5 TIPS FOR RETURNING TO GYM
Gyms are open! And yoga, pilates, dance, boxing, rowing, cycling & tai chi studios. Team sports are coming back. Personal training groups can resume. The future is looking FIT!
But woah-back cowboy, let’s not jump the gun.
Here, we go through 5 tips for safely returning to the gym in post-COVID times.
1. DON’T EXPECT TO BE AT THE SAME LEVEL YOU WERE
Detraining is a word used to describe athletes who stop training. Detraining unsurprisingly results in decreased cardiovascular fitness, muscular power and strength.
Ultimately, if you don’t move it, you lose it.
But it is not lost forever!
Your strength, flexibility, power and fitness can return and with muscle memory you may even be able get to your pre-stopping-exercise level sooner. It is important to be smart about it though. Read on…
2. DO LESS
It is important to increase exercise gradually and progressively after long periods of inactivity. Athletes should avoid performing intense work without first reconditioning. Reconditioning can involve increasing volume and decreasing intensity.
So initially, do less: Less reps, sets, weight, speed, sessions.
Slow and stray wins the race!
3. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY (AND AVOID INJURY)
It is normal to feel sore after new exercises have been added to your routine. This is expected, but should not last more than a couple of days.
When returning to exercises the main focus should be on avoiding injury rather than making gains.
Injuries are definitely the biggest obstacle to achieving your fitness goals. We see so many of these in our clinic with overuse injuries.
Overuse injuries can be ‘chronic’, often with repetitive activities over a period of time eg. athletes who run very frequently without rest days or other conditioning exercises.
They can also be more ‘acute’ overuse injuries. These are often when someone who hasn’t run for a while decides to run 10km one day, and injures themselves in the process.
Your body will often give you warning signs that it’s not coping with load, so listen to it.
4. REMEMBER TO RECOVER
Good rest and recovery is important for the casual exerciser right up to top level athletes. Tips for recovery include:
If doing weights, have at least one day off between doing the same exercise. This is why some do upper body and lower body on alternate days.
Have a rest day per week
Ensure a good warm up, incorporate stretches in a cool down
Hydrate with plenty of water
Ensure you have adequate nutrition to support your workout and goals. Speak to a dietitian or nutritionist if you need further guidance!
5. KEEP IT COVID-SAFE
Ensure you maintain social distancing (who wants to hug sweaty people anyway).
Disinfect the equipment you use.
Check in using your gym or studio’s system.
Stay at home if you are unwell.