As the lockdown eases off, the gyms and other sport venues allure old and new enthusiasts eager to get back in shape.
Presuming that you didn’t do much for the last three months other than staying put as you were supposed to some of the following might have happened:
- You have put some weight on and part of it might be caused by elevated toxins in your body;
- You have lost some muscle tissues and developed fat deposits, without necessarily putting weight on;
- You have lost general fitness and your heart muscle could be struggling with even minor physical tasks;
- You have reduced your endurance and, thus, reduced your comfort zone.
- You have synched out of schedules or habits, which takes some time build up.
Whether a first-timer or breaking some sweat after a long break, caution is necessary. So, here are five tips into (re-)building your routine and a body just on time to show off on the beach.
1. What’s your best at?
Think about the time when you were active, like you really had fun doing things with your body. Is it swimming, jogging, boxing, skateboarding, gymnastics, playing football/basketball or lifting weights? If even that’s hards to figure out, take it from your favorite sport channel? Make it as a child. Don’t be judgmental or self-critical. Just ask yourself: wouldn’t it be fun if I play… tennis? Once you find your true passion with the heart of your inner-kid, nothing can stop you from there.
2. Fetch a coach.
I don’t refer only to the funny gym videos everybody laughs at. It’s about your safety. When you go into a new environment or place you don’t know what the rules are. So, there’s a great chance to get hurt and, thus, quickly demotivated. And, no!, you won’t look a sissy with the fit girl next to you showing you things around, but quite the opposite. And on the financial side, now that all sport venues are dying for (new) customers, it’s quite likely to strike a deal for a membership with a coach support included at a discounted price.
3. Warm-ups/cool-downs are musts.
It is quite practical to prepare you relaxed heart and other muscles for the challenge you’ve set up yourself for. So, do nicely those warming routines and get your blood and oxygen all around your lethargic body. Same goes for the cool-down and the post workout stretching. Especially during the first week working out, the muscle fever could be very, very harsh and one effective way to dramatically minimize it is by doing you proper transition into and out of the physical activity.
4. Small steps would take you far.
Even if you consider yourself a pro — like knowing how to start —be easy on yourself. If you remember doing 20 lengths of the pool for your regular swim session, start with 10 to 15 first off. Do a progress records, so you could see it coming and not get frustrated not progressing at all.
5. Time matters.
It is your own body to tell you the best time to workout. See how you feel like for a morning jogging before breakfast, evening football game with your friends, or anything else. And if you don’t have the luxury to experiment with time and you rush straight to 9 to 5 job, just give yourself a little time to adapt and don’t start everything at once. You might as well have to rearrange your meal schedule, considering full stomach on the pitch is not a good idea at all. And best part of all: consider it as an important appointment and make no excuses especially in the beginning when the brain is getting used to you new old routine.