It's been a long time of home workouts, Zoom classes and using tins of beans as dumbbells' but with the gyms set to reopen, it's time to start making the plans around getting back into the gym.
Whether you're nervous about being back in that environment or you're worried about doing an absolute number on yourself when you start lifting weights again, we have you sorted.
In a Mind Yourself Now special, Ronan Murphy from TonedFit and Vkng Built joined Dermot and Dave with some advice.
His top three tips?
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Start Slow! Seriously, start slow. I know it’s tempting to go one more round, or lash a few more kgs on a bar and go to failure, but, you have to accept that you’re not there yet. If you want to ensure longevity in your training then you need to start slow and over the course of the next 3-4 weeks bring your training up ,gradually. I’m not saying do all bodyweight or light sets. What I'm saying is to drop everything by about 30% and emphasise the range of movement and time the muscles are under tension. Technique ALWAYS beats kgs and tempo
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Focus on the main lifts. If you’re going into a resistance plan then focus on the main lifts. Pretend you’re that awkward teenager getting into lifting for the first time and when your trainer was showing you the main big lifts; Squat, Hinge, Lunge, Press and Row. These are the best to start from for a number of reasons: Multiple joints and multiple muscles worked at the same time. Increases overall strength and stability. Burns the most calories etc…
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Have a plan. You’ll read this, you’ll say ‘oh yeah, that’s a good idea’ and then you’ll ignore it. Fast forward 4-6 weeks and you’ve fallen off the wagon. If you’re truly serious about your training and you want to get the best from it then go into it with a plan. That’s not to say you need to have all your sessions planned out to the exact rep and tempo scale… It means take 15 minutes and jot down where you are now, where you want to be in 6 weeks time and then how you’re going to get there with a rough idea and how often you’re going to apply it. It’s that simple and will be massively beneficial. If you’re struggling for ideas then check out our newest 60 Day Challenge, starting June 7th.
For more tips including the importance of mobility to making sure you're asking the right questions, check Ronan's blog which is full of deadly nuggets of info to get you back to the gym safely!
