Tips to help you transition from lockdown back to 'gym life'

Phased re-opening is happening across the U.S.  Some places are moving into Phase II which means that gyms will be opening their doors again soon!!

But before you go beast mode....  Let’s take a minute to consider a smart approach to getting back into the gym after our long downtime.

If you have been consistently training while in quarantine, odds are you will adapt to gym life quite easily. 

If you were someone who used quarantine as a time to rest and repair your body, remember all of the progress you've made and ease yourself back into gym life.

I know we are all so excited to get back into our routines, train hard, get back under the bar and beast out a great training session. The gym, our place of solace… it is calling our name!

But before you go beast-mode, let's take a look at a few ways to smoothly transition back to our gym routine.

BE EASY. BE PATIENT.

Try not to go back into the gym with that “go hard or go home” mentality. If you were formerly training six days a week, scale that back to four… training five days a week, scale it back to three, and so on. Rest every other day or every two days. Even if you were consistently training at home, the stimulus placed on the body with bands is nothing in comparison to heavy, weighted workouts in the gym. Listen to you body and progressively get back to where you ended prior to gym closures.

DON’T OVER DO IT.

Do not try to hit top sets. Train at roughly a 7 RPE. Start slow and go by feel. You will likely have some strength decreases, but not to worry, your muscle memory will spark and soon you will be hitting those top sets with ease. Give yourself the grace to adjust back into training though. Do not risk an injury over excitement. Test the waters a bit, but know when to be smart and pull back accordingly.

PRIORITIZE SETS & UTILIZE REST PERIODS

The gym may look different as we open back up. There will likely be sign-up times and time stamps on how long you are able to train. Prioritize your workouts. Do not skip rests! 3 sets of really good reps with perfect form followed by a rest period will outweigh 4 sets rushed, without proper form, mind-muscle connection or intent any day.

PRIME YOUR BODY & ALLOW IT TO REPAIR

Warm up! Start by doing dynamic stretches. Pre-prime your body for a training session. Your body is coming out of a massive downturn. Don’t forget to stretch post workout. Considering time constraints in for our ‘new normal’ era, this may have to be done at home. Do not overlook it. Stretch, foam roll, recover and repair.

Through it all, remember to have fun! Keep a smile on your face and enjoy the process! Stay devoted! #UNTILITSDONE