Resistance Training - When did you begin after surgery?

I have read some articles about people who began resistance training after surgery.  Most of them started about 6 weeks after surgery.  I am getting so bored with just walking, my compartment syndrome won't really let me run, so I would love to start adding in resistance training quickly, but I am only 17 days post-op. I feel pretty good, really good compared to what I expected to be at this point, but obviously don't want to push too hard and do something really stupid.  So, my question to you all great people, when did you start hitting the weights again?  

My Dr.said not to until 6 weeks but you should check with your Doctor just to be on the safe side.

I was only allowed to walk for the first 6 weeks post-op.  I started adding in everything else I wanted to do once I got to the 6 week mark.  

Zombies Run kept the walking from getting boring. :)

I started at 90 days, doing great no problems. 

88 Lou 

So, how did you guys get back into it?  Light weights for longer reps?  Lots of cross-training?  Free weights or nautical?  I am very interested to hear your success stories.  They motivate me.  I still have 3.6 weeks before I can even get back at it but I am very much looking forward to it.  Losing this weight is awesome, it truly is.  But, I want to see muscles in my arms, not loose skin.  I want to feel my neck, chest, shoulders, legs, etc get back to the muscular mass they used to be.  I am not looking for massive bulk, I have had too many years of that already, but I do want to put back the muscle I am losing and add some to it.

Loose skin is a fact of life for most of us - we can fill it out with muscle to an extent, but that's really it.  So just be prepared!  :)  

For me, it has all been about finding exercise that I like.  And I've never liked free weights.  Machines are fine, but they don't excite me.  So I walk/run on the treadmill for 3 hours a week (I started out with walking and just began incorporating running segments into my workouts last week) then I do 2 hours of yoga, 3 hours of pilates, and 1 hour of Tai Chi every week as well.  Pilates and yoga are great for my core and to keep my muscles limber and flexible.  

Basically, I'm not sure it really matters what you do, as long as you do something and it's something that you enjoy enough to stick with :)

Yeah, I didn't meant that to sound like I am going to be special and not have loose skin.  I just want to fight it as much as possible.  But honestly, I just like working out.  I was a college athlete and also past football and baseball coach so I was involved with quite a bit of lifting and it always made me feel better.  What I need to find a way to do now is a stretching routine more than anything.  Its been about three years since I lifted hard so I probably gotta get a few weeks of good stretching in before I do anything

Do you have access to a personal trainer?  That might be a great way to go when you hit the 6 week mark. 

I don't at this moment.  Although, once upon a time, I used to teach weight training.  I def could use a partner but not sure if getting a trainer, financially, is in the cards for awhile.  Paying for surgery and missing work takes a toll on the finances haha

I wanted to get the most out of this process as soon as I could. I began nearly immediately post-op, though still within my restrictions. I walked and biked (stationary - cleared for this after 2 weeks) daily and incorporated small dumb bells (first 2 lb'ers, then 5 lb'ers, finally 8 lb'ers****il I got cleared 6 weeks out. My restriction was no lifting more than 15 lbs. I did curls and presses and flys. Felt kind of silly with the smaller weights, but did a lot of reps (like 30 - 50 reps in sets of 3). Still hit the gym for lifting at least 2x a week.