Health
Going back to the gym after almost a year
Life got busy, and lifting took a back seat for almost a year. Here's the full-body routine I'm using to ease back in.
Comeback Full Body Routine (3x/Week)
A bridge program to rebuild strength and work capacity before returning to my old 4x/week split. Run this for roughly 6-8 weeks, leaving 1-2 reps in reserve on most sets for the first 2-3 weeks especially.
General warm-up before every session (5-8 min):
- Stairmaster or curved treadmill, easy pace — 5 min
- Banded Mobility (hips/shoulders) — 2-3 min
- Bodyweight version of the first lift of the day (e.g. bodyweight squats before Squats) — 1-2 light sets
Day A
| Exercise | Warm-up sets | Working sets x Reps | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squats | 2 (bar/light) | 3 x 8-10 | Quads, glutes, core |
| Supinated Lat Pull-downs | 1 (light) | 3 x 10-12 | Lats, biceps, mid-back |
| Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press | 1 (light) | 3 x 10-12 | Shoulders, triceps |
| B-stance Hip Thrusts | 1 (light) | 3 x 10-12 per side | Glutes, hamstrings |
| Pronated Barbell Row | 1 (light) | 3 x 10-12 | Mid-back, lats, rear delts |
| Cable Kickbacks | none needed | 2 x 12-15 per side | Glutes (isolation) |
| Cool down: Stairmaster | — | 10-15 min easy | Cardio, low-impact glute/calf work |
Day B
| Exercise | Warm-up sets | Working sets x Reps | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 2-3 (build up gradually — most important warm-up of the week) | 3 x 5-6 (start light) | Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, grip |
| Bench Press | 2 (light) | 3 x 8-10 | Chest, shoulders, triceps |
| Bulgarian Split Squats | 1 (bodyweight) | 3 x 8-10 per side | Quads, glutes, balance/stability |
| Pull-Ups (or assisted/band) | 1 (easy reps) | 3 x AMRAP or 6-8 | Lats, biceps, upper back |
| Isometric Bicep Curls | none needed | 2 x 20-30 sec hold | Biceps |
| Heel-elevated Goblet Squats | 1 (light) | 2 x 12-15 | Quads (knee-dominant), core |
| Cool down: Stairmaster or curved treadmill | — | 10-15 min easy | Cardio |
Day C
| Exercise | Warm-up sets | Working sets x Reps | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romanian Deadlift | 2 (light) | 3 x 8-10 | Hamstrings, glutes, lower back |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 1 (light) | 3 x 12-15 | Side delts |
| Leg Press | 1 (light) | 3 x 10-12 | Quads, glutes |
| Crossbody Hammer Curls | none needed | 2 x 10-12 per side | Biceps, forearms |
| Glute Focused Back Extension | 1 (bodyweight) | 3 x 12-15 | Glutes, hamstrings, lower back |
| Overhead Tricep Extension | 1 (light) | 2 x 12-15 | Triceps |
| Cool down: Stairmaster or curved treadmill | — | 10-15 min easy | Cardio |
Notes
- Rest between sets: 90 sec for accessory/isolation work, 2-3 min for the main compound lifts (Squats, Deadlift, RDL, Bench Press).
- Loading: Start around 60-70% of what you used pre-layoff. Add weight only when you can complete all sets at the top of the rep range with good form.
- Off days: Light walking, yoga, or full rest is fine. No need to train abs/extra cardio separately yet — these sessions and the stairmaster cool-downs are enough load while rebuilding.
- When to progress to 4x/week: Once these sessions feel comfortably manageable and you’re recovering well between them (no lingering soreness into the next session), you can transition back toward your old split structure.
Week one starts today, wish me luck!