Making that decision to start back at the gym can be difficult, but it is on the positive and you know feeling better is always a motivator; starting slowly is always best
Focus on active stretching and mobility:
If you haven’t been as active these past few months, you must focus on your range of motion. Take a little extra time before you start your workout to foam roll, stretch, and address trouble areas.
Go easier with those Tabata/HIIT workouts.
It may take 2-4 weeks to get your cardio back to where it was three months ago. Don’t be afraid to take longer breaks between sets or work at a more leisurely pace until you feel your body can handle more intensity.
Don’t try to lift as much weight as you were before.
I promise you will be back to those weights before you know it, but even if you stayed active these past three months, your muscles would have adapted to what you were doing at home. So, it is a safe bet to start at about 75% of your working weight for all strength exercises and slowly increase over the next month or so until you return to where you were before. The last thing you want to do is hurt yourself and not be able to work out for another few weeks!
Knowing how it feels to get back into the gym can be exciting but remember to start slow, focus on loosening up your joints and muscles, go easier with cardio circuits, use lighter weights, and finally, listen to your body. It may take a few weeks to feel back to 100%, but that’s normal. Health and exercise are marathons, not sprints.
Your body will thank you in the long run!
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