Good job! You are thinking about returning to training or increasing your physical activity - taking the first steps can be easy! While getting back to activity (walking / sports / physical work etc) can be intimidating, this short blog will summaries three essential tips that will help you to return to training with a simple plan.
Progressive Training
Warm Ups
Recovery Hacks
We have all heard the phrase ‘you have to walk before you can run’, but how can we progress our training at the right pace? If starting out on a return to exercise, it is best to complete regular lower intensity training (for example 20-30 mins, every second day) throughout the first week. A good rule for progressing your training is to add about 20% to your overall training, week by week. Twenty minutes will become 45 minutes, within one month!
Start your exercise with a short warm up. This does not need to be complicated (and should not be focussed on stretching!). The best way to warm up your body, is to complete short sets of exercises, which use the muscles you are going to exercise. The target is joint movement, and increasing your heart rate (warming UP!). A great full body warm up is 3 sets of 10: squats on the spot / push ups (can be from knees) / lunges. Spend about five minutes getting through these and then progress with your exercise!
Recovery is key to feeling the benefits of exercise. There are a lot of useful gadgets and supplements that can help to add ‘the 2%’ - but don’t make the mistake of forgetting about the easy 80%. Our bodies need time to rest and repair after exercise, this happens through sleep, hydration, nutrition and load management. If you focus on planning your training load through the week; replacing lost fluids; eating nutrient rich foods and getting the sleep that your body needs, you will already cover the most important 80% of recovery strategies!
Watch this space for more detailed blogs on these topics.
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