Question for the sleeved athletes out there.

How far back did surgery set you in the gym?

I'm a (former) competitive strongman and I really enjoy being strong, I just don't enjoy being obese with all the comorbidities. I know I'm going to lose some muscle mass as a result of surgery, and thus some strength both from that and from forced separation from the gym.

For those of you who got sleeved, how far of a setback was it? Were you able to regain some of your former strength? Am I just going to have to be "regular", but with added bonus mobility, endurance (running!), ability to do gymnastics (a pull-up without swinging like a monkey!), etc.?

How long did it take before you were comfortable swinging a barbell around? Before you felt like you could truly brace your core for a lift again?

I'm doing the surgery regardless. There are too many good outcomes to worry overmuch about it. I just want to have some idea what to expect when I do return to the gym. Obviously I'm not going to go in to try and PR my deadlift, I will ease back in like I did after the Covid closures.

Thank you in advance for any advice, and my apologies if this is the wrong forum for this.

Edited July 8, 20215 yr by vikingbeast

Just had my my one month check up yesterday, which I was actually at 7 weeks out from surgery, and they told me I could not lift weights, or even use the bands, until after 3 months. They said in the beginning they just want me to concentrate on cardio then I can worry about toning and strengthening after 3 months. Now that was just my plan/surgeon. I know others here who were able to lift a month out. It all depends on your doc so definitely ask those questions. And of course they will tell you a guideline they like to follow but it will ultimately come down to how you feel afterwards. If all goes well then yeah, it goes according to plan. But if you end up being someone who runs into issues then it could be longer and not according to plan, ya know?

I started going to the gym regularly about a month and a half before my surgery. And was surprised at what I could do right out the gate after not having been at the gym in years. I would like to get back to it when I can. Despite the weight I lost since surgery, I do not feel as thought I lost much muscle/strength. If given the green light, I feel like I could jump right back into the gym and be lifting the same weight/reps/sets that I was before. It may even be easier since I've dropped almost 35lbs since then. Of course my situation doesn't even compare to yours as I was not competitive nor was I in the shape that you were physically. LOL Either way, discuss this all with your surgeon. At least then you'll get an idea at what to expect.

On a side note, strongman competitions on TV used to be one of my most favorite things to watch on TV years ago. It used to come on regularly every week. I haven't seen it on air in over 10 years. Wish it would come back on again. Best of luck to you.

I competed in everything from bodybuilding to crossfit to powerlifting over the years. To be perfect honest, surgery made a huge impact on my strength and insurance levels and not for the positive. I’m 14 weeks out and also had a hernia repair along with VSG. My surgeon wouldn’t allow me to lift until 7 weeks post. Ive had roughly a 50% decrease in strength levels and overall endurance weakness. Things that used to be easy for me are very difficult. That said, losing almost 60lbs in a short amount of time like I have will tend to that. I feel better in terms of joint pain and overall well being, plus at this point in my life, I’m more concerned about looking and feeling better than being strong.

Not everyone will have the same experience as I have, but the majority of people here aren’t lifting heavy. The stress of surgery along with the very low calories will definitely hurt your numbers. I’d love to hear from anyone here who’s been a competitive lifter and been able to maintain that after surgery!

I’m almost 4 months post op. I did weight lifting and cardio at home prior to surgery. A month ago I decided to join a CrossFit gym. I’m the month that I’ve been doing CrossFit, I’ve become noticeably faster (took over 2 minutes off my fastest mile time) and have been able to physically see some muscle definition. I’ve also been able to lift heavier than I did before surgery. Overall, I’d say it did take me some time to get back into the swing of things but I’ve definitely had some positive changes with my strength, endurance, and mental health.