Lifting routine after surgery? HELP

i've been lifting five days a week for about the past 6 months. i feel and look a lot better then i ever have.

but i'm going in for surgery on my elbow soon (snapping ulnar nerve) and it's nothing too big, but i won't be able to lift for about 3 to 4 weeks. maybe more or less depending on everything.

i'm not sure how long it takes for muscle atrophy to kick in, but i feel weaker/less cut after only a few days, much less a few weeks!

my question is, when i am able to lift again, does anyone have any advice for a "quick fix" to getting re-ripped? haha, i know that sounds like the wrong thing to say, but i just can't seem to word it right. i understand there is no magic pill, but maybe some advice or something someone can offer.

i guess i just don't want to have to start all over from scratch.

any advice is much appreciated!

I have a pinched radial nerve and need surgery. but ive been putting it off. so i feel ya. when initially injured , i had to take off 3-4 weeks of lifting to rest my arm. the trick is to keep eating like u were training to maintain muscle mass. and when you can lift, start slowly as to not re-injure yourself. unfortunately there is no quick fix. healing takes time.

your muscles have "muscle memory" so once u get back to training, they will bulk right back up.

yeah, this nerve thing affects my tricep lifts so much that i havent worked them in about a month already. i do one set and i'm pretty much in agony. im just really excited to start doing bench again. the only exercise working my chest are flys, and that gets really boring.

i guess in time will be ok, because i know i'm going to hit it hard once i get back into the swing of things.

i just hate moving backwards!

one step back, two leaps foward. cause you know youre gonna train hard to make up for lost time.