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How to Get Back Into Fitness After a Break
How to get back into fitness after a break: We all know that the flu, an injury, or maybe “just” a jam-packed schedule or an extended, lazy vacation condemns us to a training break. Depending on how long the gap is, it throws us back in our training, and it’s challenging to get back into it. Have you also taken a break for a long time and now feel unfit and unmotivated to start again? Rest assured: this is human! It takes effort to “torment” the body again and to rechallenge the muscles. With the following tips, you can start over and find your way back into your old training flow!
Start Slow
You should not choose high-intensity circuit training for your first workout after a break from training. First, wake up your body with some yoga or a light jog. Yoga is a great way to reactivate and rebuild muscles without overtaxing the body. You didn’t experience any stress during your training break and didn’t build any new muscles – there was no reason for that either. Accordingly, he has degraded, and you must slowly “feed him up” again.
Did you take a break because of a cold or flu? Then train particularly leisurely for the first week because your body is still very vulnerable. If you overload, you’ll fall flat again faster than you’d like! You can find out more about training after illness here.
Every (Re)Start is Difficult
If you have taken a long break from training, you cannot expect to find your old form again immediately. This usually lasts about as long as you pause. Here applies:
#BeMoreHuman! Honestly, every (re)start is difficult, and that’s human. Your body is not a machine, and you are not Superwoman. Listen to yourself as you train and be patient with yourself, even if you can’t lift your old weight or run as fast as before.
Running Training: Break As A Booster?
Running is often not too difficult for us after a short training break – sometimes such holidays even promise to give the body the necessary relaxation for increased performance. It is not for nothing that there is a tapering phase before a half marathon or marathon!
So in a week or two of not running, you won’t immediately lose stamina or speed, and you’ll usually get back to your starting level quickly, even after a break of several weeks, if you take it slow and don’t overwhelm your body. Start relaxed and increase intensity and workload weekly (by five to ten percent per week).
Have you had to take a break from running for several months? Don’t worry; you won’t have to complete a reset because your body has a sports memory and can digest up to three months of not running reasonably well.
Muscles, cardiovascular system, and metabolism adapt quickly to the training again – please be careful with your tendons, bones, and ligaments! If you increase your performance too soon after a long break, you can get severe injuries to your rusty feet and legs. So the same applies here: make haste makes waste! If your body is telling you it’s going too fast, slow down and pause again if necessary.
How to Get Back Into Fitness After a Break – Real Hard Work
Do you love working out in the gym and lifting weights? Then you are like me! Especially in the strength area, you notice how quickly the muscles break down after a short break in training, namely, four times faster than they build up!
If you’ve been lying flat with a cold for a week and are feeling good now, you have nothing to worry about when you get back to training. Seven days without stimuli are not a problem for your muscles; on the contrary: You may even feel a lot of strength because you are rested. So you can start again with the same weight and intensity as before your break.
The body can cope with around two weeks without training stimuli, and you can only get back in with your normal training weight just a little bit below your average training weight, like before your break. Slowly increase the weight and intensity until you’re back on your training plan.
After a break from training for more than two weeks, getting back into strength training is critical and will be damn hard. In these weeks, you have lost a lot of muscle mass – and you have to build it up again laboriously. You should ensure that you don’t overstrain yourself and regenerate sufficiently after training. Otherwise, you will slip straight from the illness and break into overtraining.
Training For The Soul Is Always
Possible Even if you are knocked out by illness or injury, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t train. How about some soul training? Great meditation books and audiobooks will help you find your inner balance and regenerate faster. Gentle yoga also works wonders for the body and mind!
Regular Breaks Are Part Of It – And They Are Important!
Even completely healthy athletes should regularly take a break from training. We are all not machines but human beings. #BeMoreHuman! You should take at least a week off every three months to prevent overtraining.
The Right Diet
Training breaks are stupid, and because you can’t work out, is pizza for dinner no longer critical? Of course, you can treat yourself to something – but especially when you take a break from sports due to illness, your body needs a nutrient-rich diet even more.
A conscious protein intake is essential: around 2.5g to 3g per kilogram of body weight is mandatory! This will retain your muscles from breaking down too much and help your body regenerate faster. In addition, unsaturated fatty acids support recovery.
Conclusion
How do we get back into fitness after a break, we work hard all year round, and the holidays are an excellent time to enjoy a vacation. While it’s reasonable to want to take a small step back from the stress of work and intense training, many people find it difficult to return to the gym after a long break.
We can lose some mental strength and motivation in just a few weeks. However, there is no purpose to be discouraged whether you take a short break or an extended vacation from your usual workout routine.
Helpful Resources
Tips For Exercising In The Summer Heat
The Health Benefits Of Air Purifiers
How To Stay Fit With Back Pain
Also Read: Does Benzoyl Peroxide Bleach Skin – Side effects and benefits
