster sets and negative reps are a way to go atm, to bring up my chins. Dips were solid sets.

Will start to alternate front squats with hinge movement and dips with military press. I will stick to 4-5 solid, allout exercises per workout.

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21.8.15

A hike with 18 kg rucksack.
The route was the same as last time, with a small detour on the way back.

In total:
11.08 km in 1:52:54

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writin yesterdays training today

22.8.15

  1. superset:
    Snatch grip high pull 6x35 kg, 5x40 kg, 5x45 kg, 3x5x50 kg
    Chin up 6x3 @ bw

  2. superset:
    Military press 5x35 kg, 4x5x45 kg, 4x45 kg
    Chin up 6x2 @ bw

  3. Deficit deadlift/ rdl 4x8 @66 kg

  4. Kroc row 2x10,1x20 @25 kg

23.8.15

Off day. Will do mobility work.