How to get back to the gym after a long break I’m sure that by now you’ve been away from the gym long enough and are pumped to get back at it. Really depends on how detrained you are and how hard you’re willing to working to get it back. Take it easy. Jun 3, 2023 · How long does it take to get back in shape after 2 years off – (Image Source: Pixabay. I then took another 2-3 week break from mid February and now that im back, I'm much stronger than I was before the break. um . May 28, 2020 · Getting Back To the Gym. Transitions sometimes feel awkward and there is a vagueness in fitness circles when it comes to getting back on track. Take It Easy. I was focused on getting my bench and squat back up primarily. Each time you return, it becomes an impactful affirmation that you are in control over your habits, actions, and future self. This often results in slow progress, wicked plateaus, and even injury. Currently, I'm at a month and a half break, but if I were to "hit the ground running" (pun definitely intended) and start doing my fifteen 100-meter dashes in the triple degree heat like I used to, my ankles and joints just wouldn't be adjusted, and neither would I have no advice whatsoever, but to your last question I am also getting back to weightlifting after a long break. It's way better than doing nothing! I've personally never been able to get consistent with yoga. Here are a few more tips to ease back into your fitness routine: Aug 18, 2020 · If you’re struggling, follow the steps in this article and explore how to get back to the gym after a long break, which includes starting small and setting a realistic routine; going to the gym with a plan so you feel more confident; and getting involved in a community to motivate you and keep you accountable, whether online or in person. Getting back to your routine after a long break can be challenging, but it’s also one of the most important things you could do for yourself. Plan ahead. Start slow to avoid injury as you rebuild endurance and strength. Set Realistic Goals. It might come back even In this article, I’ll talk about how long it takes to get back in shape after a long break and provide tips on how to get back in shape safely. Somebody else mentioned mountain biking; if you have anything fun like that to do, do it. You have a few conflicting goals (lose weight, gain muscle, get stronger, get better a combat sports). And then things go downhill in the “back to the gym” department. Dec 29, 2024 · Previous fitness level: If you were in good shape before the break, you'll bounce back faster. A novice who was squatting 295x5x3 might need to reset back to 265x5x3 after a layoff, working back up to 295 in 5 lb jumps – the same increment used the first time through this progression. Aug 18, 2020 · If you’re struggling, follow the steps in this article and explore how to get back to the gym after a long break, which includes starting small and setting a realistic routine; going to the gym with a plan so you feel more confident; and getting involved in a community to motivate you and keep you accountable, whether online or in person. I think physically a prolonged break that long is unnecessary but mentally you may need it for other reasons. Start with a simple exercise plan. 2. Personally after a layoff I focus on conditioning and work capacity, and reducing body fat because that plays well into being able to recover and tolerate training How to Get Back to Working Out After a Long Break? 7 Tips to Start Again 1. Blazevich et al 2009 study examined the effects of 3 month de-training in recreationally active men and women with some resistance training experience. Don’t go gangbusters the first day back in the gym and try to lift your previous weights, and don’t lace up your running shoes and plan to run 5 miles (8 km). In your case I’d personally do 2 weeks getting back in the swing of things at like 60-70%, then autoregulate for a month not going over rpe 8-9. I kept telling myself that I didn’t have the time to get back in there. Took six months off? You’ll need three months to gain it all back. May 27, 2020 · First of, lets see how much muscle you can lose after you take a break from the gym. The first workout tip for a gym comeback is that you start slow. Start slow, literally. Now that we’re getting back to the gym, it’s important to manage expectations. Avoid any setbacks by starting slowly and gradually increasing your workout intensity. Keep the Enthusiasm in Check. Nov 6, 2023 · How to get back into the gym after a break; How to relieve sore muscles after a workout; If you're heading back to the gym and not sure how to approach your return to fitness, you could benefit from a few sessions with a Personal Trainer - they'll be able to support you as you find your feet again. So I've been off of the gym for a few months as I was battling with crippling health anxiety. Workout #1: Full-Body