I had to put off the gym for a few weeks after slipping on the stairs and straining my patellar tendon. The time away from the gym was kind of nice for a recharge and allowed me to hit the gym with a vengeance upon my return. I've really noticed increased upper body mass the last couple of weeks, though I have not measured. I can move furniture more easily, which pleases Mrs. Medic8r as we redecorate Medic8r Manor.
My bench press has increased from 200 to 220, doing a power set of 6 reps today. Have not tried to determine absolute max (one rep). Ha, it may be 225, but still, I was never even able to crack the "200 club" in high school. Most other sets are using about 10-20% more weight than when I last checked in, at 10-15 reps each.
The "light bulb" moments in terms of body awareness are part of what keeps me going. My favorite moment was on a bike ride in the neighborhood last week. There's one hill on the last half of the ride that has always seemed impossibly tough - even in a low gear, I'd have to walk it some times. On the last ride, however, I charged up it easily in a medium gear. The feeling of my quadriceps powering me up the hill was really something else.
