General | November 9, 2020
7 Tips to Help Ease Yourself Back Into a Gym Routine
By Dr Marc Weir (osteopath) B.Sci (Clin Sci), MHS (osteopathy) – Member Osteopathy Australia
I know, it’s been a tough year, but now with restrictions easing and gyms re-opening alongside other extracurricular activities we can finally get back into our fitness routines. However, we want a safe return to activity so its important to follow the below suggestions to ensure we can get back into fitness without compromising our bodies!
- Begin with an adequate warm up
Start your session with one of either skipping, jogging, rower, bike – for 5-10 minutes to get the muscles working and the blood flowing.
Complete 1-2 warm-up sets of your chosen exercise at 10-20% of your normal resistance. - Hydrate
Before, during and after your work-out – Water is fine, but something with a combination of carbohydrates and protein post-workout will help refuel your system. - Shorter sessions
To lower your risk of injury, reduce the sessions to 30-45minutes for the first week or two as your body adjusts to strain. - Cool down
One of most important parts of training is to stretch out the muscles that have been shortening over the session.
This can be done by: A light jog followed by foam roller, foam roller alone, stretching and rolling/spike ball, sauna/shower/swimming. - Nutrition
You’ve gone from desk to gym – so your calorie intake needs to be boosted depending on your calories burnt during your session. For most people this is around 200-400cals per session. Multiple that by 3 sessions a week it’s about 1000 calories! - Rest
To give your body the best chance to recover and prevent adrenal fatigue, put a rest day between 4 sessions – at least. - Have fun!
Get out there and mix up your training, try something new and support the great local businesses that have done it tough this year!
Please note, the advice above is generalised and may not be specific to your situation. Please contact one of our osteopaths to provide specific advice based on your individual circumstance.
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