Recovery plan after 4 week layoff due to inguinal repair surgery

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

59 years old
5’11” 178 pounds ~38” waist
squat - 235#
DL - 255#
BP - 130#
P - 80#
The above are all 1@8 results from week 7-8 of the Bridge.

I started 2 days a week novice linear progression 12 months ago - spent summer and fall on a 2 day/wk “old man” intermediate program (unremarkable results over 6 months). I completed week 8 of the Bridge v1 two weeks ago. I had very good success with the Bridge in gaining strength and increasing overall work capacity without feeling beat up all the time.

I underwent robotic bilateral inguinal hernia surgery repair last week. My surgeon recommends that I can return to lifting after 4 weeks recovery as long as I start reasonably (he seems unusually knowledgeable about barbell training). I am currently planning on running the Bridge one more time.

This is mostly a programming question but maybe you have some insight into specifically recovering from inguinal hernia repair.

My question is how would you approach returning to lifting after the approx. 4 week recovery from surgery?

  1. NLP starting at some very light intensity levels to gain lost strength and then the Bridge
  2. Low intensity, high rep, moderate volume, increasing intensity and volume over some period of days but not every workout. This would be a slower, steady progression to former strength and work capacity levels.
  3. Start week 1 of the Bridge as soon as possible and let the RPE considerations insure a safe recovery from a deconditioned state.
  4. ???
2

Hey Gregory,

I would do the NLP starting at a weight where the bar speed slowed down slightly AND you had minimal to no pain. I don’t think any of the other options fit your needs at this time.

3

Thank you Jordan. But about that four letter word you speak of - pain - wtf man. You jinxed me! I’ll be lucky if I can start back with just the bar now. :slight_smile: