Workout tips for your gym comeback!

07 April 2021

Gyms are finally opening, but before you pull up those weights make sure you’re not about to pull a muscle…

We’re seriously pumped as today is the day we can get back to our natural habitat once more - the gyms are finally open! However don’t lunge into the workouts too hard, as you could walk away with strains instead of gains! Here are our top tips for getting the most out of your workouts without getting yourself an injury.

1.Half your weights

To prevent injuries you should drop your weights to 50% of what you were lifting pre-lockdown, then gradually increase the weights each week to get back to your absolute prime. Depending on how active you’ve stayed during the lockdown, you should aim to get back to your full weights between 4 and 6 weeks. Patience is a virtue!

2.Give yourself a break!

After your sessions, take it easy for at least 48 hours. In other words, limit your gym workouts to 3 times a week for the first couple of weeks so you’re not shredding those muscle tissues under pressure. If you’re really struggling to keep yourself out of the gym on those days off, then maybe move away from weights and so some yoga or floor work in between the heavy sessions.

3.Warm-up before every workout

This is important before any workout of course but especially now as we prepare to jump back into regular exercise. The warmup you do before a workout has a big impact on how you perform, so it’s important to carry out some routine stretches and dynamic mobility exercises. These types of warm-ups are particularly important in periods such as now when activity levels have dropped off and we have been sitting down a lot.

4.Sleep and eat well

Once you get back into the swing of things, your calorie output through exercise is going to be through the roof! This means you need to give your body enough nutrients to recover from the higher level of exercise. Make sure you eat well while maintaining a responsible calorie deficit, especially if you’ve gained a few pounds over lockdown.

And last but certainly not least, don’t forget to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night while easing back into your regular workout routine - sleep is one of the best recovery tools there is.

Stay safe and enjoy the gyms!