Strength Foundations; Workout #2: Lower-Body and Upper-Body Focus; Workout #3: Bodyweight and Strength Circuit; Workout #4: Power and Endurance Circuit; 4 Best Workouts To Get Back Into Shape After a Long Break I took a long break from the gym bc of work and single mom life. Is it possible to get back years of lost activity? Researchers have discovered that starting to reverse decades of sedentary living can take as little as four to five days of aerobic exercise per week for two years. Final Thoughts. When you’re getting back into training after a break, you need to ease into it slowly. You won’t do yourself any favors by overexerting yourself early on, and burning out in a week with 90-minute gym sessions. May 17, 2021 · And if you’re having trouble with the mental side of getting back in the game after a workout break, remember our five step guide to returning to the gym: Don’t beat yourself up. The reality is that we’ve either been training with limited equipment or haven’t been lifting at all. Good news though, if you trained consistently for a long period of time your body is able to bounce back. So for anyone getting back in after a long break, it's gonna suck and be embarrassing but it won't nearly take as long as it did at first. It’s likely there’ll be a small loss of muscle size and strength as we discussed early. Dec 12, 2024 · Taking a break from resistance training doesn’t significantly affect your overall strength in the long run, new research found. When going back after a long break, a lot of gym-goers make mistakes that can sabotage their progress. The following are some of the most common ones: Doing too much, too soon and trying to make up for lost time; Not having any kind of structure or plan for your workouts Oct 23, 2023 · Starting back at the gym when you've taken time off can be intimidating. Check out my top 5-6 Aug 6, 2024 · Jumping into high-intensity workouts after a break can cause muscle strain, joint pain and fatigue. Evaluate your Jul 21, 2020 · In order to enhance your recovery between workouts, it’s important to make sure you’re eating correctly. Finding the motivation to get back to the gym and get healthy must come from within, says Jonathan Leary, founder of If you're confident you can get back in the swing after a month and really want the break, I'd say you can go for it. Jun 23, 2021 · Now that more people are getting vaccinated and restrictions are beginning to ease, many people want to get physically active again. I’ll also provide a list of mistakes to avoid when getting back in shape. Getting back into shape after a long break shouldn’t feel like fixing something that is broken. Looking to start right away? Download the Fitbod app and get access to a customizable routine that can get you back in shape Jun 16, 2017 · Most people really screw up coming back to the gym after a break. Take it easy, adjust your mindset, and get back in the gym! Share your experience with returning to the gym after a long break. With guidance from your trainer, you will create a routine that fits your life and feels sustainable long after the first few weeks. Reduce your volume, intensity, and frequency for a few weeks, and scale things up slowly. Getting back into weightlifting after a break can feel like a big step, both physically and mentally. Doing too much too soon will overwhelm you, and you'll burn out. So essentially you want to get bigger, leaner, stronger, faster, and fitter. You reap the rewards, for a while. Even if you’re not quite ready to get back into a routine yet, you might want to maintain as many gains as you can while on your Aug 25, 2021 · After an extended break from the weight room, these workouts can help you get reacquainted with the gym so you can start rebuilding your path to success! Aug 22, 2023 · Getting back to working out after a break isn’t as easy as dusting off your sneakers and renewing your gym membership. 1. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), carbohydrates and protein are particularly important after exercise in order to stimulate synthesis of glycogen and muscle protein synthesis, respectively. Before you dive back into a workout routine, decide what you want your routine to look like and how you want to get there. 