Over the last several months, it’s safe to say that with gyms closed, and virtually all non-essential businesses closed, a lot of people’s health and fitness levels have suffered, both physically and mentally.
If you’re concerned about your weight and/or fitness levels due to being locked down and stuck at home for months on end, the good news is that gyms are starting to open back up, and if they aren’t yet, then by the time you read this it shouldn’t be much longer until they are.
With so many people chomping at the bit to get out of the house and get some proper exercise like they used to months ago, it’s important not to run before you can walk.
To help your transition back into the gym run smoothly, here’s a look at how to ease back into a fitness routine after lockdown.
Consider working out at home a little while longer
For regular gym goers, you’ll no doubt be aware of the fact that January is typically a very busy time for gyms because of all of the new members signing up to try and get fit and lose the weight they gained over the holidays.
While lockdown has been far from a holiday, it has resulted in a lot of people gaining weight, and subsequently there will likely be big crowds when gyms are allowed to open back up.
Not only that, but all of the hardcore gym goers who have been craving the gym since it was forced to close, will likely flock back to the gym, so again, large crowds are likely for the first few weeks.
To avoid these crowds, you may want to continue exercising at home a while longer, until things begin to calm slightly and go back to how they used to be before lockdown.
Don’t expect to be where you were months ago
Another thing to remember when you are finally able to start working out again at the gym, is the fact that you will NOT be where you were months ago before the gyms closed.
Unless you’ve been training just as hard at home and with similar equipment, you’ll find that your fitness levels will be lower than they were, you’ll have lost muscle mass, you’ll be weaker, and you simply won’t be where you used to be.
Because of this, be sure to ease your way back into training slowly, and don’t try to do the things you used to do before lockdown.
Just take your time and gradually ease your way back into things and you’ll quickly improve with each passing session.
Always aim to better your last session
Whether you’re training to get fit, build muscle, increase your strength, or anything else for that matter, in order to keep progressing you must aim to better your previous session, even if it’s not by much.
If for example, you previously ran 3KM in, say, 30 minutes, the next time you run 3KM, aim to complete it in less than 30 minutes.
If you benched 135lbs for 8 reps, the next time you bench 135lbs, aim for 9 or 10 reps, or try 8 reps with a slightly heavier weight.
Basically, always try to beat your previous session until you plateau, no matter what.
