Hi, Docs,
First off, thanks for all of the content you guys put it. It’s unbelievably helpful for someone trying to tread their own way like myself. Now to my question. I am undergoing a minor surgery this week to have a severely dysplastic nevus removed from my back sitting basically right on top of my thoracic spine. I spoke with both my dermatologist and surgeon, who both recommended that I not lift anything heavy that stresses the back for 4-5 weeks, or I run a significant risk of breaking the stitches, which will result in a bigger scar and significant oozing/wound care protocols. My surgeon did clear me to ride a stationary bike or perform leg curls/extensions.
My training background began with SS, proceeded to Texas Method, then Sheiko, then Mike T’s intermediate program, which I have slowly changed over time to provide the appropriate volume and exercise selection for me (with programming mistakes along the way).
My question is two fold: First, my intention is to basically run HIIT 4 times per week on the stationary bike until I am cleared for lifting. With the obvious disclaimer that I am not asking for nor will I take your response as medical advice, is there a way I can better optimize training during this period without stressing my stitches?
The second portion of my inquiry is to confirm that I should try to transition back into my old program once my surgical site is healed. I imagined taking 2-3 weeks to work back up to the volumes that I was working at with appropriate RPEs before jumping back into the programming I was running before. Does this sound optimal and/or reasonable?
Thanks in advance.
-Tim Z.