Staying active and continuing to reach your fitness goals during shelter-in-place orders has felt next to impossible. Our routines were interrupted, and for many, it can feel like you're starting over from scratch.
Finding the motivation to get back into a fitness routine after a long break can be very difficult, but it's vital for our mental and physical health. We've come up with our 6 best tips to get back into the gym and back to our normal routines.
TIP #1: Prep for Your Workout
Usually, gym prep would consist of putting on some workout gear, slipping on your work out shoes, and filling up your water bottle. But what about mental prep? After a forced hiatus from the gym, we're all still trying to get back into the groove of working out. We suggest mentally preparing for the gym by listening to your favorite workout playlist, breaking up the workout into smaller chunks, and starting with workouts you do well.
Tip #2: Warm It Up, and Cool It Down
You should reserve time to warm up before a workout and cool down after, especially after taking a break from exercising. Warming up helps prevent injuries, and it increases blood flow, allowing you to get the most out of your gym session.
Warm-up by doing a less intense and strenuous version of the workout you're planning on doing that day. Focus on those muscles during your warm-up to help loosen them up. It's healthy for your body to also have a cool-down period after your workout to safely lower your heart rate and allow your muscles to relax, preventing post-onset muscle soreness (POMS).
Tip #3: Listen to your Body
Don't overdo it, especially your first few days back. Going hard in the gym on your first day back can discourage you from wanting to go back and can lead to overworked muscles and injuries. Start at a low intensity and stay for a shorter duration of time and slowly work your way back up.
Tip #4: Learn the Safety Protocols
We've always gone above and beyond to keep our gyms clean, but now more than ever, we're making sure our gyms are the cleanest and safest in SoCal. We've got our staff members routinely walking around and cleaning the equipment.
We want to make sure you feel safe at our gyms, so if you have any questions about the protocols we've put in place you can ask any of our staff members.
Tip #5: Seek Advice from a Personal Trainer
Talking to a professional about your fitness goals can help put a plan into place to start achieving them. Personal trainers provide you with that extra encouragement and motivation you need to get up and get active.
Tip # 6: Take Breaks
You've been out of the gym for a couple of months now, so we suggest you don't dive right back in, instead slowly acclimate yourself back. Don't force yourself to go to the gym every day if you're not feeling up to it. Take breaks, go easy on yourself, revisit tip #3, and listen to your body!
Follow these 6 tips to get back into the gym and remember that we're all getting back into fitness at our own pace. Don't rush it, you'll get back on track in no time, and we're happy to help you along the way!
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