5 tips for getting back into the gym after lockdown

opinion: Exercise in the pre-pandemic world was difficult enough. Now we are facing many more big challenges. This includes being trapped in a house for most of the three months for Oaklanders. We all agree that the idea of ​​rejoining a vigorous movement is an incredibly difficult prospect.

For some, this would have affected your already stellar fitness regimen, and for others it may have hindered your starting progress. No matter where you are on your fitness journey, we’ve narrowed it down to the five most effective tips and tricks to get you back on track.

Find your reason

We are all familiar with the default motivation to take people to the gym. Be healthy, look good, and be healthy. These goals are essentially fine, but you need to dig a little deeper to truly identify the “why.”

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Reasons for adopting a healthier lifestyle vary from person to person, but identifying what these are in a truly meaningful way can greatly motivate you.

Like all healthy habits, you have to want it for yourself. Unfortunately, you don’t see the results right away, so start small and work your way up to the big goals. You need to take the final result from the equation and learn to love the process.

Expert Tips:

What is my reason?

Exercise releases so many endorphins for me that it helps to control my mental health. When I haven’t solved any other problems, I’m releasing stress, anger, and anxiety.

So for me, regular exercise allows me to love myself more. Because, in the end, if you can love yourself, you can love the people around you.

Knowing your reason will help you see exercise as a long-term habit. The habits that must be part of your daily life, the habits you know, will allow you to fight through your toughest days and shine in your brightest.

Finding your reason gives you a better chance of appearing consistently for yourself for the right reason. This isn’t a summer shred, and it’s not about getting in shape right away. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and a commitment to yourself for life.

Personally, I don’t miss Monday-I set myself up for the best chance of success that week. I ran on the board.

I know I have to spin the treadmill again when I lose my reason and start to get sluggish or depressed. With one training at a time, you can get back to rhythm and reconnect with the reason.

Talk to an expert

Once you decide why you want to go back to workout, your first port of call should be the clinic, not the gym.

“You must see a doctor or physiotherapist before returning to the gym,” said Karen Ritzy, a physiotherapist and spokesman for the Physical Therapist Association. They can quickly assess where you are in terms of fitness, fitness and cardiovascular health to ensure a smooth and safe transition to exercise.

This sense of security can bring wonders to help people feel that their body is healthy and ready to return to it.

Expert tips

“I meet with medical professionals such as physiotherapists and trainers almost every day to keep track of my fitness and rehabilitation goals. Together, we develop programs tailored to my specific needs. This helps improve performance in the gym and, more importantly, in the field.

“This includes reviewing my plans every week to make adjustments to my goals. At any week I can do acupuncture, massage and gym movements. All these aspects contribute to my high level of performance. “– Crusader’s Halfback, Bryn Hall

Don’t be too early

If you’ve been off the gym for a few weeks and you feel like you’ve lost your fitness for months, you’re probably right. In fact, Cedric Bryant, chairman and chief science officer of the American Movement Council, said that a short distance from Jim can undo some of the health benefits you’ve achieved.

“If you’re not fully active for a week, you’ll have some negative impact on your physical performance,” says Bryant. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine found that a two-week break from regular exercise could actually significantly reduce both strength and mass. lose.

So basically, if you were before the blockade of a hard-working exerciser, don’t expect your body to recover from where it was interrupted.

Instead, choose a more measured approach and make sure you are analyzing the type of exercise you are doing first to reduce the chance of injury. Once you’ve regained some of your basic fitness, you can start adding strength again.

Fitness goals vary from person to person, but the Department of Health and Human Services states that the average healthy adult should aim for about 150 minutes of exercise per week.

Expert Tips: “Don’t get too hard or too fast. Pay attention to the alignment. I’m particular about adjusting your body and technique during movement and exercise.

“It’s better to do one really good rep than 40 poor techniques. This can lead to injury in the end. Good alignment and technique is better than you’re trying to achieve. It leads to good results.

“Maximize joint movement, muscle firing, joint support, improve circulation when alignment is optimal in movement, and improve mind-body connection. Slowly, your body. Pay attention to where you are in the universe and get well! ” Jill Somerville, Master of Physical Therapy in Takapuna, Auckland and Founder of Cryo Health Solutions

Don’t forget to stretch

Finding time to exercise is difficult enough, not to mention allocating enough time for proper recovery. This is why cooldowns and stretches often gain luster among busy individuals, even if they are not skipped together.

But unfortunately, what looks like a simple time saver can actually undo your entire fitness journey.

If you get injured or feel pain, it adds another reason not to go to the gym to your already long list of reasons. That’s why, once you’ve established a training regime that you think you can stick to, start building your recovery routine as well.

This ranges from home-based online stretch videos to weekly sports massages. At a minimum, you should include some form of daily stretching after your workout and an appropriate cool-down period.

They may look like small points, but they all work to reduce your risk of injury, so you don’t have to take a few weeks off your training routine and start over.

Expert Tips:

“Stretching makes most, but often, big differences. Try alternating focus areas when stretching to avoid overstretching your muscles. To get great flexibility results. In addition, I will move my body in order for a week.

“We are accustomed to stretching after running or high-intensity training, but stretching before is very beneficial to the body. Muscles respond better to stress when warmed up. Stretching before heading for that run helps you prepare for a shock and keep your body in maximum range of motion.

“Don’t stretch too much. You don’t want to experience pain to improve flexibility, but rather find that end of tension and move on to that sensation and back. – – Sara Lindsay, Founder of SALA Yoga

Professional level expert tips: “It’s often overlooked, but an important part of returning to regular training is scheduling time for recovery.

“Infrared saunas can be a powerful tool for the holidays. You still sweat, increase your heart rate, increase cardiac output, but promote a calming effect on your nervous system. You can get the additional benefit of the physiological changes that occur in your body.

“Stimulation of heat and circulation from the sauna induces muscle relaxation, relieves tension throughout the body and helps relieve mental stress. Regular sauna bathing helps the body adapt to heat stress. There is also evidence that it can help with the decrease in cortisol (stress hormone) over time.

“For ultimate recovery, after the sauna acts on the parasympathetic nervous system, the body is immersed in an ice bath to slow down the heart rate and increase heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. It is a measure of the balance of the system and an overall indicator of health. “- Sarah Higgins, Founder of Hana

Mix!

Choosing an exercise that you really enjoy is very important in determining your success (it doesn’t matter what it looks like to you). More than ever, the fitness industry is transforming and evolving by offering a variety of fitness products to suit everyone. If you don’t enjoy exercising, you’re probably doing the wrong kind of exercise.

If high intensity isn’t your tea, try an online Pilates class with Wild Pilates or a yoga class at Studio Red. If it’s a bit slow, immersive colored lights and loud music in the studio box may be yours.

The important thing here is that every move is a good move. Whether you’re starting to walk to work or stretching every day, it’s not a bad idea to incorporate more activities into your daily routine.

Expert Tips: “As with everything in life, variations are important. This is especially important when starting or resuming a regular fitness routine. By trying new forms of exercise, you learn more about your body. , You can get better results and ultimately find the combination that best suits your goals-this is different for everyone.

If you’re having a hard time getting back to it, focus on starting with what you’re used to first, and then slowly introduce a new form of exercise. Reducing boredom also increases the likelihood of creating healthy routines in the long run.

“Mixing it helps reduce injuries by challenging the body in different ways and keeps you active without overdoing it.

“It’s a good idea to find a fitness routine that can rejuvenate you, rather than being exhausted or excited to prioritize yourself and your fitness. The best way to do that is to try new things. ! ”– Laura Mohi, founder of Wild Pilates.

This article was provided by WellBeings.