As Perth is easing the restrictions from COVID-19, we will soon be able to go back to our favourite gym and train like we used to (well, sort of). For the avid gym users, workouts can range from high intensity group classes, heavy strength training, yoga and Pilates. There is such much variety! And for those of you who have taken time off during the recent closures, I’m sure you cannot wait to get back to routine.
As with any break from exercise, it’s important to progress your way back into your training. As tempting as it is to pick up exactly where you left off, there are a few things to consider. Life is different now. Your life is different. My life is different.
Here are my top tips to getting yourself back to the gym
1. Beware of “too much too soon”. We’ve all heard of this principle, and it is highly relevant with exercise. If you have stopped your training completely, then I would definitely ease back into your old routine. Don’t try to do the same workout you did at your last gym session. Bring the intensity down a notch and give yourself a few sessions to see how the body responds. You will be weaker, it will feel harder, and you’ll be sore. But don’t worry, you will get it all back and catch up to where you left off. You aren’t going to be starting at square one, and you’ll get back to your previous levels soon. You’ll get stronger, and you’ll feel much better after a few sessions. I like to use the 10% rule when increasing exercise intensity. Let’s say you were lifting 50kg on Monday and Thursday, and it all feels good… take it up 10% to 55kg for next week. Then if that feels good for a few sessions, then go up another 10%. If you you’ve had an 8-week disruption, give yourself 4-8 weeks to get back to where you were (this is just a rough estimate, every body is different). This will help your body get back into it’s groove in a nice progressive manner. If you go too heavy too soon, you risk injury and a hit to your ego! You’d rather be smashing your new goals in 8-weeks time, rather than nursing a new injury and setting yourself back even further.
2. Get some sleep. If you are adding more intense exercise back into your schedule, make sure you aren’t compromising your sleep schedule. If you are starting back to the 5am gym sessions, reverse plan your bed time and get to bed earlier. Most of us have been able to sleep in a little bit more since we haven’t been driving into the city or rushing around with the kids and other appointments. This may mean we’ve been getting more sleep, or simply that we are staying up later. Now that we have access to gym classes, getting up early again might hit us a bit harder than expected. The increase in training will also leave us a bit more fatigued, so plan ahead and get to bed!
3. Listen to your body and train smart. As tempting as it may be to “smash it” as hard as you can, consider what your body has been doing for the last 8 weeks and plan your workouts accordingly. If you managed to maintain a solid training routine, then go for it. But if you’ve stopped your regular weights routine and have been walking and running (for example) for 8 weeks, getting back to the weights will be hard for a few weeks… and that’s okay! Try 1-3 sessions in your first week, and see how the body feels. If that feels like enough, then stay at that frequency for a while. If you’ve enjoyed running and want to maintain it, then you can keep a couple of running days and add weights days in between. But see how you feel. If your body feels great, then great! If your body is super sore and you feel worse off, then adjust your weekly output. For example, if you have kids at home while you have to work from home, this can increase your overall stress and fatigue. Therefore, choose a form of exercise that will complement your daily demands. For example, maybe do some strength training on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and your walking and running days on other week days. The weekends may leave you more time for yourself, so you can do more intense exercise. If you prefer to have a morning spent outdoors in the fresh air, then walking or running in the mornings might be a nice way to start your day. Don’t pressure yourself with a heavy intensity session if you think you’ll struggle for the rest of the day. See what works the best for YOU, and try not to worry about what others are doing.
4. Be Kind. With the new rules and regulations in place for social distancing and hygiene, please be patient with your facility, staff and other users as everyone is navigating through new territory. Your first few days or weeks back in the gym may require everyone to iron out a few wrinkles, and there may be some growing pains. These new rules are new for everyone and we are all human, some of us will forget and make mistakes. Keep this in mind before you snap at someone, or if someone snaps at you. Be polite and be patient, and do the best you can to adhere to all the new regulations. Be kind.
Final note…
As we slowly get back to a “normal” routine, we can slowly get ourselves back to our favourite fitness routines. For now, take care of your body as best as you can and remember to put yourself first. If you need rest, take it. If you’re craving a heavy weights session, do so mindfully. If you hate running, don’t force it. Your health and happiness are more important than how much weight you used to lift.