5% at one point for a photoshoot a while back so I have experience with lifting/dieting. These can lead to injuries that may sideline you longer than your summer break. In the early days your excitement to be back in the gym may get the better of you, but we really recommend to not overdo it. When motivation is running low, it’s easy for a rest day to turn into a rest week and before you know it you’ve lost any kind of routine and the thought Should take half the time you took off to get back to progressing on average. That meant another one-month break from squats. And you can use it to ignite a full bulk if you’d like I did and went to 275x4. com). Sep 16, 2015 · Furthermore, he offers a few sage points for returning after a workout “layoff” (whether your break was for injury or non-injury reasons): What do you think so far? Post a comment. May 23, 2023 · 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. Squat, bench, deads. This means, it won’t take as long to regain strength as it took to build it initially. Here are six tips to get you back into working out again: Take it Slow. When you go back in the gym you will not be able to lift the weight that you could before, don’t try. Now i'm no lifting scientist, I just did what I could stick to and get my fat ass in the gym. The Workouts. Accept That You Will Feel Weaker For a While. So, do yourself a favour and keep “muscle memory” in the back of your mind as you step into the gym after your break. You'll get those gains back so fast that you'll feel like you're on steroids. Should land comfortably where you were and save yourself a lot of trouble in the long run by not rushing it. Jun 7, 2021 · Think like a newbie when you get back to the gym after a long break. . The primary objective is to provide you with practical strategies that can help you effectively get back into strength training. Going back to the gym after a long time feels overwhelming, but we’re here to help! Here are some tips on what you should do when you go back to your favorite workout place: Start slowly. Start with lighter weights and easier movements to prepare your body and joints for more intense training later on. But it depends on your prior and current fitness level Get your strength and size back as fast as possible after a break!My FREE Bridge Program: https://jeffnippard. Maybe you’re on your way to recovering from an injury, maybe you’ve just come back from a holiday (lucky you!), or maybe you lost your way for some time there. But now that I have it under control I would love to get back into the gym again. Getting back into shape after a long layoff isn't as simple as flipping a switch. I did crossfit for a year back in 2013, sucked at crossfit but got to decent numbers in the Olympic lifts, albeit with what had to be horrendous form. Duration of inactivity: The longer you've been off, the longer it will take to regain your fitness. It’s honestly probably the best part of working out is how easy you get it back. It’s natural to want to get back in shape as quickly as possible, but that’s just not how building a healthy body — or a sustainable workout routine — really works. I’m told it gets more difficult as you get older. Feb 25, 2025 · Make sure you approach your return to the gym after a break the right way. What’s important now is that you’re ready to get back into a routine, so congratulations are in order. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when easing back into exercise after a long break and how to avoid injuries. Maybe do a few lifts every now and then just to maintain what you have. Put in the work and it will come back faster. If you’re still reading this article after the introduction, it probably means you’re keen to get back into training. Regained it in about 2 months back. Rule #5 is the most important one to follow (if I had to pick just a single rule to follow). Jan 3, 2024 · Getting back into the gym after a long break is now something of a concern for many more of us. But tbh, don’t worry about it Jan 1, 2025 · It’s easy to stop going to the gym, especially during a pandemic, and so much harder to get back into it if after a long break. And you might start looking forward to exercising. Here's how. If you actually make it all 3 months and still don't have the urge to go back then it may be a different problem Beginning your strength training routine after a break should not be scary. But the better option imo is to pick something else physical up. Thanks to muscle memory, muscles quickly recover their size and Stronger after a break Since new years, I started hitting the gym hard again after a long break. Fortunately we have a couple of studies measuring the rate of muscle loss when you take time off from the gym. Do not go too hard your first week back! Leave your ego at the door! I know every time I come back after a hiatus I go way too hard with Biceps and can't move my arms for days, if I had just went light and let my body get adjusted to being back and instead went hard on the 2nd or third week I would of been fine. I was relatively fit, got my BF down to 9. Jan 18, 2024 · After 3 months, they had improved markers of heart health. Just going to the gym won’t bring back everything. May 12, 2022 · Let’s get down to the practical tips for getting back into powerlifting after taking a break. I started back in the gym a month ago and it’s help my emotional state more than anything. After my most recent break I got back into cycling which has been a fun way to get cardio and meet people. This is only a