Where to Restart?

[GRhodes]

I'm getting back into training after about a year hiatus, and I'm wondering if I should start back with SSLP.

For background, I'm a 33-year-old male. I was a powerlifter in high school at 181 lbs. My best total was 1220 (450 Squat, 255 Bench, 515 Sumo DL). I tore my ACL at the end of my senior year of high school and ended up becoming sedentary in college. Fast forward 10 years and I had gained weight at a nice plump 250 lbs! I decided that HITT would be my best way to get the weight off fast, so I started doing Insanity. I lost 60 lbs and started to train with dumbells at home. Over the course of the next 6 months, I lost another 20 lbs and added a lot of strength. Around this time I started Crossfit. I stuck with that for a couple years.

Then life at work became stressful, and I let my busy schedule stop my training. Last summer I decided to start training at home again and bought a cheap barbell, weights, and squat rack off craigslist. I ran 531 (sorry) for about 4 months and saw some decent strength gains. I worked up to 345 x 3 on squat, 305 x 1 on bench (lifetime PR), and 345 x 10 on DL (I ran out of plates).

Then work got worse. I stopped training again. Now I'm back up to around 225 lbs. Work has finally settled down, and we've hired more people, so my workload is back to normal. I want to get back into training.

Obviously, my strength has regressed in the near year off, but my question is, with my previous history, should I run SSLP for as long as I can, or should I go ahead with something like the Bridge, HLM, or some other transitional intermediate programming? Also, if I tried to stay in a maintenance calorie range (no surplus or deficit), would that be sufficient to slowly chip away at my fat while gaining strength? Or should I just pick one or the other as far as weight gain/loss?

I appreciate any input.
- Gary

[Leah Lutz]

Given the year off, yes, start with the SSLP and run that first. It might not last long, but be sure to follow the books guidelines in setting your working weights at the point when the bar speed slows down. Then you'll be able to work up from there. When you run out the LP, you can move on to the Bridge. I'd suggest not trying to lose weight during the LP, but you also shouldn't GOMAD or aim to pack on the pounds.

[b.h.y8]

Do you have any more general thoughts on when one should redo a novice linear progression versus picking up training where it left off, be it intermediate or advanced? I've had several points in my training career where I've been having a good run of intermediate training, then something in my life happens (new job, moving, having a kid) that disrupts training from four to twelve weeks. I usually worry more about avoiding injury than getting back to where I was and so I err on the side of being conservative. But on the other hand, this means that I'm probably sacrificing some gainzZz.

Current situation: male, 34 years old, 5'10", 180 pounds. Did a run of Texas Method (yes, I have now read Jordan's critique and alternative programming) and did my first competition on May 29. Squat 402, bench 265, deadlift 440. Trained consistently from May 29-July 9. Then my wife gave birth. The last twelve weeks have had only sporadic lifting. If I can get back to consistent lifting, can I jump into The Bridge, or should I start with a novice LP?

I'd be interested in your thoughts on my specific situation as well as any general principles for restarting after periods off of various length (four weeks versus twelve weeks, etc.)

Thabks.

[GRhodes]

Thanks! That's what I thought, so I actually started Monday, with yesterday being my second day. I decided to err on the side of being a little light, knowing that I'll be adding weight each time, so it will catch up. I'm really looking forward to going through a true LP again. It's probably been at least 16 years.

[Leah Lutz]

Thanks! That's what I thought, so I actually started Monday, with yesterday being my second day. I decided to err on the side of being a little light, knowing that I'll be adding weight each time, so it will catch up. I'm really looking forward to going through a true LP again. It's probably been at least 16 years.

This is pretty cool! Congrats at getting back to it!

[Leah Lutz]

Do you have any more general thoughts on when one should redo a novice linear progression versus picking up training where it left off, be it intermediate or advanced? I've had several points in my training career where I've been having a good run of intermediate training, then something in my life happens (new job, moving, having a kid) that disrupts training from four to twelve weeks. I usually worry more about avoiding injury than getting back to where I was and so I err on the side of being conservative. But on the other hand, this means that I'm probably sacrificing some gainzZz.

Current situation: male, 34 years old, 5'10", 180 pounds. Did a run of Texas Method (yes, I have now read Jordan's critique and alternative programming) and did my first competition on May 29. Squat 402, bench 265, deadlift 440. Trained consistently from May 29-July 9. Then my wife gave birth. The last twelve weeks have had only sporadic lifting. If I can get back to consistent lifting, can I jump into The Bridge, or should I start with a novice LP?

I'd be interested in your thoughts on my specific situation as well as any general principles for restarting after periods off of various length (four weeks versus twelve weeks, etc.)

Thabks.

First off, there is a big difference between an early intermediate and and advanced lifter, so there is no general answers here. However, if you are running an intermediate program, then take 4 weeks off, I'd get back to your intermediate programming and this is a great example of the use or RPE to help you get back to training without over-doing it. If you are an intermediate and take some more time off, you can likely run a mini-lp, but that's probably about 2 weeks or so. I did that a couple of times post-meet earlier in my training.

For you, I'd just start the Bridge.