245 club!

[slow99]

Good job, OP - keep up the good work.

[SS Junk]

I've intentionally not taken measurements or got on a scale this go 'round, nor do I have an end goal, it doesn't matter to me enough at this point, just progress in general.

"Sir will do just fine..."

j/k... Get it done, son.

[DON SVO]

I kept tabs on dead lifts and squats for a while, but I became MUCH happier with my best set of 5. Any monkey can blow out a rotator cuff of an elbow forcing up weight that is beyond their control. Can they lift 305 for one rep? Sure. Can they do it without wobbling and dumping the bar on their chest? That's a coin flip. I was at 105x6 on dumbbells and extremely pleased with that: they were controlled, 2 second negatives with a slight pause & elbows just past bench height. It was controllable weight. It felt good. I felt good. That's all that matters! Keep up the progress

[Pooter]

Sorry to muddle your thread a little, I didn't think a "comeback" thread was post-worthy in and of itself, but I figured that I'd share my perspective to give you a little motivation and guidance. Focus on progress, not perfection, because you'll never get there if you do. When you hit a plateau, change it up, it sounds like you're off to a great start.

Here's a little progress report for you, my first day back 2 months ago I couldn't bench 135lbs for 12 reps, and man did my body ache afterwards. A total mind-fuck at the time, considering that used to be my warm-up. In that 2 months I've dropped about an inch off my waist, and am satisified with the 205 for 12. My god it would have been awesome to have that kind of progress in the beginning. I've intentionally not taken measurements or got on a scale this go 'round, nor do I have an end goal, it doesn't matter to me enough at this point, just progress in general.

No worries, I don't consider motivation muddling!
That's still pretty decent for just getting back into it. At least with the proper technique and knowing how to get there it shouldnt take too long to get back where you were, wont be easy but it wouldnt be worth it if it was, lol.
I'm not going to worry about weight until after spring when I cut back down after trying to gain size and cut more fat for summer. So far I'm maintaining my weight at 195ish(5'9") while gaining the muscle.

Good job, OP - keep up the good work.

Thanks!

I kept tabs on dead lifts and squats for a while, but I became MUCH happier with my best set of 5. Any monkey can blow out a rotator cuff of an elbow forcing up weight that is beyond their control. Can they lift 305 for one rep? Sure. Can they do it without wobbling and dumping the bar on their chest? That's a coin flip. I was at 105x6 on dumbbells and extremely pleased with that: they were controlled, 2 second negatives with a slight pause & elbows just past bench height. It was controllable weight. It felt good. I felt good. That's all that matters! Keep up the progress

Thanks Don! I think I'm going to keep doing that too, heaviest I can still get up for a controlled 5 count. Getting something back up sloppy for only a 1 count is just going to get yourself hurt(and too heavy to be messing with).

[Big A]

So far I'm maintaining my weight at 195ish(5'9") while gaining the muscle.

Keep doing that, and you're ahead of the game. Cycling growth and fat loss is a whole different animal, that inherently comes with having to be focused on the numbers more (the scale, calories, poundages, etc.) The way you're lifting now will create a great base to start with, and tweak as needed come time to cut. Ah the joys of calorie manipulation.

Thanks Don! I think I'm going to keep doing that too, heaviest I can still get up for a controlled 5 count. Getting something back up sloppy for only a 1 count is just going to get yourself hurt(and too heavy to be messing with).

Right on. Keep in mind that a big part of control is rep speed, banging them out quick to get 5 reps at X weight will help get you to a target number, but is also a good way to get hurt. I pulled a hamstring doing leg curls like that once, which kept me away from doing legs again for over a month. You've got to find a balance between 100% strict form and cheating, and don't let a particular number jeapordize over all progress. If you can't get it up completely controlled, just keep after it, and you eventually will. Patience is definitely a virtue in the gym.