Since last month, we have seen some minor shifts in the restrictions for gyms and personal trainers.
Many studios and other gyms are not completely open to the public yet, but may still offer personal training or small classes. Many gym-goers have been buying a surplus of at-home equipment so that they can stay active. Others have taken weeks — or even a couple of months — off of being active and find it hard to ignite the fire again.
During these restrictive times, I have seen countless memes on Facebook joking about weight gain and heard many jokes about how hard it is to keep the fridge shut when you are stuck at home – and I also experienced the struggle myself. Perhaps now you are looking to get back to being active.
When returning to exercise, you will need a safe and effective route to get back on track. You will need to pay attention to what your body can do now — not what it used to be able to do or what you wish it could do.
Your body starts losing strength after a couple of weeks without strength training. The muscle mass itself will stay close to around the same size up to a month, but your muscle will shed some of its water and glycogen, which help with muscular endurance, maximal strength and power. How much strength you lose while inactive may also depend on the frequency at which you worked out before you stopped. Those who engaged exercise a regular 4-6 days a week will lose muscle much slower than those who only participated in 1-3 exercises per week.
If you are one of those who have noticed that you’re not feeling like you did before the COVID-19 crisis, there is good news: it’s called muscle memory. Muscle memory allows you to gain muscle back much quicker than when you would if you were starting from scratch. This may sound discouraging for some starting fresh, but I actually think it’s the reason to start sooner! Your brain will recognize the movements and tension you are placing on it and adapt much quicker because it’s familiar with what it had to do in the past in order to recover and attain homeostasis.
If you are starting from scratch, and this crisis has motivated you to try something different, then now is as good of a time as any.
The catch is, if you’ve taken some weeks off, your body will not able to do what it once could. The first workout will be uncomfortable, but doesn’t need to be brutal. Strength dissipates fairly slowly, but cardio and endurance will decrease much more quickly. You may feel that you are relatively close to the same strength levels as before, but your cardiovascular system and muscular endurance cannot withstand the tension like it could weeks prior.
When it comes to strength and muscular endurance, whether it be squat, bench press, or even a bicep curl, putting the muscle under tension for a longer period of time will cause the best growth at first. What I mean is, perform your exercises slowly and controlled. This will help avoid injury, and also cause muscles to grow quickly and safely. When you choose lighter weights and go slowly with your exercise movement, the muscle undergoes more tension over time and learns to stabilize and control the weight. Also, this will help correct any muscle imbalances that you may have developed if done correctly. When you perform these repetitions, you will notice you get shaky easily. Your body will adapt and become more efficient over time and reduce shakiness in order to protect your joints. So, take your time and perform each movement with precision and patience.
Sometimes taking a few weeks off can be just enough time for us to get sidetracked on our goals. You will need to go back into fitness with a plan. What are your goals? How is the most effective way to achieve them? If you are used to having an instructor or trainer, it may be best to schedule another session with them or at the very least have a conversation and ask some questions. Having a plan is essential to setting and achieving goals. Especially when you are getting back into the swing of your fitness routine. You will need to gauge what days certain muscles need to rest, how much cardio is appropriate for your goals, and what exercise movements are going to benefit your body the most.
Above all, the most important and common factor for anyone getting started is to just start! Go for a walk, lift some light dumbbells, do some research on the internet and take the first step toward getting healthy.
Nate Wilson is certified personal trainer through NASM and is the owner of Elite Fitness LLC. He is certified for Fitness Nutrition and is a Behavior Change Specialist. His contact info is 719-640-0668 or email at Natewilson0223@gmail.com
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June 02, 2020 at 01:00PM
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Tips for getting fit again | Fit and Healthy - Colorado Springs Gazette
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