The biggest mistake is picking up where you left off. Start at fifty percent.
Coming back after a break of months or years is a situation we see constantly, and nearly always with the same mistake.
People try to continue with the weights they used before. Muscle memory is real and strength returns faster than it was built — but connective tissue, tendons and ligaments adapt far more slowly than muscle. That is precisely why comeback injuries are so common.
The practical approach: start at fifty to sixty percent of the weights you last handled. For the first month work with loads that feel too easy. If you are not sore after a session, that is a good sign, not a bad one.
In the second month add twenty percent. By the third month you are usually close to your previous level, but with healthy joints.
Three months of patience against three months of rehab — the choice is fairly clear.
Written by
Viktor Trajkovski
