So you fell off the exercise wagon (bummer), but you’ve finally motivated yourself to start working out again (excellent!). Your renewed commitment to physical fitness is commendable, though from personal experience we must warn you: go too hard at the gym after a weeks-long hiatus and you could hurt yourself. Badly. You could also fall off of a cardio machine or be the person on the mats who, instead of doing crunches, is just laying there in pain. Not a good look. Knowing how to start exercising again without the risk of injury is crucial, and something that New York City-based trainers Ngo Okafor and Andia Winslow recently clued us in on. As you start to channel your inner Jillian Michaels, keep these things in mind.
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Know how long your hiatus can be before you’re at an increased risk of injury
“In my experience, one month is the length of time that people go without working out before increasing their risk of injury,” Okafor says, adding that clients often get frustrated when exercises that were once easy are seemingly impossible. “They then try to push through in order to get back to where they were. This is usually when injuries occur.”
Commit to starting off slow
Both Okafor and Winslow suggest light- to moderate-intensity workouts for one to two weeks before ramping things up. Okafor offers this regiment: Start with an extensive, 15-20 minute warmup, which can be done by walking on a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing machine or elliptical. Follow this up with foam rolling and a dynamic stretch. Once you’ve worked up a good sweat, you can do your normal weight-training routine, but using much lighter weights, or even modified with no wights at all.
Expect to be in a bit of pain
“There will be soreness involved as the body is now under stress,” Winslow says. “The goal though is not to become so sore that you’re sidelined by the same exercise that you had hoped would get you back in shape.” Winslow stresses that post-workout stretching will help alleviate discomfort, but sitting still wont.
Know when to push yourself…
“If you haven’t worked out in a while, you can safely push yourself to do core exercises such as planks and side planks, and body weight workouts such as lunges, squats and push-ups,” Okafor says.
and when not to
High-intensity, explosive movements such as sprints, jump squats, high box jumps, broad jumps, explosive push-ups, and heavy Olympic lifts should be avoided for one to two weeks.
Expect some muscle groups to feel it more than others
“Muscle groups that are particularly impacted by dormancy are the hamstrings and the muscles in the lower back,” Winslow says. “You can safely start working on these muscles by thoroughly warming them up.” Winslow suggests planks, side planks and glute bridges for rebuilding strength.
Don’t skimp on your recovery or nutrition
According to Winslow, rest and recovery should be a major focus as you start to work out again. “The body needs time to repair itself, so the best approach is a balanced one that includes exercise, proper nutrition and hydration, and rest!”
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