It can be daunting or intimidating to get back into an exercise routine after taking a long break. Whether the time away from the gym was due to injury, sickness, or just plain lack of motivation, it can take effort to reignite the spark needed to make exercising a habit again. The good news is that starting up again doesn’t have to be hard! Here are some things to consider before getting back into working out, plus five tips for how to start exercising again after taking a break.
What to consider before you start working out again after a long break
Thinking about ways to start exercising again? First of all, YES, you should be proud of yourself. Second, consider this: There is no better time than right now to assess where you are and how to best support the healthier lifestyle you want going forward. A few things to think about:
- Take inventory of what you like. Build off of what has worked in the past and evaluate how to use that experience in this next phase.
- Be honest about how you feel. While it’s exciting to start or restart a fitness journey, there are some very normal and real feelings that may be popping up. Maybe you’re nervous to find that you’ve lost some of the progress you previously made. Or you feel intimidation about going to the gym. Remember, these feelings are completely normal and will ease with time and progress.
- Embrace the new, and be patient. Maybe your body feels and looks different than it did when you last worked out. Once-simple workouts may feel more challenging at first, and that’s completely OK and a part of the process. Accept where you are now, and be patient with yourself as you get to where you want to be.
Related: Everyone hits roadblocks. Yep — even us. Check out our 6 tips for reframing your setbacks to keep moving forward in your fitness journey.
How long does it take to regain strength?
The amount of time it takes for someone to regain strength after taking a break from working out depends largely on how long that break was and how consistent exercise was before the break. The same goes for restoring physical endurance, breathing capacity, mental clarity, and daily energy levels.
If you’ve taken a short break (about three weeks), chances are your muscles won’t have lost too much strength. You should be able to return to the same level of strength fairly quickly, typically within a few weeks. For cardio and endurance, it’s a little different. A recent study found that for endurance athletes, a loss of cardiovascular fitness and endurance starts to happen after as little as 12 days of no exercise. But chin up! While your cardio conditioning does wane faster than your strength, it can be easier to regain.
If you’ve taken an extended break, your muscles will initially need some time to rebuild their strength. This process can take anywhere from four to six weeks, although this timeline can vary depending on individual fitness levels.
This we promise: With consistency and dedication, your strength and endurance will come back.
5 tips for how to start exercising again after time away
If you are one of the many who feel they have lost strength, your body feels different, or you’re concerned about injury or overdoing it, this next section is for you! We want to help you know what to focus on to move forward successfully. Check out the following tips for how to start exercising again.
1. Get yourself prepared the night before
Make your reentry into fitness as seamless as possible by getting everything ready the night before — you don’t want to be scrambling the morning of your first day back in the gym. Put together your gym clothes, shoes, a water bottle, and any other items you may need for the gym (don’t forget the pre-workout snacks!).
Another thing to consider the night before is what to eat before working out, whether that’s for dinner or tomorrow’s breakfast. We have a full rundown of meals, snacks, and more.
Related: The Ultimate Pre-Workout Guide
2.Ease yourself in
When we start exercising again, it’s normal to be unsure of how to pace reentry. It’s important to ease back in to avoid getting overly sore or hurt. Pay attention to how your body feels throughout the process and don’t be afraid to take breaks if you need them.
Even if you aren’t a beginner, it’s never a bad idea to go back to basics for a few refreshers, especially after being away for a while. Having the right balanced workout routine that includes cardio exercise, strength training, and stretching can help set you on the path to being successful in your fitness journey, no matter what your end goals are.
Related: Beginner Workout Routine
3. Focus on form and technique
As you’re getting back into working out — especially strength training — you may be unsure of how much weight to use at first. Our suggestion is this: Go lighter and focus on the tempo of your movement versus the amount of weight you are using. Lengthening the time of the eccentric phase of a lift helps you build strength faster without overloading your body. Eccentric phases of popular movements include:
- Squat: The lowering of the body
- Push-up: The lowering of the body
- Row: The extending of the arms
- Leg curl or bridge: The extending of the hips or legs
Sometimes, time off can make positive changes to form and technique. You might even find that you can go lower, higher, and wider, than before.
4. Learn what works best for your unique self
We’re all different when it comes to what works for us — and what doesn’t — in the gym. Some of us prefer to hit the weight room solo, earbuds in. Others get motivated in group training sessions. One-on-one workouts with a personal trainer can give some the guidance and encouragement they need to stay on track and reach their goals.
Free Fitness Consultation for Members
As you start getting back into working out, now might be a great time to really dig into what works best for YOU. Through a free fitness consultation with an AF Coach, you’ll be able to create the perfect program to get you started and on track to meet your fitness goals.
5. Build sustainable habits
Setting that new fitness goal is a great start, and you can keep the momentum going by creating habits you can keep. One way to do this is by building around routines and habits that already exist in your day-to-day life. For example:
- If you have a morning routine locked in, add 15 minutes of yoga or stretching 2–3 times a week to start. Build out from there.
- If your favorite store is near the gym, make sure to pack your gym bag and bring it along.
- Do you regularly grab coffee or drinks with a friend? Suggest to them that you instead go for a walk together every other meeting.
Creating and sticking to habits is going to require some hard work, but if you focus on your goals, maintain your drive, and build a routine, your newfound self-care journey will get easier.
It can be tough to know how to start exercising again after a break, but remember that this is an opportunity to make your life awesome! It’s easier said than done but using that time away from the gym to evaluate what you want and how you want to get there could change you for the better. At the end of the day, it’s your life and you are the expert on what works and what won’t. So, take hold of your life and go for it!
Ready to get back in the gym? Find your local Anytime Fitness gym and ask the staff about the free new member fitness consultation.
