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For the next 6 months or so I can't lift upper body as I'm recovering from labrum repair surgery. I can't squat (bar goes on back, I would assume is not good) or deadlift (pulls on shoulder), but I should be able to leg sled (don't worry, I'll ask my doctor to clarify on Monday). Usually I lift Monday and Thursday upper body and tuesday and Friday lower, and do Abs all those days. That means simply eradicating upper would result in only two days, and I want to lift 3 or 4 days a week (preferably 4: I need to get huge). But how do I space a solely lower body workout into 3/4 days? What lifts should I do for some diversity? It seems like I'd run out of lifts or have pathetically short sessions. Should I just do the same workout every day a few times a week? And should I do 4 days of lower body, or would that not give me enough time to rest?

EDIT: I'm going to get physical therapy from a professional, and yes I'll ask my surgeon and the pt what lower body lifts I can and can't do, but for now I'm pretty sure I can't squat or clean or deadlift. I'm asking what are some more, less common lifts I can do to keep my workouts long enough and how should I divide them up and into how many days. (Nothing overhead and nothing that rests on shoulder and nothing that requires me to hold with arm, but perhaps only with one arm would be acceptable. Again, I'll talk with doc what I can and can't do )

EDIT: the labrum in context is the one in my right shoulder

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  • No, don't ask for medical advice on the internet. – user2861 Dec 13 '14 at 4:23
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    @Lego who says I'm asking for medical advice? I'm asking for weight lifting advice and I'm getting the medical advice from my surgeon – Geore Shg Dec 13 '14 at 4:33
  • Just rest for 6 months. At best you restart your training a few weeks early, at worst you injury yourself while week and give yourself a life long injury. – user2861 Dec 13 '14 at 5:11
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    @LegoStormtroopr You're aware that the labrum is in the shoulder, right? And that the question is about how to schedule "solely lower body workouts"? Not every question that relates to surgery or a medical issue is a medical question. – Dave Liepmann Dec 14 '14 at 17:18
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If you're going to exercise while recovering from a heavy surgery, first get your doctors to sign off on EVERY exercise you plan to do. All that being said, this should be a time of rest and recovery for you. Focus your efforts on recovery, healthy eating, and maybe start a hobby to pass the time, maybe even spend the time reading books on fitness and finding a great routine for when you do start back up... but don't be trying to lift and push your body to the limit when its at its weakest, because that only invites trouble and delays your full recovery.

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  • Trouble is the recovery is 6 months, and taking a break for that long is no option. The initial recovery , the duration I'm in a sling, is "only" 6 weeks, during which I won't be lifting. After that it's all pt, at which point I should be able to do lower body – Geore Shg Dec 13 '14 at 4:59
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Just because the session is short does not mean you can't get anything done.

There are massive challenges in programming for a post recovery surgery, and I honestly think you would be far better served from seeking physical therapy from a professional that works with athletes.

We don't know enough about your particular case to comment safely, and not being able to hang onto a weight at all presents an interesting quandary. You could do plenty of unilateral work, but that would create asymmetries. You could also stick to machines, but they're machines, and can only do so much.

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