Gyms finally opened this week after three months of lockdown, and gym goers have flocked back to get their fitness back on track. At Absolute Body Solutions, we were made up to see so many clients come back to our gyms in Liverpool city centre, South Liverpool, and Manchester city centre, as well as welcome new ones who had joined us throughout lockdown.
As we all haven’t been to the gym in a while, it is good to take the first few sessions easy and try to resist the urge to overdo it. Try these top tips to ensure that your first week back is successful and you give yourself plenty of time to recover.
Top Tips for The First Week Back
- First, take it easy in your first week! It can be hard to resist after so much time spent away from the gym, but you will thank yourself later. Get used to the movements again and focus on your technique. A couple of visits in, step it up again and repeat until you are back to your old form.
- If you are used to using weights, do not expect to be able to lift the same as before. If you were at the gym regularly, the chances are that your strength will have decreased. Start a little lighter than normal on your warmup sets and gradually increase the weights as you go.
- Before you even touch a weight, do not forget to warm up – dynamic stretching, cardio based or using lighter weights for exercises you are about to perform, ensure you have warmed up properly before a set.
- Weights before cardio – after your warmup (where you might use cardio equipment) getting your weight training done, before using the cardio equipment is the best way to structure your workout.
- Book in with a personal trainer to help you achieve your results if you are not sure how to approach training on your own.
- Follow a programme and importantly, track your results so you can see your progress.
- help your recovery post workout by having a protein shake and, something that is so often overlooked, get a good night’s sleep. 7-8 hours if possible. Try avoiding the TV or mobile before bedtime and keep your room as dark as possible.
Give these a go and have a safe and fun return to the gym!
