To those of you who have had extended periods of no lifting, how did you develop the discipline/find the motivation to begin again? I'm coming off a two year health issue and finally am well enough to get back to it.
For reference In 2016 I weighed 155lbs 5 minutes ago, 116lbs.
I've just finished a beginner's bodyweight routine and could only do 2 sets of 10 press ups, failing the next 3, and this was more depressing than having tubes punched straight through my chest. Reminds me of the old days when even pic related seemed like the ideal body.
I would appreciate somebody slapping me in the face with text about not being bitch.
Now you listen up. God fucking damn it. You have a god damn choice. You can keep being a mediocre sack of shit, you can give up now. Why won't you? Why not? It's the easy thing to do, after all. I have a guess. I'm guessing that deep down, beneath all of those layers of weakness, there's a man who doesn't want to give up. You don't want to sit down and do nothing. You want to suffer because you know that you deserve it. You want to make something of yourself. You want to be better than this, you god damn twink.
Life isn't free. If you're not doing everything you can to make something of it, you don't deserve it. Now go and earn your keep. I'm lifting for you tonight.
Honestly, and this is just personal, I have found distraction to get me much farther than motivation in the gym. Ever since I started listening to podcasts instead if music while lifting, I have really been able to distract the whining part of my mind and just pump out the set that I'm supposed to.
I don't know how much this is applicable for others, but it's at least worth a shot maybe?
Juan Howard
Didn't work for me when I was younger, but a lot has changed. I'll try it tomorrow.
A tall black man called me fat. It snapped me back into reality and I could see what I became. Also muscle memory is definitely a thing since it took no time to regain what I had back in high school.
start slow bro, be easy on yourself, instead of 2 sets of 10, try doing 5 sets of 5. rest adequately, take a few scoops of whey a day, take creatine, fish oil, magnesium, zinc, hit the gym 3 days a week. start with just the barbell and do some squats with it, bench some 10lb dumbbells, slowly increase your weight over time man. if you try to force this with this artificial motivation shit you're just going to burn out and quit. you can do it
Aiden Green
same thing happened to me. Went from 160-> 130 after 1 year of health issues and not being able to lift. It sucked going back to the gym and feeling like everyone was judging me for being so weak. The thing that motivated me was how quickly I got my gains back after a certain point. It still took me months and months to recover, but once I got back into my groove I was gaining 5-10 pounds on my lifts a week. By the time I fully recovered I broke through every plateau I was at before getting sick.
it does suck those first few weeks, but once the gains get going it's a lot better
Brody Lee
doesn't really apply to your situation since yours seemed to be a forced hiatus but,
you cant change the past, earn your self forgiveness, respect, or w/e by creating a better future.
Cameron Sanders
Every time I tell me story I get accused of LARPing. Used to work out with weights a little in high school. Had a job as machinist for 4 years in my twenties. Lifting heavy castings 8 hours a day but I didn’t realize what strength I had developed. Lifted some in the Army, learned good stuff from gymbros. After I got out I took it really serious for several years (late 30s). Did splits twice a day for years, ran several miles outside on track before workouts to warm up. Never bulky but flat abs, seriously fit. Got busy with life and quit. Started again to get fit in my 50s. Did splits for a couple years but didn’t push too hard due fears of back pain that killed my last obsession. Lifelong asthma took a serious turn for the worse at age 62. Realized that I was one Influenza epidemic from meeting the Grim Reeper. Turned into asthmatic sofa slug and gained 20 pounds of belly. Started on Xolair. Asthma like it’s not even there now. Started doing circuits at the end of January, got fit enough to begin slits a few weeks ago. Just a look in the mirror is enough to get me back to the gym. Seeing most of the weight drop off. Starting to feel “fit” again, a little.
I don’t keep records like some do with their little book in the gym. The question isn’t how much weight can you muscle but what do you do with the weight TO the muscle. I know what weight I did 10 reps of last time and just bump it up when I can do ten reps.
It's you and only you who's gonna make a difference. Get the fuck off your couch and go LIFT WEIGHTS. You'll feel dizzy, feel uncomfortable, feel pain, you'll wanna stop. Just endure it bro
David Green
I layed off from lifting for over four years worst part is comparing yourself to your past self, find a routine with built in progression that doesn't make you bored
Thanks for that. Very good one. I thought when I was in the Army I was “brave enough to face death”. Trust me. When you have asthma and you are breathing 50 times a minute and suffocating you find out just what kind of pussy you really are.
Henry Parker
Laid off lifting for 2 years after a solid eight of consistent lifting, you’ll bounce right back. You’ll be driven by the re-noob gains if you just ease into a routine, don’t overthink it
Michael Anderson
The thing I notice is that if you have had it before it comes back fast. After the Army, when I was very serious, I could squat 450 4x10 and DL 650 4 x 10, bench was always weak but 225 at 4x10. I don’t load my spine with squats now but on a sled I do >400 4x10 every three days and then 4x10 the stack on a “squat machine”. Easy. Every three days.
Anthony Young
just go, i quit 2016~2017 and came back in december 18 and i dont regret it, just go and stick with it, look at what you have become and think that if u dont go now in 2 years u will not be fit but the same disgusting creature
Connor Myers
Seems like fair advice. I'm working on flexibility too, so that 5 days a week should mean only 3 days of lifting shouldn't be too boring.
I'm quietly hoping for something like this, muscle memory, and that feeling of it all clicking back into place somewhere down the line.
Yeah this part is especially important for me. Damage to my neck is seemingly permanent so there are certain lifts I can't risk attempting, at least not any time soon.
t-thanks
Kayden Gray
Lifting is fun. Why do you need motivation? Lifting is fun even if you're weak.
>feel pain and possibly get a life changing injury read the sticky, learn good form, know what should hurt (ex. abs) and what shouldn't (ex. shoulders) and then go all out