few months away from this. I hope this helps someone Few feelings are as frustrating as making progress when you get back to the gym, only to see it all slip away. Sep 17, 2019 · Expert-backed tactics that will get you on track after a long hiatus. Cardio is definitely something you can't just dive back into after a long break. Understand That Muscular Soreness Will Be Uncharacteristically High . After some time away, and doing the best you could with your home-based workouts, you’re probably eager to rebuild your strength and muscle, shed any body fat you might have built up while being at home, and do everything you can to protect yourself from COVID-19 and any other pathogen your immune system might Dec 27, 2024 · Let's dive into Dickson's top four full-body workouts to get back into shape after a long break. The single best tip for how to get back into working out after a long break is to ease back into your exercise routine slowly. May 13, 2020 · Common Mistakes People Make When Returning to the Gym. Here's how to get back into the gym without burning out, losing motivation or risking injury. I pretty much has a mental health breakdown back in October and I knew I needed a change. Apr 21, 2025 · We focus on building habits, strength, and confidence that support long-term wellness. You'll need to recommit Feb 18, 2023 · How to Getting Back into the Gym after a Long Break. My advice, start with basics. But the improvements can be temporary. So, if you had a 2-month break from lifting, it might take just a month to get all of your gains back. Jan 13, 2025 · How to Maintain Muscle and Strength Away from the Gym. The difference is, you have that muscle memory and previous strength history. If you’re wondering how to start exercising again and feel Jun 27, 2022 · Getting back into a workout routine after a long break takes planning, patience and desire. com May 17, 2017 · Then it’s been six weeks since you went to the gym, then six months, then . At long last, it’s time to get back to your health club, fitness center, or gym. You'll see the weight climb up with every workout. Oct 23, 2023 · Whether you've been recovering from an injury, have had a baby, or simply wanted to take time away from the gym, there's plenty of reasons why you might not have stepped foot in the gym for a while. Don't overdo it when you return to the gym. As you make your plan for getting back to regular workouts, think about your habits, goals, and schedule and go from there. Plus, you get used to moving more often, Turner adds. That background will help you get back quicker to Dec 15, 2016 · An advanced athlete can usually make much bigger jumps from workout to workout to get back to old PRs. Start slow, and don’t forget your stretches. Just take the time off and go back to the gym when you feel ready, if you feel the urge after 3 weeks then go back early. I want to help you with this goal by laying out four steps for getting back to the gym after a layoff. Be smart and don’t try to lift the whole rack your first day back. six years. If you are training hard and recovering, you will be back to normal within a year. No matter what you do in the gym in the first 1-2 weeks after returning from a break If 30 days of yoga is what will help you get back into it then that's perfect. You work your ass off, for a while. T rying to keep up some kind of consistency with your fitness routine has been no easy feat. Jan 17, 2025 · Follow these expert tips and you’ll get your mojo back in no time. I went from 225lb x1 bench to 175x3 after Covid gym close. Much faster than you realize. You invest time and effort to get better. Returning after a layoff can feel daunting and is a dreadful experience, but you will pick up where you left off in a very fast time frame. I tested my maxes and about 85% of my strength was back. Now, with that said, here are three good tips to follow as you return to the gym after a long break: 1. Tempting as it may be to do two hours of cardio and a full body weights session every day of the week, odds are your muscles won’t be able to handle it after some downtime being sedentary at home. So let’s get into it. . com/comeback-program/Check out my latest blog p Feb 19, 2024 · #2: Ease Back Into It. Aug 17, 2020 · Getting back in shape after a long break is a lot like your first time starting in the gym. How long does it take to get back to your previous fitness level? It can take several weeks or months to get back in shape. Nov 16, 2017 · As a result of overestimating my strength, I injured my knees after about three weeks. ProSupps® Sports Nutrition – ProSupps. All I know is that, when I hit 25, my Jan 28, 2021 · According to the research of pro bodybuilder Jeff Nippard, the timeframe to get your muscle gains back is typically around half the time you took off. rgagaqu tneg ygoef frqjoy hfjix eeaqml pcz pjex jfxg xyffcu peqfm wuubwhr stptatzv yymbjo zvero