How to return safely to the gym post Covid 19
Now that restrictions are easing and gyms are open many of you are keen to return to your pre-Covid exercise regime. However it’s important to know how to return safely to the gym post Covid 19 to avoid injury. Here are our tips on how you to get back to the gym:
- Hygiene
Number 1 tip throughout Covid 19 has been hygiene and this is not the time to stop. Remember to always wash your hands (or sanitise) and avoid touching your face. Wiping gym equipment before you use it can help minimise the risk of contracting Covid 19.
- Warm up and Cool down
With many of us working from home and changing our exercise program (such as taking up running) we may have stiff areas and weak muscles requiring some extra focus and care. Ensuring a 10 minute warm up of gentle cardio and dynamic stretching and foam rolling, stretching and icing can aid in recovery and injury prevention.
- Reducing your weight lifting
Given gyms have closed for 3 months it’s important not to lift too heavy a weight to ensure you return safely to the gym post Covid 19. It’s recommended you drop 20-30% of pre-iso weight to reduce your risk of injury.
- Limiting your intensity
The excitement of returning to the gym must be tempered with the risk of injury. Remember it has been a while since you’ve attended the gym so having a rest day between sessions and reducing your reps and sets can all help for recovery and injury prevention.
- Address any niggles
During isolation you may have been working from home and not had an ideal desk setup or you may have taken up a different type of exercise as the gyms were closed. Make sure as you return to the gym that if you feel any niggles get them checked out by your physio. Injury prevention is key and you don’t want your niggle to become a full blown injury.
We hope you enjoy returning to the gym post Covid 19 and these tips will help to ensure a safe return.